Skills to Put on Resume

The skills on your resume determine whether you get an interview or get ignored. Hiring managers spend just 7 seconds scanning each resume — and your skills section is where they look first.

The best skills to put on your resume are a mix of hard skills (technical abilities like Excel, Python, or project management) and soft skills (interpersonal abilities like communication and leadership). Choose 6-12 skills that match the job posting, then prove them with examples in your work experience.

🎯 Quick Check: Not sure which skills you're missing? Our free resume scanner compares your resume to any job posting in 30 seconds.

What Skills Should You Put on a Resume?

Your resume needs two types of skills:

Hard Skills — Teachable, measurable abilities like Excel, SQL, Photoshop, accounting, or welding.

Soft Skills — Interpersonal and character traits like communication, leadership, and problem-solving.

The perfect balance: Most resumes should be 60-70% hard skills and 30-40% soft skills. Technical roles lean heavier on hard skills; management and customer-facing roles can emphasize soft skills more.

100+ Best Skills to Put on a Resume

Top 10 Skills Employers Want Most (Any Industry)

1. Communication — Written and verbal
2. Problem-solving — Finding solutions independently
3. Teamwork — Collaborating effectively
4. Leadership — Guiding and motivating others
5. Time management — Meeting deadlines consistently
6. Adaptability — Adjusting to change
7. Technical proficiency — Industry-relevant tools
8. Critical thinking — Analyzing and deciding
9. Attention to detail — Accuracy and quality
10. Work ethic — Reliability and dedication

Computer & Technical Skills

Essential for most jobs:

• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides)
• Email management
• Video conferencing (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet)
• Cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive)

Data & Analytics:

• Excel (advanced: pivot tables, VLOOKUP, macros)
• SQL
• Tableau
• Power BI
• Google Analytics
• Python/R for data analysis

Programming & Development:

• Python
• JavaScript
• Java
• HTML/CSS
• React/Angular/Vue
• Git/GitHub
• AWS/Azure/Google Cloud

Marketing & Sales:

• SEO/SEM
• Google Analytics
• HubSpot
• Salesforce
• Social media management
• Email marketing (Mailchimp, Klaviyo)
• Google Ads / Facebook Ads

Soft Skills for Any Resume

Communication:

• Written communication
• Verbal communication
• Active listening
• Public speaking
• Presentation skills
• Negotiation

Leadership:

• Team leadership
• Delegation
• Mentoring
• Decision-making
• Strategic thinking
• Conflict resolution

Problem-Solving:

• Critical thinking
• Analytical skills
• Creativity
• Research
• Troubleshooting
• Innovation

Work Habits:

• Time management
• Organization
• Attention to detail
• Multitasking
• Prioritization
• Meeting deadlines

For a deeper dive on interpersonal abilities, see our complete guide to soft skills for resumes.

How to Choose the Right Skills for Your Resume

Step 1: Analyze the Job Posting

Read the job description and highlight every skill mentioned. These are your priority keywords.

Example job posting:

"Seeking a marketing coordinator with experience in social media management, content creation, and email marketing. Must have strong organizational skills and proficiency in HubSpot and Google Analytics."

Skills to include: Social media management, content creation, email marketing, organizational skills, HubSpot, Google Analytics

Step 2: Match Your Skills to the Job

Create two columns and check off what you have:

• Social media management ✅
• Content creation ✅
• Email marketing ✅
• HubSpot ✅
• Google Analytics ✅
• Organizational skills ✅

Step 3: Prove Your Skills with Examples

Don't just list skills — demonstrate them:

Skills section:

Marketing: Social media management, content creation, email marketing, SEO
Analytics: Google Analytics (certified), HubSpot, Tableau

Experience section (proving the skills):

• "Managed social media accounts with 50K+ followers, increasing engagement by 40%"
• "Created email campaigns achieving 35% open rates (industry avg: 21%)"

Learn more about finding the right keywords in our resume keywords guide.

🎯 Mid-Article Check

Wondering if your skills match the job you want?

Paste your resume and a job description into our free scanner. You'll see exactly which skills are missing and where to add them.

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Skills to Put on Resume by Job Type

Administrative & Office Jobs

Hard Skills:

• Microsoft Office Suite (advanced Excel)
• Calendar management
• Data entry
• CRM software

Soft Skills:

• Organization
• Attention to detail
• Professional communication
• Time management

Customer Service Jobs

Hard Skills:

• CRM systems (Zendesk, Salesforce)
• Point-of-sale systems
• Live chat platforms

Soft Skills:

• Active listening
• Patience
• Empathy
• Conflict resolution

Sales Jobs

Hard Skills:

• CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot)
• Sales forecasting
• Lead generation
• Contract negotiation

Soft Skills:

• Persuasion
• Relationship building
• Resilience
• Goal orientation

Entry-Level / No Experience

Hard Skills:

• Microsoft Office
• Google Workspace
• Social media
• Any certifications

Soft Skills:

• Eagerness to learn
• Reliability
• Teamwork
• Adaptability

If you're just starting out, check our guide on writing a resume with no experience.

Skills Section Format Examples

Format 1: Simple List

SKILLS
Excel • SQL • Tableau • Project Management • Client Communication • Problem-Solving

Format 2: Categorized

SKILLS
Technical: Python, SQL, Tableau, Excel (advanced), Power BI
Management: Agile methodology, stakeholder communication, budget oversight
Soft Skills: Team leadership, cross-functional collaboration

Format 3: With Proficiency

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Expert: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word
Advanced: SQL, Tableau, Google Analytics
Intermediate: Python, R, Power BI

How Many Skills Should You List?

Total unique skills: 10-15 across your entire resume is the sweet spot.

For the complete breakdown, see how many skills to list on your resume.

Skills to AVOID Putting on Your Resume

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top 5 skills to put on a resume?

1. Communication (written and verbal)
2. Problem-solving
3. Technical skills relevant to the job
4. Leadership/teamwork
5. Time management

These appear in most job postings and are valued across industries.

What are good skills to put on a resume with no experience?

Focus on transferable skills: communication, teamwork, time management, customer service, computer skills (Microsoft Office, Google Workspace), and any technical skills from school or self-learning.

Should I put soft skills on my resume?

Yes, but strategically. Include 3-5 soft skills and prove them with examples. "Led team of 6" demonstrates leadership better than just listing "leadership."

How do I know which skills to include?

Read the job posting carefully. Skills mentioned multiple times are priorities. Match your skills to their requirements and use similar language.

Check If Your Skills Match the Job

Not sure if your skills section is optimized? Our free resume scanner compares your skills against any job description and tells you:

✅ Which skills are missing
✅ Keywords to add for ATS systems
✅ How to phrase your skills more effectively

Takes 30 seconds. No signup required.

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Looking to strengthen specific areas? Check out our guides on communication skills and soft skills for more detailed examples.