Best Skills to Include on Your Resume

Resume Skills | Best Skills & How-to | Resume.com

Quick Navigation

Your particular skills are what set you apart from other candidates. Because of this, it’s important to effectively highlight skills on your resume for hiring managers to evaluate. Learn more about the best skills to list on your resume and how to showcase them effectively.

What are resume skills?

Skills refer to your particular abilities that can be used in your professional career. Every job position has a set of skills that are required to perform the job effectively. To the same degree, everyone has a unique set of skills that sets them apart from other professionals. The more skills you have that fit the job description, the greater chance you have of landing the job.

Common types of skills to include on a resume

Here are the various types of skills you can include on your resume:

  • Hard skills. These are specific, teachable skills such as statistics and digital marketing.
  • Soft skills. Soft skills are skills that are harder to measure since they come naturally to you.
  • Transferable skills. These are hard or soft skills that you can transfer from job to job, regardless of your position or industry.
  • Job-related skills. Job-related skills are those having to do with your position.

Your resume gives you several opportunities to highlight a variety of your skills.

Why are skills important to add to a resume?

Listing your skills on your resume is a great way to highlight your abilities and qualifications to hiring managers. When they know your strengths and where your experience lie, it’s easier for them to determine if you’d be the right fit for the job. Hiring managers compare what you can bring to their company as opposed to other candidates. Therefore, listing your skills can wind up being a determining factor in the hiring process.

Top skills to list on your resume

Here are some of the best hard and soft skills to include on a resume

Communication skills

Communication skills refer to your ability to send and receive information. This is your ability to convey your ideas to an individual or group of people. Communication can be done through speaking, body language, talking, or sign language. Examples of communication skills include active listening, asking questions, and displaying empathy.

Computer skills

Computer skills refer to your ability to use computers and other technology. This is also known as computer literacy. If you have computer skills, you have knowledge of either the hardware or software of a computer. The former refers to your ability to operate a computer. In contrast, the latter is your ability to use computer programs and applications. Examples of computer skills include operating systems, presentation software, spreadsheets, word processing programs, and social media.

Marketing skills

Marketing skills refer to your ability to promote a product or service using various marketing techniques. This involves your ability to assess the needs of your audience and market accordingly to help increase sales or overall promotion. Having communication and public speaking skills are useful in this regard. Examples of marketing skills include public speaking, communication, and negotiation.

Active listening skills

Active listening refers to your ability to fully concentrate on and understand what someone is telling you. It involves paying attention to who is speaking with you and engaging with them to display your understanding. Active listening uses both verbal and non-verbal communication to engage and show interest regarding what the speaker has to say. Examples of active listening skills include paraphrasing, nodding, eye contact, and displaying empathy.

Interpersonal skills

Being interpersonal is a social skill that enables you to interact and communicate with other people. It’s your ability to exchange thoughts, feelings, and ideas with another person or group of people. In the workplace, interpersonal skills help you adapt to changes and new tasks or issues as they arise. Examples of interpersonal skills include active listening, teamwork, dependability, patience and motivation.

Time management skills

Time management refers to your ability to plan your time effectively. Having this skill in the workplace increases your productivity. The better you are at managing your time, the more time you’ll free up for other tasks. This ensures a better quality of work as well since you’re able to devote a set amount of time to a task free from distractions. Examples of time management skills include organization, prioritization, planning, and goal setting.

Problem-solving skills

Problem-solving skills are your ability to find a solution to a complex problem. If you have these skills, it means you’re able to solve an issue effectively and in a timely fashion. Having problem-solving skills typically requires you to have other skills including creativity and time management. Examples of problem-solving skills include analysis, decision-making, communication, and research.

How to choose your best resume skills

Follow these steps for choosing your best resume skills.

1. First, review the job description and posting

Before listing your skills on your resume, reference the job posting and description for the job you’re applying to. This will ensure you’re selecting the right skills for the job. Though you may have several skills, they may not apply to all industries or jobs. Consider the job you’re currently applying for and what key skills and qualifications you need.

2. Second, determine your relevant skills

Next, determine your relevant skills for the job you’re applying for. In other words, consider which of your skills align with the job’s responsibilities and qualifications. The better you’re able to meet these qualifications, the greater the chance you have of landing the job. Be sure to select your best skills that effectively showcase what you’d bring to the role should you be hired.

3. Last, incorporate your most relevant skills on your resume

After you determine which of your skills overlap with what the hiring manager is looking for, determine where you want to include them on your resume. Your skills can be included at the top of your functional resume, in your experience section, or as part of their own skills section. The better your skills line up with the job description, the greater your chances of landing the job.

Tips for listing skills on a resume

Here are some additional tips you can consider when adding skills to your resume.

At the top of your resume

One way to list your skills on your resume is to list them at the top as part of a functional resume. This is a great option if you don’t have much professional experience. If you choose this format, list your skills in a separate section near the top of your resume.

In the experience section

You can also include your skills in the experience section of your resume as you detail your previous job responsibilities. This is a great opportunity to provide context to your skills and expand upon them.

In the skills section

Lastly, you can create a separate skills section on your resume. This is a great place to highlight your skills by including keywords from the job description. This section is typically found at the bottom of a resume.

Tips to improve your resume skills

Here are some tips for improving the skills you could be listing on your resume.

Take a class

If there’s a hard skill you want to improve, consider enrolling in an online class. Depending on the skill, there are several online or in-person classes to take.

Practice

One of the best ways to improve your skills is to continuously improve them. While you may not achieve perfection, making a habit of practicing your skills will help improve them over time.

Use online resources

The internet can be a great resource to help you improve your skills. Consider viewing online tutorials or videos that can help you improve your skills for your resume.

If you need help writing a resume, use our data-backed resume builder.