How to determine the best skills to put on a resume (with 250+ example skills)

The skills you put on a resume should show the employer your value as a potential employee. So, it’s important to showcase skills that will convince them that you are the right person for the job. In this article, we will go over the different types of skills employers are looking for and help you choose which ones to include in your resume. 

Here’s what we’ll discuss:

• Hard skills vs soft skills
• Tips for showcasing your resume skills
• Common mistakes to avoid
• Summary
• FAQs about resume skills

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills 

Generally speaking, there are two types of skills to put on your resume: hard skills and soft skills. Though very different, both are essential for success in any profession.

What are hard skills?

Probably the simplest way to define hard skills is "skills you can measure." They usually come by way of formal learning and experience, and they're often specific to particular job categories. In computer programming, for example, some of the essential hard skills would be coding, procedure testing, debugging, and knowledge of operating systems. An employer can objectively test your levels in these skills, and they're relevant only in IT professions.

A hard skill typically requires experience or formal education to cultivate. They are also highly specific to certain professions. It's good to highlight these skills if you have them because they will let employers know that you have expertise in your field.

Here are some things you can do to develop your hard skills for a particular job:

• Take classes.
• Attend workshops and seminars.
• Read books.
• Watch tutorials.

Hard skills are likely the ones you'll have to demonstrate if you want to get licensed or certified. In the Philippines, some occupations require licensing by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to ensure that practitioners are qualified. If you're interested, the PRC website has a full list of licensed professions and the requirements for board examination.

Examples of hard skills

1. Technical skills: Technical skills are the specialized abilities required to carry out tasks specific to your job. They often require knowledge of software or specific procedures. You can be as specific as you want. For example, if you have knowledge of specific software or languages, you can highlight those in your resume.

2. Financial analysis and reporting: These skills are essential in any job that deals with money. Financial analysis relates to examining financial data to see how well a business is doing money-wise. Financial reporting is about putting your analysis into words so that decision-makers in the business can understand it and act on it.

3. Sales and marketing: Sales and marketing skills broadly refer to abilities related to identifying potential clients or customers, understanding consumers' wants and needs, and measuring or predicting business performance.

4. Medical and health care skills: Many medical and health care skills are about knowing how the body works and how to fix the problems that affect it. But some medical and healthcare skills relate to classifying, describing, developing solutions to, and helping others understand such problems.

5. Legal and regulatory skills: In legal and regulatory professions, hard skills relate to knowing what laws apply to certain situations, as well as discussing and enforcing those laws.

6. Engineering and science: Hard skills in engineering and science pretty much center on understanding physical laws and perhaps how to harness them.

7. Human resources: In the human resources profession, the hard skills involve some regulatory knowledge plus how to balance the needs of both employers and employees.

8. Construction and trade: Construction and trade hard skills broadly amount to knowing how to build or fix things and also doing the actual building or fixing.

9. Logistics and supply chain: Logistics and supply chain hard skills are about untangling the web of how to get things from one place to another. Aside from understanding how these webs operate, you also have to know how to use certain software tools to prevent confusion among the people within the web.

10. Data science and analytics: Hard skills in data science and analytics have to do with finding patterns in big sets of numbers and using the computer tools that help you do so.

Soft skills

A soft skill is harder to define, but you can think of it as a personal quality that helps you function better in the workplace. Abbey Lewis, senior product manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning, calls them “human skills” and says they're more important than ever given the rise of remote and hybrid work arrangements.

Soft skills may be a bit harder to develop compared to hard skills, but organizations often offer courses and workshops to help you. Also, as with any skill, mindful observation and practice are the keys to improvement.

Examples of soft skills

1. Communication and interpersonal skills: These emotional intelligence skills help you transfer information and maintain healthy workplace relationships.

2. Leadership and management: Leadership and management skills are traits that inspire others to perform their best.

3. Personal development: If you have personal development skills, you have the characteristics necessary to set and realize your own goals.

4. Teamwork and collaboration: This pair of skills is all about working well with others toward a shared vision.

5. Customer service: Having strong customer service skills means you're capable of helping others have a positive experience.

6. Organizational and administrative skills: Are you good at keeping objects, files, and thoughts in order? Can you easily plan and coordinate events? Excellent, because that means you have terrific organization and administrative skills.

7. Creativity and innovation: Fresh ideas and inspiration come to you more readily if you have creativity and innovation skills.

8. Problem-solving and critical thinking: Observe a situation, understand it, and come up with a solution to make it better. 

9. Influence and negotiation: Influence and negotiation fall under a broader category of persuasion. You can use these skills to lead others to the outcome you want.

10. Project management: Project management is like logistics in the soft skills world. It's about having the character needed to coordinate many pieces in a complex system.

Tips for showcasing your resume skills 

Here are five tips for showcasing your resume skills to improve the odds that an employer will notice them:

Perform an honest self-assessment

An honest self-assessment will not only give you a better idea of your skills but also let you understand which roles you would fit in. So, before you start constructing your resume, assess your skills and abilities first.

Let's say the job you want requires candidates to be skilled in word processing, communication, and teamwork. The first question you should ask yourself in your self-assessment is, "Do I have these skills?" If your answer is yes, then the next questions you should ask are:

• At what level are my skills?
• Am I up to date on my skills?
• How have I used these skills at work?
• In what areas can I improve?
• How can I improve?

Even though it's a self-assessment, that doesn't mean you can't receive help from others. Ask your colleagues, mentors, friends, and family members what they think. And tell them to be truthful, even if the truth might hurt. 

Tailor your resume to the job description

Most job descriptions include the specific skills the employer wants. Usually, they're under a heading like "Qualifications," "Requirements," or "What we expect from you." You may want to make a list of every skill mentioned. Referring to this list should help you later when you write your resume.

The skills you choose should match the ones mentioned in the job description. That way, the employer knows that you meet at least the basic criteria for the job. Just make sure you only list skills that you have.

Use as many keywords as possible

The job description probably includes keywords such as standout verbs or adjectives used alongside the skills. The more keywords you use, the more likely you are to get past whatever applicant tracking system the employer uses. Nearly 99% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS, so this step is important. Outside of the job description, you can also research industry-specific keywords to use on your resume.

Use action words

Hard-hitting action words are usually better at showing your concrete achievements. "Developed," "designed," and "trained" are some examples of powerful and descriptive action words. Adding numbers along with action words can make an even bigger impact. For example, you could add, "Designed 5 applications using JavaScript."

Consider using visual aids

Pictures, charts, and graphs may draw attention to important information. Applicants sometimes use such visual aids to illustrate their levels of proficiency – for example, a filled-out meter to demonstrate high expertise. Look at resume templates for ideas to ensure you follow conventional patterns instead of distracting with odd styles.

Common mistakes to avoid 

Here are some mistakes you should avoid when you put skills on a resume.

Not being specific

It may not be enough to simply list your skills. If you're a skilled communicator, specify what type (verbal or written) or how you've effectively interacted with different groups of people. Give examples whenever possible. Also, remember to use specific keywords in your skills to boost your discoverability. For example, don't just write "basic computing skills". Instead, specify the type of computer skills you mean.

Lying or exaggerating

Remember that employers can verify information from your application. If you say you possess a skill but can't demonstrate it, it will be marked as a red flag. If you don't feel comfortable enough using that skill in real life, it's best to leave it out. 

Omitting important skills

There are certain skills that employers look for, and failing to include them on your resume could make you look less qualified. Pulling keywords from the job description is the best way to ensure you've covered the essential skills.

Using jargon or technical terms

Make sure that the language you use is understandable to everyone. The people in charge of hiring aren't necessarily experts in the job you're applying for. Recruiters might pass over your resume if they can't understand it.

Summary 

It's essential to highlight your transferable skills on your resume because they demonstrate your suitability for the job you want. You should include hard skills to showcase your technical abilities as well as soft skills to highlight your key personal qualities. Together, they present you as the complete package. Also, remember to be as specific as possible. Quantify your skills so employers can envision you achieving measurable results. By following this advice, you can create an impactful resume that neatly summarizes how you can be an asset to the employer.

More tips and advice:

1. Proofread your resume several times to ensure accuracy.
2. Make sure your resume is well-formatted, well-organized, and easy to read.
3. Provide references who can attest to your abilities.

FAQs about resume skills 

1. What skills should I put on my resume?
   ⁠The exact skills you should put on a resume depend on what the employer wants. If the job description mentions five particular skills, make sure to include each one that applies to you. Fill out the rest of your skills list with hard skills that are relevant to the job in general, as well as high-demand soft skills that most employers look for. Communication, collaboration, teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making are examples of the latter.
2. Should I include skills that are not relevant to the job?
   ⁠You probably shouldn't. The reason is that employers, when they evaluate applications, focus on skills that are directly related to the job. If you include irrelevant skills, the best-case scenario is they wonder why you included them. The worst-case scenario is they regard the rest of the resume as irrelevant, too.
3. How should I format my skills section?
   ⁠A bulleted list is the most common and easiest-to-read format. You can also experiment with visual aids like infographics if they effectively and accurately communicate your proficiency. Again, remember to use strong keywords.
4. Can I list skills that I don't have much experience in?
   ⁠Absolutely, but be honest about your proficiency level. Remember, the employer will probably ask about your resume skills during the interview, so it's best to mention only those that you can talk about with confidence.
5. Can I list skills that I learned on my own?
   ⁠Definitely. Employers tend to value initiative and willingness to learn. You'll likely impress them with your proactive approach to reskilling and upskilling.
6. How many skills should I include on my resume?
   ⁠There's no exact number of skills to put on your resume, but a good rule of thumb is to fill out the skills section so it looks sizable. At the very least, include the key skills mentioned in the job description.
7. How do I demonstrate my skills in an interview?
   ⁠You can describe specific situations in which you successfully used your skills to achieve desirable outcomes. If you get asked about the skills you lack or aren't proficient in, express openness to learn or improve. In some cases, the interviewer might test you on a specific skill. For example, if you're interviewing for a coding job, the interviewer could ask you to write lines of code that perform a function. 
8. Should I mention the same skills in my cover letter as in my resume?
   ⁠Yes! The cover letter is one of the first things that hiring managers look at to evaluate an applicant, so take it as your first opportunity to impress. Besides, having the same skill set in both documents gives the impression of consistency.
9. How do I quantify my skills?
   ⁠Mention your years of experience to describe previous jobs or the durations of past projects. Use percentages or figures to quantify achievements made possible by your professional skills. Wherever applicable, use numerals instead of spelling out numbers (e.g., "5" instead of “five”).