The best skills to put on your resume are the ones that match the job and accurately reflect what you can do. Begin with the tools, software, methods and job-specific abilities the employer requests. Then add a few relevant skills that show how you communicate, solve problems and work with other people.
For example, a bookkeeping position may require Excel, account reconciliation and financial reporting. A customer service position may place more value on CRM software, complaint resolution and clear communication. Your skills section should change with the position rather than remain identical for every application.
Quick Answer
A practical resume skills section usually contains 8–12 relevant abilities. Put job-specific hard and technical skills first, followed by a smaller number of useful soft skills. Support your most important skills with evidence in your summary, work experience or projects.
Best Skills to Put on a Resume
Good resume skills show that you can perform the job, use the required tools and work effectively with other people. The exact combination will depend on the position, but the following skills are valuable across many professions.
- Job-specific software and tools Examples include Excel, Salesforce, QuickBooks, Epic, AutoCAD and Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Data analysis Collecting, organizing and interpreting information to support decisions.
- Project management Planning tasks, coordinating resources and completing work within deadlines.
- Customer service Answering questions, resolving concerns and creating a positive customer experience.
- Written communication Writing clear emails, reports, instructions, proposals and other workplace documents.
- Verbal communication Explaining information clearly to customers, coworkers, managers or stakeholders.
- Problem-solving Identifying problems, considering possible solutions and taking effective action.
- Teamwork and collaboration Working productively with other people to complete shared tasks and projects.
- Time management Prioritizing responsibilities and completing work within the required timeframe.
- Organization Managing schedules, records, tasks, materials or information accurately.
- Leadership Guiding people, coordinating work, making decisions and taking responsibility for results.
- Attention to detail Checking work carefully and maintaining accuracy in records, documents or processes.
- Adaptability Adjusting to new responsibilities, tools, priorities and workplace changes.
- Process improvement Finding practical ways to reduce errors, save time or improve the quality of work.
- Research Finding reliable information, comparing sources and presenting useful conclusions.
- Sales and persuasion Understanding customer needs, explaining value and encouraging informed decisions.
Types of Skills to Put on a Resume
Resume skills generally fall into hard skills and soft skills. Technical skills are a more specialized group of hard skills involving particular tools, systems, equipment or processes. Most resumes need a combination that fits the position.
Hard Skills for a Resume
Hard skills are learned abilities you use to complete specific tasks. They can usually be taught, tested or demonstrated through your work, education, training or certifications.
Examples of hard skills
- Bookkeeping
- Financial reporting
- Data analysis
- Foreign language proficiency
- Inventory management
- Content writing
- Project planning
- Patient care
- Quality control
- Market research
Find more role-specific examples in our hard skills for a resume guide.
Soft Skills for a Resume
Soft skills describe how you communicate, organize your work, respond to problems and work with other people. They are most convincing when your experience section shows where you used them.
Examples of soft skills
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Adaptability
- Time management
- Leadership
- Active listening
- Conflict resolution
- Decision-making
- Attention to detail
Explore additional examples in our guide to soft skills for a resume.
Technical Skills for a Resume
Technical skills involve specialized software, equipment, systems, methods or procedures. Name the exact tools you can use instead of relying on broad descriptions such as “good with technology.”
Examples of technical skills
- Microsoft Excel
- SQL
- Python
- Salesforce
- QuickBooks
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Electronic medical records
- Computer-aided design
- Google Analytics
- Cloud platforms
- Machine operation
- Cybersecurity tools
See our complete list of technical skills for a resume for more examples organized by profession.
How to Organize Skills on Your Resume
A short skills list can appear under one heading. If you have many technical or job-specific abilities, divide them into clear groups so employers can find the information they need quickly.
Choose a Clear Heading
Most candidates can simply use “Skills.” Other headings are useful when they describe the list more accurately.
“Areas of expertise” and “proficiencies” can also be used, but they should describe abilities you can genuinely demonstrate. You do not need several different sections that repeat the same skills.
Group Related Skills Together
Use simple category names that tell the employer exactly what each group contains.
Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Salesforce
- Google Workspace
- Adobe Creative Cloud
Data and Analysis
- Data visualization
- Financial analysis
- Market research
- Statistical reporting
Operations
- Project planning
- Process improvement
- Inventory control
- Quality assurance
Communication
- Customer service
- Report writing
- Presentations
- Conflict resolution
Software: Excel, QuickBooks, Salesforce and Power BI
Analysis: Financial reporting, forecasting and data visualization
Operations: Process improvement, documentation and project coordination
For more workplace software examples, see our guide to computer skills for a resume.
Resume Skills by Job
The right skills depend on the position. Open a job category below to find relevant examples, then compare them with the requirements in the job description.
Administration and Office Jobs
- Calendar management
- Appointment scheduling
- Document preparation
- Data entry
- Records management
- Meeting coordination
- Business correspondence
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Google Workspace
Office professionals can find more specific examples in our guide to Microsoft Office skills.
Customer Service
- Active listening
- Complaint resolution
- CRM software
- Customer retention
- Phone support
- Email support
- Order processing
- Product knowledge
- Conflict resolution
- Customer relationship management
Explore more customer service skills for a resume.
Sales
- Lead generation
- Prospecting
- Sales presentations
- Negotiation
- Account management
- Pipeline management
- CRM software
- Relationship building
- Product demonstrations
- Sales forecasting
Marketing
- Content marketing
- Search engine optimization
- Email marketing
- Social media management
- Market research
- Campaign planning
- Google Analytics
- Keyword research
- Copywriting
- Performance reporting
Technology and Data
- Python
- SQL
- JavaScript
- Database management
- Data cleaning
- Data visualization
- Power BI
- Tableau
- Cloud platforms
- Version control
Finance and Accounting
- Financial reporting
- Budget preparation
- Account reconciliation
- Financial analysis
- Bookkeeping
- Accounts payable
- Accounts receivable
- Advanced Excel
- QuickBooks
- Regulatory compliance
Healthcare
- Patient care
- Vital signs monitoring
- Electronic health records
- Medication administration
- Infection control
- Patient education
- Clinical documentation
- Care coordination
- Medical terminology
- HIPAA compliance
Applying for a nursing position? Review these nursing skills for a resume.
Education
- Lesson planning
- Classroom management
- Curriculum development
- Student assessment
- Differentiated instruction
- Educational technology
- Progress reporting
- Parent communication
- Student engagement
- Learning support
Skilled Trades
- Equipment operation
- Preventive maintenance
- Blueprint reading
- Quality inspection
- Troubleshooting
- Safety compliance
- Power tool operation
- Material handling
- Technical measurements
- Repair and installation
See additional skills for blue-collar jobs.
Warehouse and Logistics
- Inventory management
- Order picking and packing
- RF scanner operation
- Shipping and receiving
- Forklift operation
- Warehouse management systems
- Stock replenishment
- Quality inspection
- Load handling
- Warehouse safety
Find additional warehouse skills for a resume.
Hospitality and Service
- Guest service
- Reservation management
- Point-of-sale systems
- Food safety
- Cash handling
- Complaint resolution
- Upselling
- Event support
- Team coordination
- Service recovery
Management
- Team leadership
- Performance management
- Strategic planning
- Budget management
- Staff training
- Resource allocation
- Decision-making
- Process improvement
- Conflict resolution
- Stakeholder management
Students and First-Time Job Seekers
- Written communication
- Research
- Presentations
- Teamwork
- Time management
- Microsoft Office
- Google Workspace
- Data entry
- Problem-solving
- Organization
How to Choose Skills From a Job Description
The job description shows which abilities the employer considers most important. Compare those requirements with your real experience before deciding which skills to include.
Find the Required Skills
Look for named software, tools, certifications, procedures and responsibilities. Skills repeated in different parts of the posting are likely to be important.
Separate Required and Preferred Skills
Give priority to required qualifications. Add preferred skills when they accurately match your training or experience.
Compare the Requirements With Your Experience
Keep the skills you can support through previous jobs, education, certifications, volunteer work or relevant projects.
Use the Employer’s Wording When Accurate
If the posting asks for “Microsoft Excel,” use that specific term instead of writing only “computer skills.” This makes your qualification clearer to recruiters and applicant tracking systems.
Put the Strongest Matches First
Begin your skills section with the qualifications most important to the job. Do not make the recruiter search through unrelated abilities to find them.
For more help identifying terms from job postings, see our guide to resume keywords.
How to List Skills on a Resume
Your skills should not appear in only one place. Use a dedicated skills section for quick scanning, then support your strongest abilities in your summary, work experience and relevant projects.
1. Add a Dedicated Skills Section
Use a clear heading such as “Skills” or “Technical Skills.” List the most relevant abilities first and keep related tools together.
2. Include Important Skills in Your Summary
Mention two to four qualifications that are central to the position. Connect them to your experience rather than inserting a long list.
3. Demonstrate Skills in Your Work Experience
Experience bullets should show how you used a skill and what the work accomplished. This is stronger than simply claiming that you possess it.
- Built a Power BI dashboard that reduced weekly reporting time by four hours.
- Used SQL to combine sales data from three databases and identify recurring customer trends.
4. Use Projects to Support Developing Skills
Projects are especially useful for students, career changers and candidates who learned a skill outside their formal employment.
5. Add Certifications Where They Matter
Place licenses and recognized certifications in a separate section when they are required for the job or strengthen your qualification.
Resume Skills Section Examples
Use these examples to help organize your resume skills section. Choose the format that fits your experience, then add the skills you can confidently demonstrate.
General Professional
Skills
- Project coordination
- Process improvement
- Microsoft Excel
- Reporting
- Stakeholder communication
- Time management
- Problem-solving
- Team collaboration
Technical Candidate
Technical Skills
Programming: Python, SQL, JavaScript
Data tools: Microsoft Excel, Power BI, Tableau
Platforms: Git, AWS, Jira
Methods: Agile, data cleaning, API integration
Customer Service Candidate
Core Skills
- Customer support
- CRM software
- Complaint resolution
- Active listening
- Order processing
- Phone and email support
- Product knowledge
- Conflict resolution
Manager
Core Competencies
Leadership: Team leadership, coaching, performance management
Operations: Budgeting, resource planning, process improvement
Communication: Stakeholder management, presentations, conflict resolution
Student or Candidate With No Experience
Skills
Computer skills: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Workspace
Transferable skills: Research, written communication, teamwork, organization
Additional skills: Social media, data entry, presentation design
How Many Skills Should You List?
Most resumes should include 8 to 12 relevant skills in the main skills section. You can mention additional skills in your summary, work experience and project descriptions.
Students and Entry-Level Candidates
Include skills gained through education, internships, projects, volunteering and part-time work.
Experienced Professionals
Focus on the skills most closely connected to the job, including important tools and role-specific abilities.
Technical Candidates
Technical resumes may include more skills when they are grouped under clear categories such as programming, software and platforms.
Skills: Project management, budget planning, Microsoft Excel, process improvement, stakeholder communication, reporting, team leadership and risk management
A long list containing every program, personality trait and general ability you have ever used.
Skills to Leave Off Your Resume
Remove skills that are irrelevant, unclear or difficult to support. Every skill should help show why you are suitable for the job.
Skills Unrelated to the Job
A skill may be valuable but still unnecessary for a particular application.
Vague Skills
Broad terms do not tell an employer what you can actually do.
Instead of: Good communication
Use: Client presentations, report writing or conflict resolution
Skills You Cannot Demonstrate
Do not include a tool, language or ability that you would struggle to discuss or use during an interview.
Exaggerated Skill Levels
Words such as “expert” and “fluent” should accurately reflect your level of experience.
Instead of: Excel expert
Use: Excel PivotTables, XLOOKUP and data visualization
Basic Skills That Add No Value
Common abilities such as using email or browsing the internet usually do not need space on a professional resume.
Outdated Skills
Remove old software and methods that are no longer used in your field, unless they remain relevant to the employer.
Check Each Skill Before Adding It
- Is it relevant to the job?
- Can I explain how I have used it?
- Is it specific enough to be meaningful?
If the answer is yes to all three questions, the skill probably belongs on your resume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about choosing and listing skills on a resume.
What are the best skills to put on a resume?
The best skills are the ones requested in the job description that also match your experience. Common examples include communication, problem-solving, teamwork, project management, data analysis, customer service and job-specific software.
What are the top five skills employers look for?
Five widely valued skills are communication, problem-solving, teamwork, adaptability and time management. Employers will also expect technical skills related to the position.
Should a resume include both hard and soft skills?
Yes. Include hard skills that show what you can do and soft skills that show how you communicate, solve problems and work with other people.
How many skills should you put on a resume?
Most candidates should list 8 to 12 relevant skills in the main skills section. Technical candidates may include more when their skills are divided into clear categories.
Where should skills go on a resume?
Place a dedicated skills section near your resume summary or work experience. Important skills should also appear naturally in your summary, experience bullets and project descriptions.
How do you choose skills from a job description?
Look for repeated tools, qualifications and responsibilities in the job description. Compare them with your experience and include the matching skills you can genuinely demonstrate.
What are technical skills on a resume?
Technical skills are specialized abilities used to perform a job. Examples include Excel, SQL, bookkeeping, coding, data analysis, equipment operation and industry-specific software.
What skills can you list without work experience?
You can include skills developed through education, personal projects, volunteering, extracurricular activities and part-time work. Examples include research, presentations, teamwork, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, organization and written communication.
Should you rate your skills on a resume?
Usually, no. Progress bars, stars and percentage ratings do not explain what you can actually do. It is clearer to name specific tools or abilities and demonstrate them through your experience.
More Resume Skills Guides
Explore more examples for different skills, industries and experience levels.
