Technical skills are specific, learnable abilities used to perform tasks with software, tools, equipment, processes or specialized methods. The right skills for your resume depend on the work you will actually do—not on which skills sound the most impressive.
Quick answer
Choose technical skills that the job description requires and that you can use confidently. List the most relevant ones in your skills section, then support your strongest skills with evidence from your work experience, projects, training or certifications.
Technical skills are a type of hard skill, but they are not limited to computers or programming. An accountant may use Excel PivotTables and QuickBooks, a designer may work in Figma, a nurse may use an electronic health record system, and a machinist may operate and set up CNC equipment.
You do not need to list every tool you have encountered. A shorter, focused selection of job-relevant skills is more useful than a long list that leaves the employer guessing about what you can actually do.
Examples from different fields
- Excel PivotTables
- Python
- AutoCAD
- Electronic health records
- Google Analytics 4
- CNC machine setup
What Are Technical Skills on a Resume?
Technical skills show that you know how to use a particular tool, system, process or method required for a job. They may come from formal education, workplace training, certifications, independent learning or hands-on practice.
Technical skills are a type of hard skill. However, not every hard skill involves software or technology. Technical skills can also include operating machinery, following laboratory procedures, preparing financial reports or using clinical systems.
Technical Skills vs. Hard Skills
Hard skills include learned, job-related abilities such as foreign-language proficiency, research, bookkeeping and technical work. Technical skills are the part of this group connected to specialized tools, systems and procedures.
Example: Financial reporting is a hard skill; preparing reports with QuickBooks and advanced Excel functions is more specific and technical.
See more examples in our guide to hard skills for a resume.
Technical Skills vs. Computer Skills
Computer skills are one category of technical skills. They cover the software, platforms and digital tools used at work, but technical ability can also involve equipment, manufacturing processes or clinical procedures.
Example: Microsoft Excel and Salesforce are computer skills. CNC calibration and laboratory testing are technical skills that may not center on a computer.
For software-focused examples, explore our computer skills for a resume.
Technical Skills vs. Soft Skills
Technical skills describe what you can do with a tool or method. Soft skills describe how you communicate, solve problems, organize work and cooperate with other people.
Example: SQL is a technical skill. Explaining the results of an SQL analysis to a nontechnical team requires communication, which is a soft skill.
Our guide to soft skills for a resume explains which personal abilities employers may value.
A simple way to identify a technical skill
Ask whether the ability can be learned through instruction or practice and demonstrated by completing a specific task. If it can, it is probably a hard or technical skill. The exact label matters less than showing clearly how the skill relates to the job.
Find Technical Skills for Your Job
Search by job title, industry, software or task. Use these suggestions as a starting point, then keep only the skills that match the position and your real experience.
Filter by field
Showing 10 job groups.
Software and IT
Developers, IT support specialists, network administrators and security professionals
- Python
- Git
- SQL
- Cloud platforms
Data and Analytics
Data analysts, business analysts, reporting specialists and researchers
- Advanced Excel
- SQL
- Tableau
- Power BI
Engineering and Manufacturing
Mechanical, civil, electrical, manufacturing and quality engineers
- AutoCAD
- SolidWorks
- PLC programming
- Quality control
Healthcare
Nurses, medical assistants, healthcare technicians and clinical support staff
- EHR documentation
- Patient monitoring
- Vital-sign measurement
- Phlebotomy
Finance and Accounting
Accountants, bookkeepers, payroll specialists and financial analysts
- QuickBooks
- Financial reporting
- Account reconciliation
- Advanced Excel
Office and Administration
Administrative assistants, office managers, receptionists and executive assistants
- Microsoft 365
- Calendar management
- CRM software
- Data entry
Marketing and Sales
Digital marketers, SEO specialists, sales representatives and social media managers
- Google Analytics 4
- Google Ads
- SEO tools
- CRM platforms
Project Management and Operations
Project managers, operations managers, coordinators and team leads
- Jira
- Process mapping
- Risk tracking
- Inventory systems
Design and Creative Work
Graphic designers, UX designers, video editors and creative professionals
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Figma
- Wireframing
- Video editing
Skilled Trades
Electricians, welders, machinists, mechanics and HVAC technicians
- Blueprint reading
- Equipment maintenance
- Electrical testing
- Welding
No close match was found. Try a broader job title, industry or software name.
Check the job posting before copying. Employers may use the same job title for positions that require different tools. Remove any skill you have not actually used and add the exact software, equipment or method requested for the role.
100+ Technical Skills Examples by Job and Industry
The best technical skills are different for every occupation. Open the field closest to your work to find additional examples, but include a skill only when it matches your experience and the position you want.
Be specific where possible. “Data analysis with SQL and Power BI” tells an employer more than a broad phrase such as “technology skills.”
Software and IT
Useful for software development, systems administration, IT support, networking and cybersecurity roles.
- API integration
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- Linux administration
- Network configuration
- Cybersecurity monitoring
- Unit testing
- Database management
Data and Analytics
Useful for data analysts, business intelligence specialists, researchers and reporting professionals.
- Data cleaning
- ETL processes
- R programming
- SPSS
- Regression analysis
- Data modeling
- Dashboard development
- Statistical analysis
Engineering and Manufacturing
Useful for mechanical, civil, electrical, industrial and manufacturing positions.
- Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing
- MATLAB
- Circuit design
- Finite element analysis
- Lean manufacturing
- Root-cause analysis
- Technical drawing interpretation
- Production planning
Healthcare
Useful for nurses, medical assistants, technicians and clinical support professionals when supported by appropriate training.
- Medication administration
- Electrocardiogram testing
- Clinical documentation
- Specimen collection
- Wound care
- Telemetry monitoring
- Medical coding
- Infection-control procedures
Finance and Accounting
Useful for accounting, payroll, bookkeeping, auditing and financial analysis roles.
- Accounts payable
- Accounts receivable
- Budget forecasting
- Variance analysis
- Tax preparation software
- Payroll processing
- Financial modeling
- Audit documentation
Office and Administration
Useful for administrative assistants, office managers, receptionists and executive support professionals.
- Microsoft Word formatting
- Excel formulas
- PowerPoint presentations
- Outlook calendar management
- Mail merge
- Document management systems
- Database record maintenance
- Virtual meeting platforms
Marketing and Sales
Useful for digital marketing, content, advertising, ecommerce and sales positions.
- Keyword research
- Content management systems
- Email marketing automation
- Conversion tracking
- Social media scheduling
- Marketing dashboards
- Competitor analysis tools
- Sales pipeline reporting
Project Management and Operations
Useful for project managers, operations specialists, coordinators and logistics professionals.
- Agile project management
- Scrum
- Asana
- Resource planning
- Workflow automation
- Procurement systems
- Standard operating procedures
- KPI dashboard management
Design and Creative Work
Useful for graphic design, UX, UI, video production and digital content roles.
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Interactive prototyping
- Typography
- Motion graphics
- Color correction
- Digital asset management
Skilled Trades
Useful for electrical, HVAC, automotive, welding, plumbing and maintenance roles.
- HVAC diagnostics
- Electrical wiring
- MIG and TIG welding
- Automotive diagnostics
- Plumbing systems
- Carpentry measurement
- Lockout/tagout procedures
- Preventive maintenance scheduling
How to Choose Technical Skills From a Job Description
A job description is the best place to begin because it shows which tools and abilities the employer expects. The goal is not to copy every term. It is to identify the requirements you genuinely meet and describe them clearly.
Find named tools and systems
Look for software, equipment, platforms, programming languages, procedures and technical methods mentioned in the posting.
Separate required and preferred skills
Give the most attention to abilities listed as required or used in the position’s main responsibilities.
Compare the requirements with your experience
Keep a skill only when you have used it through employment, education, training, freelance work or a relevant project.
Use clear and accurate wording
Name the specific program or process instead of relying on a broad phrase such as “good with technology.”
Example: Choosing Skills for an Office Coordinator Job
Maintain Excel tracking sheets, coordinate meetings in Outlook, prepare PowerPoint presentations and update customer records in Salesforce.
Include these skills
The candidate has used Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint in a previous administrative role.
Leave this skill out
The candidate has never used Salesforce, so adding it would create a misleading impression.
Job descriptions also contain useful role-specific language beyond technical tools. Our guide to resume keywords explains how to recognize and use that language without copying entire sentences from the posting.
Where to Put Technical Skills on a Resume
Technical skills can appear in several parts of a resume, but each placement has a different purpose. A dedicated skills section makes important tools easy to find, while your experience and projects show how you have used them.
A useful approach: name relevant tools in your skills section, then prove the most important ones through your experience, projects or training. You do not need to repeat the same complete list in every section.
Skills Section
Use this section for a focused list of software, systems, equipment, programming languages and technical methods relevant to the position.
Resume Summary
Mention one or two technical strengths when they are central to the job. The summary should still explain your professional focus rather than becoming another skills list.
Work Experience
Use achievement or responsibility bullets to show what you accomplished with the skill. This gives the employer evidence that you have applied it in real work.
See our guide to resume accomplishments for more ways to connect skills with meaningful results.
Projects and Certifications
This placement is especially useful when your strongest evidence comes from coursework, personal projects, freelance work, training or certification.
Our guide on how to list projects on a resume explains what information to include.
Avoid repeating the same wording
If “Power BI” appears in your skills section, use the experience section to explain what you created or analyzed with it. Repeating “Power BI” several times without adding evidence does not tell the reader anything new.
How to Describe Your Technical Skill Level
Terms such as “beginner,” “intermediate” and “advanced” can mean different things to different employers. When space allows, describe the functions you can perform instead of relying only on a broad proficiency label.
Skill level should reflect what you can do independently. Do not call yourself advanced because you have used a program once, but do not undersell regular workplace experience simply because you do not know every feature.
What Common Skill Levels Usually Suggest
Familiar With
You understand the basic features and can complete simple tasks with instructions or reference material.
Working Knowledge
You can complete common tasks independently but may need help with unusual or complex work.
Proficient
You use the skill regularly, handle normal problems and complete the work without close guidance.
Advanced
You handle complex tasks, troubleshoot difficult problems or help other people use the tool effectively.
Replace Vague Levels With Specific Abilities
Microsoft Excel — Advanced
Python — Intermediate
Salesforce — Proficient
When should you use a proficiency label?
A label can help when the employer specifically asks for a proficiency level or when the skill has a widely understood testing system. Otherwise, naming the functions you can perform usually gives the reader more useful information than stars, bars or percentages.
How to Prove Technical Skills With Resume Examples
A skills list tells an employer which tools you know. A work-experience bullet shows how you used them. The strongest wording connects the technical skill to a real task, purpose or work result.
A Simple Formula for Writing Technical Skill Bullets
A numerical result can strengthen a bullet when you have an accurate figure, but a clear purpose or outcome is still useful when no reliable number is available.
Weak vs. Specific Technical Skill Wording
Used Excel for inventory work.
Built an Excel inventory tracker with PivotTables and data validation to organize weekly stock records.
Technical Skill Resume Bullet Examples
Data Analyst
Wrote SQL queries to combine customer and sales data for monthly performance reports.IT Support Specialist
Resolved Windows and Microsoft 365 issues while documenting solutions in the service desk system.Administrative Assistant
Maintained Excel tracking sheets and coordinated team schedules through Outlook calendar tools.Digital Marketer
Configured GA4 reports and Looker Studio dashboards to monitor campaign traffic and conversions.Manufacturing Technician
Inspected machined components with calipers and micrometers and recorded results in quality-control logs.Registered Nurse
Documented patient care in the electronic health record and monitored telemetry according to unit procedures.Customize every example. Replace the tool, task and outcome with details from your own experience. Do not copy a responsibility, result or qualification that you cannot support.
Technical Skills for a Resume With No Experience
You do not need full-time employment to show technical ability. Coursework, labs, personal projects, volunteer work and supervised training can provide useful evidence when you describe them honestly.
Coursework and Labs
Include tools or procedures you used to complete assignments, experiments, reports or practical exercises.
Personal Projects
Use projects to demonstrate programming, design, data, writing or technical problem-solving skills.
Internships and Volunteering
Mention software, equipment or systems you used while helping an organization or completing supervised work.
Training and Certifications
Name completed training when it is relevant, but do not present a course certificate as proof of professional-level mastery.
Student Organizations
Event planning, budgeting, design, social media and recordkeeping may involve tools that are relevant to an entry-level position.
Entry-Level Technical Skill Examples
Data Project
Created a Power BI dashboard from a public dataset to compare monthly sales patterns and product categories.IT Lab
Configured a small network in Cisco Packet Tracer and documented the IP addressing and troubleshooting process.Design Project
Designed an interactive mobile-app prototype in Figma using wireframes, reusable components and user-flow screens.Engineering Coursework
Produced a 3D component model in SolidWorks and prepared dimensioned drawings for a mechanical-design assignment.Describe the setting accurately
If you used a tool only during a class project, say so. “Created a Tableau dashboard for a business analytics project” is accurate. “Used Tableau to guide company strategy” is not accurate unless that actually happened.
Relevant classes can also support an entry-level application when they are closely connected to the position. Our guide to listing coursework on a resume explains when and where to include it.
Common Technical Skills Mistakes
A technical skills section should help an employer understand what you can do. Avoid choices that hide your strongest abilities or create claims you may struggle to support in an interview.
Listing Every Tool You Have Ever Used
A long list of unrelated or basic programs can hide the skills that matter most for the position.
Prioritize tools connected to the job’s main responsibilities. Keep basic software when the employer requests it or when you can name relevant functions.
Using Broad Phrases Without Details
Phrases such as “computer skills,” “technical knowledge” or “good with software” do not explain what you can use.
Name the program, platform, equipment or method. Add important functions when they clarify your level of ability.
Claiming Skills You Cannot Use
Copying technical terms from a job description can create claims that you cannot explain or demonstrate.
Include abilities you have genuinely practiced. Describe classroom or project exposure accurately instead of presenting it as professional experience.
Providing a Skills List Without Evidence
Listing an important skill without showing where or how you used it leaves the employer with an unsupported claim.
Support your strongest technical skills with examples from employment, projects, internships, coursework or training.
Using Stars, Bars or Percentages
A rating such as “Excel: 85%” has no shared meaning and does not explain which Excel functions you know.
Describe specific abilities such as PivotTables, XLOOKUP, formulas, charts or data validation.
Repeating a Skill Without Adding Context
Repeating the same tool in the summary, skills section and experience bullets adds little when every mention says the same thing.
Name the tool in your skills section, then use work or project examples to show the tasks and outcomes connected to it.
Technical Skills FAQs
These answers cover common questions about choosing and presenting technical skills on a resume.
What are technical skills on a resume?
Technical skills are specific, learnable abilities used to complete job-related tasks. They can include software, programming languages, equipment, clinical procedures, analytical methods, manufacturing processes and other specialized tools.
What technical skills should I put on my resume?
Include technical skills that are relevant to the position and that you can use confidently. Start with tools and methods named in the job description, then compare them with your employment, training, coursework and project experience.
How many technical skills should a resume include?
There is no fixed number that works for every resume. Include enough skills to cover the position’s important requirements without filling the section with unrelated or weak abilities. A focused list is usually easier to understand than a long inventory of every tool you have encountered.
Are technical skills the same as hard skills?
Technical skills are a type of hard skill. Hard skills include learned job abilities such as research, accounting and language proficiency, while technical skills more specifically involve specialized tools, systems, equipment, procedures or methods.
Should I list Microsoft Office as a technical skill?
List Microsoft programs when they are relevant to the job, but be more specific when possible. For example, you might write “Excel PivotTables and XLOOKUP,” “PowerPoint presentation design” or “Outlook calendar management” instead of only writing “Microsoft Office.”
Can I list technical skills learned in school?
Yes. Coursework, labs and academic projects can demonstrate relevant technical ability, especially for students and entry-level applicants. Describe the setting accurately and do not present classroom practice as professional experience.
Where should technical skills appear on a resume?
Relevant tools can appear in a dedicated skills section. Your strongest technical abilities should also be supported by examples in your work experience, projects, education or certifications when those sections provide useful evidence.
Are technical skills inherently better for ATS?
No resume length or type of skill is inherently better for every applicant tracking system. Using accurate, job-relevant terminology may help your qualifications match the position, but it does not guarantee selection. The skills must also reflect your real abilities and experience.
More Resume Skills Guides
Use these guides when you need broader skill ideas or more detailed examples for a particular type of ability.
Hard Skills for a Resume
Understand the broader group of learned, job-specific abilities that includes technical skills.
Computer Skills for a Resume
Find software, digital-platform and computer proficiency examples for different occupations.
Microsoft Skills for a Resume
Choose specific Microsoft applications and functions instead of writing only “Microsoft Office.”
Soft Skills for a Resume
Add relevant communication, teamwork, organization and problem-solving abilities.
Resume Keywords
Identify useful language from a job posting and apply it accurately throughout your resume.
Unique Skills for a Resume
Find less common abilities that may help when they are relevant to your work and experience.
