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A strong skills section is a must-have on any resume. One of the first things a recruiter will do is quickly scan your skills to see if you have what it takes to execute the role successfully. Your chances of landing the job you want will dramatically increase if you feature the right skills on your resume. 

Below, you’ll learn how to write your skills on a resume, where to feature them and how to target the right skills. 

Why Are Skills Important?

Skills matter because they’re the attributes you possess to perform a duty or job. Hiring managers pay special attention to the skills section to determine whether a candidate should move on to the next phase of the hiring process. That’s why it’s crucial to target the skills the employer seeks and convincingly showcase your abilities.

There are three main types of skills: hard skills, soft skills and technical skills. A well-written resume should include a mixture of the three:

Hard skills refer to aptitudes that can be developed and improved through experience, repetition and practice. They’re usually easy to demonstrate, prove or quantify. For example, typing is a hard skill, and you could show your typing abilities by doing a test that measures how many words per minute you type.

Technical skills are specialized hard skills developed through hands-on training and regular practice. These skills are usually related to math, science, IT or software tasks. 

Soft skills, on the other hand, usually refer to personality traits that are harder to measure, quantify or demonstrate. For example, teamwork is a soft skill, and it’s clear why it’s necessary to perform well: People work in groups in many industries. Soft skills can also be improved through practice on the job. 

Where to List Skills on a Resume

Your resume should always contain skills, no matter your experience or skill level. There are three main places on your resume where it’s best to include skills:

In a skills section

The standard practice is to list six to eight skills on your resume in the skills section. Remember, your skills must feature a mixture of hard and soft skills. How prominently you feature this section on your resume depends on the resume format you choose: 

  1. Chronological resume: This layout is recommended for job seekers with five or more years of experience because it spotlights their professional history. In a chronological resume, the skills section would live below the work experience section. 
  2. Functional resume: This format is much more skills-focused and will always place the skills section above the work experience section. A functional resume is ideal for candidates with little work experience or are making a career change. 
  3. Hybrid/combination resume: This layout is the middle ground between a chronological and functional resume. It places equal emphasis on the skills and work experience sections. 

In your professional summary

Your professional summary helps you position yourself as the ideal candidate, and it’s often the first thing employers read on your resume. So, it works to your advantage to include two or three of your top skills to describe yourself.

In your work experience

It’s good practice to use your work experience section to elaborate more on your skills by explaining the achievements and results you have produced. It will help reinforce your claims about your abilities.

How to Write a Skills Section on a Resume

Listing skills on your resume is pretty straightforward. Follow these three simple steps to create a compelling skills section. 

1. Brainstorm your skills

It’s important to know what you’re working with. Create a “master list” of your talents, including soft, hard and technical skills. By doing so, you’ll have a comprehensive inventory of your abilities that you can tailor to the job post. 

2. Study the job post

Every job requires a different skill set — even the same job title may require different skills depending on the company or business. So, it’s essential to write your skills section targeting the specific skills that the employer is looking for. 

Refer back to the job post or ad. By reading closely, you’ll be able to identify specific keywords the employer uses to signal required skills. Especially hone in on the words that seem emphasized. 

Here’s an example of a senior marketing manager job post to illustrate how you can identify the key skills to include in your skills section:

Job Post: Senior Marketing Manager

Company: Wave Tech Solutions

Location: New York, NY

Job Type: Full-Time

About Us:

Wave Tech Solutions is a leading technology company dedicated to innovation and excellence. We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Senior Marketing Manager to join our team and drive our marketing initiatives to new heights. If you are a creative, data-driven, and results-oriented professional with a passion for technology, we want to hear from you.

Responsibilities: 

  1. Lead and manage the marketing strategy for our products and services, aligning with overall business goals.
  2. Oversee the development and execution of comprehensive marketing campaigns that include online and offline channels.
  3. Utilize your digital marketing expertise to optimize website traffic, customer engagement and lead generation.
  4. Create and manage content for various marketing channels, ensuring it resonates with our target audience.
  5. Analyze marketing data to make informed decisions, continually optimizing campaigns for maximum ROI.
  6. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including sales and product development, to ensure alignment with our marketing efforts.
  7. Manage and mentor a team of marketing professionals, fostering a culture of creativity and high performance.
  8. Ensure the effective allocation of resources to achieve marketing goals within budget constraints.

3. List your relevant skills

Once you have your master skills list and have examined the job post, the next step is to cut unnecessary skills and list only the ones relevant to the job you’re applying for. 

Here’s how a strong skills section for the job post example used above should look: 

Skills:

  1. Marketing strategy
  2. Digital Marketing
  3. Content strategy
  4. Data Analytics
  5. Team leadership
  6. Budget management
  7. Strong communication skills

Check out this example of a marketing manager resume:

light green header resume template light green header resume template

Skills Examples by Job Title

It makes it a lot easier to write your own skills section by looking at some practical examples. As you will see, all of these examples use a balance of soft and hard skills. 

Here are skills section examples for some of our most popular titles: 

Accountant

  1. Bookkeeping
  2. QuickBooks, GnuCash, SageX3 and TurboCash fluent
  3. Attention to detail
  4. Self-motivation
  5. Tax code knowledge
  6. Creative solutions
  7. Overhead reduction
  8. Business analytics

See more skills in our accounting resume examples. 

Administrative Assistant

  1. Filing
  2. Data-entry
  3. Excel, GSuite, MSOffice and QuickBooks proficient
  4. Teamwork
  5. Positive attitude
  6. Prioritization
  7. Attention to detail
  8. Type 72 wpm

See more skills in our administrative resume examples.

Data Analyst

  1. Data visualization
  2. SQL specialization
  3. Presentations
  4. Python statistical programming
  5. Critical thinking
  6. Solutions focused
  7. Creative forecasting
  8. Problem-solving

See more skills in our data and systems administration resume examples.

Financial Analyst

  1. Predictive forecasting
  2. Data modeling
  3. Slideshow presentation
  4. Financial strategy
  5. Public speaking
  6. Data-driven
  7. Awareness of market trends
  8. Leadership

See more skills in our finance resume examples.

Human Resources Recruiter

  1. Cultural sensitivity
  2. Social justice awareness
  3. Networking
  4. Talent acquisition
  5. ATS programming
  6. CRM fluency
  7. Intuition
  8. Selecting company-dedicated employees

See more skills in our HR resume examples.

IT Project Manager

  1. Troubleshooting
  2. Data logistics solutions
  3. Network maintenance
  4. Server administration
  5. Cloud storage architecture
  6. Fast ticket response
  7. Debugging
  8. Project management

See more skills in our information technology resume examples.

Mechanical Engineer

  1. Drawing schematics
  2. Accurate CAD rendering
  3. Minutiae focused
  4. Interpersonal skills
  5. Teamwork
  6. Meeting project deadlines
  7. Analytical thinking
  8. AutoCAD, Design Spark and SolveSpace expertise

See more skills in our engineering resume examples.

Nursing Assistant

  1. Compassion
  2. Vitals diagnostics
  3. Bedding preparation
  4. Teamwork
  5. Written and verbal communication
  6. Recordkeeping
  7. Following directions
  8. Care-focused

See more skills in our nursing resume examples.

Receptionist

  1. Impeccable phone etiquette
  2. Organization
  3. Friendliness
  4. Active listening
  5. Line management
  6. Data entry
  7. 84 wpm type speed
  8. Scheduling

See more skills in our customer service resume examples.

Sales Associate

  1. Term negotiation
  2. Rapport building
  3. Networking
  4. Self-motivated
  5. Follows protocol
  6. Low-pressure approach
  7. Client-focused
  8. Upbeat personality

See more skills in our sales resume examples.

Software Engineer

  1. Front-end systems
  2. Teamwork
  3. Communication
  4. Meeting deadlines
  5. Solutions focused
  6. Troubleshooting
  7. Debugging
  8. C++, Java and Scala fluent

See more skills in our computer software resume examples.

How to Write Skills on a Resume FAQ

What are good skills for a resume?

Including “good skills” on a resume means two things:

  1. Having a mixture of both hard and soft skills.
  2. Targeting the skills you include to the job post or ad.

In general, hard skills determine whether or not you would be able to do the job that you’re applying for. Can you do the things required, like using a cash register, lifting heavy loads, engaging with customers, or performing critical financial tasks?

Soft skills refer to how you accomplish a job, i.e., your work style. Soft skills like teamwork, attention to detail, positive attitude, empathy, active listening, and multitasking would be welcome to most jobs.

You can figure out the general mixture of hard and soft skills the employer seeks by paying close attention to what they ask for in the job post!

How do I list my skills on a resume with no experience?

If you have little to no work experience, focus on critical soft skills you can highlight on your resume. 

However, there could be some hard skills that you already possess! You may have experience working with a particular software program thanks to your academic background. Study the job description carefully and ensure to include any relevant skills you have.

What are the top five soft skills?

Five valuable soft skills that appeal to employers include:

  1. Teamwork
  2. Attention to detail
  3. Communication
  4. Organization
  5. Multitasking

What are the top five hard skills?

Here’s our list of five hard skills that may open up many job opportunities. See if you possess them; if not, find ways that you can pick up these handy skills:

  1. Computer skills, e.g., program knowledge, hardware expertise
  2. Marketing ability, e.g., content creation, email writing, video editing
  3. Cash handling
  4. Languages, e.g., computer languages, Spanish, Hungarian, Vietnamese
  5. Technical skills, e.g., extra training, machine abilities, special licenses or certifications

Including these skills will give you an advantage on your resume because they indicate you are a helpful employee!

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Natalia Merced

Natalia Merced

Content Writer

Natalia holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology and a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising. Her focus on music, pop culture, and its intersections with race and gender led her to publish editorial work in Remezcla, Hasta 'Bajo Project, La Aguja Negra, Diarios Negros and Buena Vibra.

Read more articles by Natalia Merced
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