What Computer Skills Should You Put on a Resume?
The best computer skills for a resume are the software, platforms, and digital tasks required for the job you want. These may include Excel, Google Workspace, Salesforce, QuickBooks, Power BI, Adobe Creative Cloud, programming languages, or industry-specific systems.
Read the job description, identify the tools the employer names, and list the ones you can genuinely use. Be specific about what you can do instead of writing broad phrases such as “good computer skills” or “computer proficient.”
More useful: Excel PivotTables, XLOOKUP, Power Query, and Power BI dashboards
Your strongest computer skills should also appear in your work experience, projects, or professional summary. Showing how you used a tool is more convincing than simply naming it. If you are building your complete skills section, see our guide to choosing the right skills for a resume .
Find Computer Skills for Your Job
Select your job area to see relevant computer skills and an example of how they can appear on a resume. Choose the skills you use and adapt the example to your own work, coursework or projects.
Office and Administrative Jobs
Useful for administrative assistants, office clerks, receptionists, executive assistants and operations staff.
- Excel formulas and filters
- Excel PivotTables
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Teams
- SharePoint
- Google Workspace
- Document management
- Data entry
- Digital scheduling
Created and maintained Excel trackers using formulas, filters and PivotTables to monitor schedules, expenses and weekly office activity.
Customer Service and Sales Jobs
Useful for customer service representatives, retail staff, sales associates, account representatives and customer-success teams.
- Salesforce
- HubSpot CRM
- Zendesk
- Intercom
- Point-of-sale systems
- Order management
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Teams
- Customer databases
- Ticket management
Updated customer records in Salesforce, tracked open cases and documented follow-up actions for the sales and support teams.
Finance and Accounting Jobs
Useful for accountants, bookkeepers, payroll specialists, financial analysts and accounts-payable staff.
- Excel XLOOKUP
- Excel PivotTables
- Power Query
- QuickBooks
- SAP
- Oracle NetSuite
- Power BI
- Payroll software
- Financial reporting
- Account reconciliation
Reconciled account records in QuickBooks and used Excel formulas and PivotTables to prepare monthly financial reports.
Marketing Jobs
Useful for digital marketers, SEO specialists, content marketers, social-media staff and marketing coordinators.
- Google Analytics 4
- Google Search Console
- Google Ads
- Ahrefs
- Semrush
- HubSpot
- WordPress
- Mailchimp
- Canva
- Social-media scheduling
Used Google Analytics 4 and Search Console to monitor organic performance, identify content gaps and report monthly traffic trends.
Healthcare Support Jobs
Useful for medical assistants, healthcare administrators, patient coordinators and medical office staff.
- Electronic health records
- Epic
- Cerner
- Patient scheduling
- Medical billing software
- Telehealth platforms
- Microsoft Office
- Secure data entry
- Insurance verification
- Digital documentation
Entered patient information, updated appointment records and maintained accurate documentation in the electronic health record system.
Education Jobs
Useful for teachers, teaching assistants, tutors, academic coordinators and online instructors.
- Google Classroom
- Canvas
- Moodle
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Student information systems
- Online assessment tools
- Digital gradebooks
Organized course materials in Google Classroom and used Google Forms and Sheets to collect assignments and track student progress.
Design and Creative Jobs
Useful for graphic designers, content creators, video editors, UX designers and creative marketing staff.
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Figma
- Canva
- Digital asset management
- Presentation design
- Image editing
- Video editing
Designed social-media graphics and campaign materials in Photoshop and Illustrator while maintaining consistent brand guidelines.
Data and Analytics Jobs
Useful for data analysts, business analysts, reporting analysts and operations analysts.
- Microsoft Excel
- SQL
- Power BI
- Tableau
- Python
- R
- Data cleaning
- Dashboard development
- Data visualization
- Statistical analysis
Cleaned and analyzed operational data with SQL and Excel, then built Power BI dashboards to present trends to department managers.
Software Development Jobs
Useful for software developers, web developers, application developers and entry-level programmers.
- Python
- JavaScript
- Java
- C#
- HTML and CSS
- SQL
- Git and GitHub
- REST APIs
- Docker
- Automated testing
Built a responsive web application using JavaScript and REST APIs, managed source code with Git and tested features before deployment.
IT Support and Cloud Jobs
Useful for help-desk technicians, IT support specialists, system administrators and cloud-support staff.
- Windows
- Linux
- Microsoft 365
- Active Directory
- ServiceNow
- Network troubleshooting
- Endpoint support
- AWS
- Microsoft Azure
- Access management
Resolved hardware, software and account-access issues through ServiceNow while documenting solutions and escalating complex incidents.
Use the job description as your guide: prioritize the tools the employer names, then support your most important computer skills with evidence from your work, coursework or projects. For complete role-based examples, explore our professional resume examples .
100+ Computer Skills for a Resume
Open a category to find specific software, platforms and digital abilities. Focus on the skills required for your target job rather than adding every tool you have used.
Microsoft Office and Productivity
These skills are commonly used in office, administrative, finance, human-resources and operations roles.
- Microsoft Word
- Excel formulas and functions
- Excel PivotTables
- Excel XLOOKUP
- Excel Power Query
- PowerPoint
- Outlook
- Microsoft Teams
- SharePoint
- OneDrive
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Project
- Word mail merge
- Excel macros and VBA
For application-level examples, see our guide to Microsoft skills for a resume .
Google Workspace
Google Workspace skills are useful for office work, education, remote collaboration and shared document management.
- Google Docs
- Google Sheets
- Google Slides
- Google Drive
- Gmail
- Google Calendar
- Google Meet
- Google Forms
- Google Sites
- Google Chat
- Shared-drive management
- Collaborative document editing
Project Management and Communication
These tools help teams communicate, assign work, track deadlines and manage shared projects.
- Slack
- Zoom
- Asana
- Trello
- Monday.com
- Jira
- Confluence
- Notion
- ClickUp
- Basecamp
- Smartsheet
- Miro
- Task tracking
- Digital project scheduling
Customer Service, CRM and Sales
CRM and support platforms help businesses manage leads, customer records, service requests and sales activity.
- Salesforce
- HubSpot CRM
- Zoho CRM
- Microsoft Dynamics 365
- Pipedrive
- Zendesk
- Intercom
- Freshdesk
- ServiceNow
- Gainsight
- Point-of-sale systems
- Order-management systems
- Lead tracking
- Customer ticket management
Accounting, Finance and ERP
These systems are used for bookkeeping, financial reporting, payroll, expense tracking and enterprise operations.
- QuickBooks
- Xero
- Sage
- SAP
- Oracle ERP
- Oracle NetSuite
- Microsoft Dynamics ERP
- Workday
- ADP
- Payroll software
- Expense-management software
- Financial modeling in Excel
- Bloomberg Terminal
- Digital account reconciliation
Data Analysis and Visualization
Data skills range from organizing spreadsheets to querying databases and building interactive dashboards.
- Microsoft Excel
- SQL
- Power BI
- Tableau
- Looker Studio
- Python
- R
- SAS
- SPSS
- Data cleaning
- Data visualization
- Dashboard development
- Statistical analysis
- Database reporting
Marketing, SEO and Content
These tools support website management, search marketing, advertising, email campaigns and content performance.
- Google Analytics 4
- Google Search Console
- Google Ads
- Meta Ads Manager
- Ahrefs
- Semrush
- HubSpot
- Mailchimp
- WordPress
- Hootsuite
- Buffer
- SEO tools
- Email automation
- Content-management systems
Design and Creative Software
Creative software skills are valuable in graphic design, content creation, marketing, video production and UX design.
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Lightroom
- Figma
- Canva
- Sketch
- Blender
- Image editing
- Video editing
- Digital prototyping
- Digital asset management
AI and Automation
Name the tool and the task you perform with it. Simply listing “AI” does not explain your actual ability.
- ChatGPT
- Microsoft Copilot
- Google Gemini
- Claude
- AI-assisted research
- AI-assisted data analysis
- Prompt design
- AI output review
- Zapier
- Make
- Microsoft Power Automate
- Workflow automation
- Chatbot management
- Automated data entry
Programming and Web Development
For technical roles, group programming languages, frameworks, databases and development tools clearly.
- Python
- Java
- JavaScript
- C++
- C#
- HTML
- CSS
- React
- Node.js
- Git
- GitHub
- REST APIs
- SQL
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- Software testing
- Debugging
- Docker
IT, Cloud and Cybersecurity
These computer skills are commonly required in technical support, systems administration, cloud and security roles.
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Active Directory
- Microsoft 365 administration
- AWS
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud
- Network troubleshooting
- Hardware troubleshooting
- Endpoint management
- Identity and access management
- Cybersecurity monitoring
- VPN configuration
- Backup and recovery
- Help-desk ticketing
Industry-Specific Systems
Many employers value experience with the digital systems used specifically in their industry.
- Electronic health records
- Epic
- Cerner
- Applicant tracking systems
- Human-resources information systems
- Learning-management systems
- Inventory-management systems
- Warehouse-management systems
- Point-of-sale systems
- Computer-aided design software
- Geographic information systems
- Property-management software
- Digital scheduling systems
- Document-management systems
Resume tip: write the recognized name of the software first, followed by the specific functions you can perform when that detail matters. For example, write “Excel: PivotTables, XLOOKUP and Power Query” instead of only “spreadsheets.”
Computer Skills by Job
Different jobs use different software and digital systems. The examples below show which computer skills commonly matter for specific roles.
Administrative Assistant
- Microsoft Word
- Excel
- Outlook
- Teams
- Google Workspace
- Digital scheduling
See how these skills fit into an administrative assistant resume .
Accountant
- Advanced Excel
- QuickBooks
- SAP
- NetSuite
- Payroll software
- Financial reporting
Review a complete accountant resume example .
Data Analyst
- Excel
- SQL
- Power BI
- Tableau
- Python
- Data visualization
See these tools in context in our data analyst resume .
Digital Marketing Specialist
- Google Analytics 4
- Search Console
- Google Ads
- Semrush
- HubSpot
- WordPress
Customer Service Representative
- Salesforce
- Zendesk
- Intercom
- Excel
- Order management
- Ticket management
Explore our customer service resume example .
Graphic Designer
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- InDesign
- Figma
- Canva
- Digital prototyping
See how to present creative software in a graphic designer resume .
Medical Assistant
- Electronic health records
- Epic
- Cerner
- Patient scheduling
- Medical billing
- Secure data entry
View a role-specific medical assistant resume .
Teacher
- Google Classroom
- Canvas
- Google Workspace
- PowerPoint
- Zoom
- Digital gradebooks
See digital teaching skills in an online teacher resume .
Software Developer
- Python or Java
- JavaScript
- SQL
- Git and GitHub
- REST APIs
- Software testing
IT Support Specialist
- Windows and Linux
- Microsoft 365
- Active Directory
- ServiceNow
- Network troubleshooting
- Endpoint support
Choose relevance over quantity: a targeted list of six to ten computer skills is usually more useful than a long list of unrelated software. Give priority to the tools named in the job description.
Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Computer Skills
A computer skill level should describe what you can do with a tool. Because “basic,” “intermediate” and “advanced” can mean different things to different employers, specific capabilities are usually more useful than a label alone.
Basic Computer Skills
You can complete routine digital tasks using common workplace software.
Examples- Formatting Word documents
- Entering data in Excel
- Sorting and filtering spreadsheets
- Managing email and calendars
- Joining Zoom or Teams meetings
- Organizing digital files
Computer Skills: Word document formatting, Excel data entry and filters, Outlook email and calendar management
Intermediate Computer Skills
You can use important features independently and complete job-specific tasks without regular assistance.
Examples- Using Excel formulas and PivotTables
- Creating charts and reports
- Managing records in a CRM
- Publishing content in a CMS
- Tracking projects in Asana or Jira
- Designing professional presentations
Software Skills: Excel PivotTables and XLOOKUP, Salesforce reporting, WordPress publishing, Asana project tracking
Advanced Computer Skills
You can build, automate, configure, analyze or troubleshoot complex digital systems and workflows.
Examples- Automating reports with Power Query
- Writing SQL queries
- Building Power BI dashboards
- Developing scripts or applications
- Administering cloud platforms
- Configuring systems and user access
Technical Skills: SQL query development, Power BI dashboard design, Excel Power Query automation, Microsoft Azure administration
Should You Add Computer Skill Levels?
Add a level only when it gives the employer useful information. In most cases, naming the functions you can perform is clearer and more credible.
Excel — Advanced
Photoshop — 90%
SQL — ★★★★☆
Excel: PivotTables, XLOOKUP and Power Query
Photoshop: image editing and digital compositing
SQL: joins, subqueries and data extraction
The level depends on the job. PivotTables may be advanced for an entry-level office role but routine for a financial analyst. Compare your capabilities with the actual responsibilities in the job description. Computer-based abilities are also part of the broader technical skills used on resumes .
How to Choose Computer Skills for Your Resume
Start with the job description. Employers usually name the software, systems or digital tasks that matter most for the position.
Find the Tools
Look for named software, platforms, operating systems and programming languages.
Find the Tasks
Notice digital tasks such as reporting, data entry, scheduling, design or troubleshooting.
Check Your Experience
Keep the skills you can use confidently through work, education, projects or training.
Use Clear Names
Use the recognized tool name and add specific functions when they strengthen your claim.
Example: From Job Description to Resume
The candidate will prepare monthly reports using Microsoft Excel, maintain customer records in Salesforce and create dashboards in Power BI.
Excel PivotTables, XLOOKUP, Salesforce record management, CRM reporting and Power BI dashboard creation.
Technical Skills: Excel (PivotTables and XLOOKUP), Salesforce CRM, CRM reporting, Power BI dashboards
Do not copy every keyword from the posting. Include only the computer skills you genuinely have. Accurate matching can help an applicant tracking system recognize relevant qualifications, while unsupported claims may become obvious during an interview or skills test. Learn more about using resume keywords naturally.
How to List Computer Skills on a Resume
Put computer skills where they help the employer understand your qualifications. Use the skills section for quick scanning, then prove important abilities through your summary, experience, projects or certifications.
1. Skills Section
Create a clearly labeled skills section and group related tools when necessary. Prioritize the software and digital abilities that appear in the job description.
Technical Skills: Excel (PivotTables, XLOOKUP and Power Query), Power BI, Salesforce CRM, Google Workspace
2. Professional Summary
Mention one to three computer skills in your summary when they are central to the job. Connect the tools to your role or the work you perform. For more structures and examples, see our resume summary examples .
Administrative professional with four years of experience using Excel, Salesforce and Microsoft 365 to maintain records, prepare reports and coordinate daily office operations.
3. Work Experience
Your work-experience section should show how you used the software, what task you completed and what improved. This provides stronger evidence than repeating a tool name from your skills section. See more ways to turn work into resume accomplishments .
Built recurring Excel reports with PivotTables and Power Query, giving department managers a clearer view of monthly service trends.
4. Projects
Projects can prove computer skills when you learned a tool through education, independent practice, volunteer work or personal development. Explain what you created and which software you used. Learn more about listing projects on a resume .
Sales Dashboard Project: Cleaned monthly sales data in Excel and built an interactive Power BI dashboard to compare revenue across products and regions.
5. Certifications
Certifications can support specialized computer skills, particularly when you have limited professional experience or the employer requests a particular platform.
Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate | Microsoft | 2026
Write “Microsoft Excel” or “Salesforce” instead of an unclear abbreviation.
Mention important functions such as PivotTables, CRM reporting or dashboard creation.
List the tool once, then use experience bullets to show how you applied it.
Good and Bad Computer Skills Examples
Vague descriptions make it difficult for employers to understand what you can do. Name the software and, when useful, add the functions or tasks you can perform.
A simple rule: replace a broad category with the name of the tool, then add the function you can perform when that information helps the employer evaluate your ability.
How to Show Computer Skills With No Experience
You do not need paid work experience to include a computer skill. You do need evidence that you can use it. Coursework, projects, certifications, volunteer work and internships can all provide that evidence.
Use Coursework
Mention software used to complete reports, presentations, research, data analysis or other practical assignments.
Use Projects
Show what you built, analyzed, designed or automated using a particular program or platform.
Use Training and Certifications
Add relevant courses or credentials that required practical work with the software.
Use Volunteer or Internship Work
Include digital tasks completed for a student group, nonprofit, family business, internship or community project.
Computer Skills Examples With No Experience
These examples show how an entry-level applicant can present computer skills without claiming professional experience they do not have.
Technical Skills: Excel formulas and PivotTables, Google Workspace, Canva, WordPress and Microsoft PowerPoint
Sales Analysis Project: Cleaned spreadsheet data in Excel and created a Power BI dashboard to compare monthly sales across product categories.
Updated event information in WordPress and used Canva to create digital promotional materials for a community organization.
Keep the evidence honest and specific. State what you completed with the tool rather than presenting classroom or personal-project experience as paid employment. For more entry-level guidance, see the best skills for a resume with no experience .
Common Computer Skills Mistakes
A long list of software does not automatically make a resume stronger. Avoid these mistakes when selecting and presenting your computer skills.
Listing Unrelated Computer Skills
Unrelated tools take attention away from the software the employer actually needs.
Prioritize the computer skills named in the job description and closely related tools you can use confidently.
Using Vague Phrases
Phrases such as “good with computers” and “computer proficient” do not identify any testable ability.
Name the software and relevant functions, such as “Excel PivotTables, XLOOKUP and Power Query.”
Claiming Skills You Cannot Use
The employer may test the skill during an interview or expect you to use it immediately after hiring.
Include skills you can explain or demonstrate through work, coursework, projects, training or certifications.
Including Skills Employers Already Assume
Basic internet browsing, downloading files and ordinary email use may waste space on an experienced applicant’s resume.
Use that space for job-specific software. Include basic skills when the posting requests them or when they add value to an entry-level resume.
Using Stars, Bars or Percentages
Ratings such as “Excel 90%” or four out of five stars are subjective and do not explain what you can do.
Describe actual capabilities: “Excel formulas, PivotTables, XLOOKUP, Power Query and dashboards.”
Repeating the Same List Throughout the Resume
Repeating tool names in the summary, skills section and every work bullet adds words without adding evidence.
List the tool clearly in the skills section, then use selected experience bullets to show how you applied it.
Listing an AI Tool Without Explaining the Task
Writing only “ChatGPT” or “AI” does not show how the tool supports your work or what judgment you apply.
Connect the tool to a genuine task, such as research support, workflow automation, data analysis or content review.
The strongest computer-skills section is specific, relevant and supported by evidence. Employers should be able to understand both which tools you use and what you can accomplish with them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Computer Skills
These answers cover the most common questions about choosing and listing computer skills on a resume.
What computer skills should I put on my resume?
Include computer skills that match the job description and that you can genuinely use. Prioritize named software, platforms and digital tasks such as Excel, Salesforce, Power BI, QuickBooks, Adobe Creative Cloud, programming languages or industry-specific systems.
What are basic computer skills for a resume?
Basic computer skills can include Word document formatting, spreadsheet data entry, email and calendar management, online meetings, internet research and digital file organization. Include them when they are relevant to the job or helpful for an entry-level application.
How many computer skills should I list?
Most applicants should prioritize approximately six to ten relevant computer skills. A technical candidate may need more, but the list should remain organized and focused on the tools required for the position.
How do I say I am good with computers on a resume?
Avoid writing only “good with computers” or “computer proficient.” Name the tools and functions you can use, such as “Excel PivotTables and XLOOKUP, Salesforce CRM and Microsoft Teams.”
Should I list Microsoft Office as one skill?
You can write Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365 when the job description uses that term, but naming the relevant applications is usually more informative. For example, write “Excel PivotTables, Word mail merge, PowerPoint and Outlook.”
Should I include computer skill levels?
Include a level only when it provides useful context. Describing specific capabilities is often clearer than writing basic, intermediate or advanced. Avoid subjective stars, bars and percentages.
Are computer skills and technical skills the same?
Computer skills are a type of technical skill involving software, hardware, digital tools and computer systems. Technical skills are broader and can also include machinery, laboratory methods, medical procedures, engineering processes and other job-specific abilities.
How can I show computer skills without work experience?
Use coursework, academic projects, personal projects, certifications, internships or volunteer work. Explain what you created, analyzed, organized or improved with the software instead of only naming the tool.
Should I include AI tools on my resume?
Include AI tools when they are relevant to the job and you can explain how you use them. Connect the tool to a genuine task such as research support, data analysis, workflow automation, content review or document preparation.
Choose Computer Skills That Match the Job
The best computer skills for a resume are not necessarily the most advanced ones. They are the tools and digital abilities that help you perform the target job effectively.
Start with the job description, choose the skills you can genuinely use and name them clearly. Then support your most important skills with evidence from your work experience, projects, coursework or certifications.
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