key skills examples for resumes

100 Good Skills to Put on a Resume [Complete Guide]

Jeff Gillis 0 Comments

By Jeff Gillis

Updated 6/4/2022.

When you’re adding skills to a resume, you don’t just want to focus on what you’re good at. Instead, relevancy has to be part of the equation. After all, every job you’re trying to land requires a very specific skill set, one that you need to show that you have.

Choosing the skills to put on a resume when you’re applying to a role isn’t something you should do haphazardly. Instead, you want to use the job description, company mission, and company values as a guide, creating a sense of alignment.

Additionally, it never hurts to have a handy list of skills by your side, making it easier to explore your options. So, if you’re on the hunt for good skills to put on a resume, here’s what you need to know.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

There are two basic types of skillsets that a job seeker can have and include on their resume: hard skills or soft skills.

Hard skills are the skills or abilities for a resume that are easily quantifiable…that can be learned through classroom work, apprenticeships, or other forms of learning. These include things like operating tools, computer programming, speaking foreign languages, or different kinds of technical prowess.

Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify and are often grouped together by what we know as “people skills.” Some examples of soft skills include communication, relationship building, self-awareness, and patience.

Which Skills Are More Important?

The debate rages on about which of these two types of skills is more important.

According to executive consultant and Forbes contributor Naz Beheshti , “…There is an ongoing debate about the relative importance of soft and hard skills that imply a competition between the two. However, they are both necessary and complementary to one another.”

On the one hand, job seekers with proficiency in a specific hard skill may get hired more quickly. Many employers want to hire people that can deliver value with fewer resources (ex., the need for training, etc.), making hard skills their priority.

However, we are also seeing that many hiring managers are choosing to hire candidates with highly developed soft skills.

In the end, as Indeed puts it, “soft skills are necessary to create a positive and functional work environment.” Plus, hiring managers feel that they can always train the candidate in the hard skill that is required to complete the job, but soft skills are often skills that cannot necessarily be taught.

So, what does this mean for you? Mainly that you can’t simply just pick one or the other and cross your fingers. Instead, the best strategy is to take a balanced approach and make sure that your resume contains both hard and soft skills.

How Do You Choose the Skills to List on a Resume?

Here’s the deal; there’s a good chance you know what you’re good at in a professional sense. Often, you can use your experience, duties, training, and education as a guide, giving you a strong foundation. Then, it’s about diving a bit deeper, looking at traits that could help you stand out, and comparing it all to the job description.

By using a simple process, you can make progress faster. Here’s a quick way to get started.

1. Make a List of the Skills You Know You Have

As mentioned above, the easiest way to get a grip on your current skills is to reflect on your academic and professional experiences. Consider the tasks you’ve taken on, the training you’ve completed, and the courses you had in school. In most cases, that’ll give you some solid ideas about your hard skills.

After that, it’s time for soft skills. Here, you want to think of traits or capabilities that help you engage with others and navigate professional relationships. Often, these are reflections of your personality, so use that as a jumping-off point.

2. “Mine” the Job Descriptions for Must-Have Skills

The next step is to take a look at the job description for the position you are applying for and make a list of the required skills it includes. Then, compare it to your capabilities. Are any of the skills on both of the lists you just created? If so, these are must-haves for your resume.

Now, notice if there are any skills on the job description that you don’t have. If there aren’t any, great!

But if there are…don’t panic. There are things you can do, which we’ll dig into shortly.

If you’re dealing with a vague job description, you aren’t stuck either. Here is a link to a ton of job descriptions that can give you an idea of the skills needed.

3. Tailor Your Skills to the Company/Position

As you may have read in our other blog articles, it is always very important to “tailor” your resume to the company and position you want to land. For an in-depth look into how to make that happen, check out our Tailoring Method article. 

If you want a quick overview, the idea is to focus on capabilities the company wants to find. Every job requires a unique skill set, and you want to show you have it. As a result, it is absolutely essential that skills from the job description make an appearance on your resume.

However, you also want to dig deeper. Spend some more time researching the company, including going through all of their various web properties, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

Why? Because they will leave clues about the types of people they hire. That gives you more ideas about the best skills to put on a resume to land a job there, particularly when it comes to soft skills you may not find in a job description.

100 Resume Skills Examples

If you’re struggling with coming up with a list of skills based on your past experience, it can be easier if you have existing resume skills lists to work with. You don’t have to think up every possible skill; you can simply review the list and find the matches.

Here is a list of resume skills examples, divided into hard skills and soft skills, that you can use when applying for a job.

Hard Skills for a Resume

• Advanced Bookkeeping
• Appointment Setting
• Automotive Repair
• Cold Calling
• Computer Programming
• Conversion Testing
• Copywriting
• Customer Engagement
• Customer Service
• Data Analysis
• Digital Marketing
• Electrical Engineering
• Environmental Cleanup
• Forklift Operating
• Graphic Design
• Heavy Machinery Operation
• Installation
• Landscaping
• Mathematics
• Medical Coding
• Paid Online Traffic
• Patient Care
• Photo Editing
• Picking and Packing
• Project Management
• Schedule Management
• Search Engine Optimization
• Server Maintenance
• Social Media
• Spanish Fluency
• Statistical Analysis
• Systems Analysis
• Technical Support
• Telecommunications Systems
• Travel Booking
• Video Editing
• Website Design
• Word Processing

Soft Skills for a Resume

• Accountability
• Active Listening
• Adaptability
• Brainstorming
• Business Etiquette
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Contextualizing
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Emotional Intelligence
• Flexibility
• Goal-Setting
• Handling Pressure
• Influencing
• Insightfulness
• Interpreting
• Negotiation
• Open-Mindedness
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Problem Solving
• Relationship Building
• Reliability
• Resource Management
• Responsibility
• Self-Confidence
• Strategical Thinking
• Strong Work Ethic
• Time Management

What If I Don’t Have the Required Skill?

Whether you need to possess a specific skill depends on the job and the skill in question. Usually, here’s where you have to be honest with yourself. If the skills required are part of the core competencies of doing the job, you may want to reconsider your application.

For example, if a golf course posts a job posting for a golf pro, you probably shouldn’t apply if you’ve never swung a golf club.

However, you will come across situations where what you bring to the table is close. In this case, moving forward might be okay.

You need to be able to demonstrate, using examples from your past, that you are capable of doing the required skill, even if you haven’t specially done it. So, go over your work history with a fine-tooth comb and try to come up with a few examples of you doing something in the right ballpark.

They are going to ask about it in your interview, so don’t think you can just wing it, and everything will be fine.

Also, many job descriptions have “nice-to-have” skills on the list. If you happen to possess them, great. But if not, don’t assume you shouldn’t apply if you have the must-have skills. In the end, those capabilities aren’t outright requirements, so don’t screen yourself out based on them.

How To List Skills on a Resume

There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to deciding where to put (or how to list) the skills on your resume.

According to our friends over at online resume-builder Zety.com , “…skills are so very, very important that they should show up all over your resume. Not just in the resume skills section.” In other words, it is imperative that there are elements of your skills throughout your resume, including your resume objective/summary and experience sections.

In addition, there isn’t one right answer for where to include your skill section because that depends on the industry, company, and position you’re trying to land. For example, for a job where technical competencies are of the utmost importance, it is often beneficial to list the skills closer to the top of the resume, right underneath the resume objective or resume summary statement.

However, if through your research you determine that the hiring manager will put more weight into your experience, you may want to lead with your experience. Then, put the skills section further down your resume.

At the end of the day, the selection of the skills themselves is the most important thing. After all, most hiring managers will easily find your skill section regardless of where it is on your resume.

What About Skills for My Job Application?

When you’re looking for skills to put on a job application, you do have to treat it a little differently than skills for a resume. Usually, you’re working with a finite amount of space on an application, not just in an overall sense but in each applicable section.

Since that’s the case, you need to lean heavily on the job description. Look for any capabilities that are listed as must-haves or that are repeated through the job ad. Then, make sure those skills are featured prominently in several areas, including in work history descriptions and skills areas.

If you have to answer essay questions, discuss those skills there, too, whenever possible. Use any other relevant capability as a supplement, treating it as supporting information instead of the primary point you’re sharing.

However, if an essay question asks about a skill that’s not in the job description, feel free to dig in a bit. It’s a capability that’s clearly on the hiring manager’s mind, so touch on it occasionally to show you shine in that area.

Putting It All Together

If you were wondering, “What are some good skills to put on a resume?” you should now have a solid answer. The most important thing to remember is to select skills that are relevant to the position you are interviewing for and, more important than that, skills that your company puts a tremendous amount of value in.

Once you get your skills straightened out, you should make sure that the rest of your resume is congruent with the skills you just selected, namely, that your experience shows that you both used those skills in a work environment and developed the skill with on-the-job tasks.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Jeff gillis.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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100+ Key Skills for a Resume in 2024 (Examples for any Job)

Learn how to professionally and efficiently list your skills on a resume.

How to List Skills on a Resume 

Your skills are just as important as your work experiences. Skills show a recruiter what you can do for the company -- without taking up too much space in your resume. 

Skills can be anything from “creativity” (a soft skill) to “JavaScript” (a hard skill). It’s important to include a mix of both on your resume.

Don’t know what skills you have? Read on to learn the difference between “soft” and “hard” skills, or skim our 250+ skills for each industry to jump right into the resume writing process. 

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Soft Skills vs Hard Skills

“Soft” skills are those that are not quantifiable, such as leadership. These skills also cannot be learned, but  are rather a facet of your personality. Nevertheless, soft skills are still critical to have, for they demonstrate that you are personable and competent.

‍ Tip: Use some of the soft skills as adjectives when writing your profile summary . For example, try “enthusiastic entrepreneur,” “empathic childcare worker,” “organized nurses’ aid,” “supportive administration assistant” or “detail-oriented sales associate.”

The resume below is for a Childcare Worker and includes many soft skills that companies look for, including Creativity and Organizational skills.

In contrast, “Hard” skills are those that are learned -- either in school or through a certification program. These skills are quantifiable and can be continuously expanded upon through further education. Today, most hard skills have to do with computer technology, such as SEO, CSS/HTML, or Microsoft Suite. Even if you aren’t tech-savvy, chances are you still have a few hard skills.

Tip: Be specific about your hard skills. Instead of listing “Programming Languages,” specify which ones you know -- Python, Java, C, etc. Same with photo editing software and any other platforms you are familiar with.

The resume below is for a Content Marketing Associate, and includes manyhard skills that companies in the marketing industry look for, including experience with Social Media tools. Remember, it's important to be specific in terms of defining and listing what softwares you know.

How to List Your Skills

Whether you’re a jack of all trades or a master of one, you absolutely must list some skills on your resume. Skills offer additional insight into what you can offer the company as an employee, and may just push your resume over the edge and into the interview pile. 

• Only list relevant skills . If you’re applying for a position as an engineer, don’t brag about your marketing abilities. Instead, save the space to list the software and programming languages that you know. 
• List around 5 Skills . Writing too many skills on your resume can be an overwhelming experience for the recruiter. He or she may not fully register your skills, and instead just blankly skim the long list. Conversely, listing too few skills is only selling yourself short. You definitely have more than two skills -- no matter your experience level! So shoot for around 5 skills, with a little wriggle room. 
• Include both hard and soft skills . Even if your profession seems to rely on soft skills more than hard skills -- or vice versa -- including both makes your resume stronger. For example, if you’re applying to work as a laboratory assistant, list soft skills such as “teamwork,” “problem-solving,” “time management,” or “organization.” If you’re in a more creative field, hard skills include softwares such as “Adobe Creative Suite” and talents such as “photography,” “writing & editing,” or “videography.” 
• Note your experience level . With each skill, specify whether you are a “beginner,” “expert,” or somewhere in between (using words like “intermediate” and “moderate”). Our resume templates have bars beneath each skill that you can toggle to reflect your expertise. 

The resume below is for a Human Resources Manager, and includes all of the above tips.

250+ Skills for Each Industry  

Although we’ve split these skills up by industry, please note that many skills are applicable to a variety of careers. For example, someone working in marketing might find knowledge of JavaScript just as useful as someone working in the computer science field. 

Let’s jump in!

Office and Administrative Job Skills

• Answering Phones
• Bookkeeping (Excel, Turbotax)
• Office Equipment
• Welcoming Visitors
• Calendar Management
• Organization 
• Time Management 
• Problem Solving
• Attention To Detail
• Adaptability 
• Written Communication 
• Email Platforms (E.G., Gmail And iCloud Mail)
• Word Processing Software (E.G., Google Docs)
• Spreadsheet Software
• Digital Calendars
• Prioritization 

Sales, Retail, and Customer Service Job Skills

• Product Knowledge
• Lead Qualification
• Lead Prospecting 
• Customer Needs Analysis
• Referral Marketing
• Contract Negotiation
• Self Motivation
• Increasing Customer Lifetime Value (Clv)
• Reducing Customer Acquisition Cost (Cac)
• CRM Software (Salesforce, Hubspot, Zoho, Freshsales)
• Cashier Skills
• Knowledge Of Products And Services 
• Customer Service
• Communication (More Specifically -- Verbal Communication Skills, Listening Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Written Communication Skills, Public Speaking Skills, Presentation Skills)
• Math Skills
• Negotiation 
• Persuasion  
• Diplomacy  
• Cold Calling
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Lead Generation
• Buyer-responsive Selling
• Buyer Engagement

Nursing and Healthcare Job Skills

• Patient Assessment
• Taking Vital Signs
• Patient Care
• Recording Patient Medical History
• Wound Dressing And Care
• Urgent And Emergency Care
• Record-keeping
• Patient Education
• NIH Stroke Scale Patient Assessment
• Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
• Medicine Administration
• Blood Pressure Monitoring
• Rehabilitation Therapy
• Hygiene Assistance
• Use Of X-ray, MRI, Cat Scans
• Glucose Checks
• Electronic Heart Record (EHR)
• Decision-Making Ability 
• Critical Thinking
• Leadership 
• Thorough Understanding Of HIPPA And Privacy Policies
• Ability To Take And Record Vital Signs
• CPR And First-Aid Certifications
• Perform And Evaluate Diagnostic Tests
• Maintain Patient Charts

IT Job Skills

• Programming Languages
• Web Development
• Data Structures
• Open Source Experience
• Machine Learning
• Front-End & Back-End Development
• Cloud Management
• Agile Development
• CSS Preprocessors
• Graphic User Interfaces (GUI)
• Git/Version Control (Github, gitlab)
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Application Programming Interface (API)
• Adobe Photoshop, InDesign
• Content Management Systems (CMS)
• Testing/Debugging
• Responsive Design Principles
• Mobile and Web Development (e.g. iOS, Android)

Engineering & Technical Job Skills

• STEM Skills
• Prototyping
• Troubleshooting
• Project Launch
• Lean Manufacturing
• Workflow Development
• Computer Skills
• Technical Report Writing
• Programming Languages HTML, CSS, CRM tools

Advertising & Marketing Job Skills

• SEO (SEMRush, WordPress, and Ahrefs)
• SEM (i.e., Google Adwords)
• CRO and A/B Testing
• Social Media Marketing and Paid Social Media Advertising
• Sales Funnel Management
• CMS Tools (WordPress, Weebly)
• Graphic Design Skills (Adobe Creative Suite)
• Email Marketing (MailChimp, Constant Contact)
• Email Automation
• Data Visualization
• Print Design
• Photography and Branding
• Communication 
• Creativity 
• Data Analytics (Google Analytics )
• Web Analytics
• Email Writing 
• Google Adwords
• Social Media And Mobile Marketing 
• Paid Social Media Advertisements
• Consumer Behavior Drivers
• Brand Management
• B2b Marketing
•  Writing Advertising Copy
• Soliciting Feedback From Customers
• Cutting Costs
• Leadership skills
• Task Delegation 
• Strategic Management
• Proposal writing
• Problem-solving
• Problem solving
• Website Management
• Social Media Outreach
• Video Production
• Campaign Management
• Photo Editing
• Logo Creation
• Digital Printing
• Interactive Media Design 
• Color Sense & Theory
• Social Media Publishing
• Storytelling
• Financial Analysis
• Consumer Research
• Statistical Analysis
• Videography 
• Technical Writing 

General Management and Project Management Job Skills

• Agile Project Management (Kanban)
• Managing Cross-Functional Teams
• Scrum Management
• Performance Tracking
• Financial Modelling
• Ideation Leadership
• Feature Definition
• Forecasting
• Profit and Loss
• Scope Management
• Project Lifecycle Management 
• Meeting Facilitation
• Risk Management 
• Cost Management 
• Data Analysis 
• Collaborative 
• Collaborative Programs (Slack, WhatsApp, Dropbox)
• Adobe Creative Suite

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CVs & Résumés

• Oct 3, 2023
• 10 min read

100 Key Skills to Put on Your Résumé (List of Examples)

They’ll help you show your value to your future employer.

Chris Leitch

Editor-in-Chief & Résumé Expert

Reviewed by Electra Michaelidou

When writing your résumé or CV, you’ll probably be focusing on your education and experience. But a PhD or a five-year stint at a family-run business will only get you so far. Indeed, employers care more about seeing that you have what it takes to do the job you’re applying for .

And they look at the practical professional skills that you bring to the table to determine this. As such, it’s imperative that you carefully and strategically market your top skills to potential employers during the résumé-writing process if you want a fighting chance in your 2024 job search .

But which key skills should you put on your résumé, and how?

In this article, we’ll answer those questions — and more.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Why include skills in your résumé
• List of skills to include
• How to include them
• Examples for specific jobs

The importance of adding your best skills to your résumé

There are many important reasons to create a résumé skills section.

Firstly, you’re expected to . As one of the five main sections of a résumé , omitting this makes you look careless and unprofessional, and inevitably results in your application’s rejection — even if you are the most qualified candidate.

Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, employers want to know you have the abilities required to succeed in the job you’re applying for, and listing your skills in your résumé helps you reveal the important information they’re seeking . Essentially, it’s your opportunity to quickly show what you bring to the table, what you’re capable of and that you’re a perfect fit.

And last but certainly not least, including job-specific skills and keywords in your résumé helps you get past applicant tracking systems . If these tools can’t locate any correlation between your application and the position, they’ll automatically discard your résumé — before it’s even read by a human recruiter.

Top 100 skills to include in your résumé

Need some inspiration? Check out our list of the 100 best skills to put on your résumé, organized by type:

Communication and interpersonal skills

Effective communication is essential for both individual and team success, and is a skill that every single employer looks for in candidates . Some of the best communication and interpersonal skills you should convey in your résumé include:

• Active listening
• Collaboration
• Communication (verbal, non-verbal, visual and written)
• Conflict management
• Emotional intelligence
• Negotiation
• Public speaking
• Presentation

Writing skills

Good writing skills are required in almost every industry and every job, whether it’s at the core of the role or a small part of the position’s responsibilities. Examples of writing skills to put on your résumé include:

• Content management systems
• Proofreading
• Publishing software
• Researching
• Storytelling
• Style guides (such AP and MLA)
• Writing (including copywriting, report writing and technical writing)

Critical thinking skills

Employers want employees who can not only identify problems but also solve them. As such, it’s always a good idea to highlight your critical thinking skills on your résumé, whether it was solving a problem or making a quick decision . Good skills that demonstrate critical thinking include:

• Brainstorming
• Conceptual thinking
• Cost-benefit analyzing
• Creative thinking
• Deductive reasoning
• Evidence collecting
• Inductive reasoning
• Troubleshooting

Time management skills

Good time management helps you achieve bigger goals, reduce procrastination and increase your productivity — which is exactly what employers want from you. Key skills to highlight in your résumé include:

• Goal-setting
• Multitasking
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Resource management
• Strategic thinking
• Time tracking

Accounting and finance skills

Although highlighting these types of skills is mostly beneficial to financial professionals , more and more industries are increasingly requiring some basic form of accounting and finance proficiency. Below are some useful skills worth showcasing:

• Accounting software (such as QuickBooks and NetSuite)
• Billing and invoicing
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Cashflow analysis
• Expense tracking
• Financial reporting
• Mathematical comprehension
• Tax planning
• Vendor management

Management skills

If your current or target role involves managing people or projects (or both), you’ll need to prove to potential employers that you have what it takes to be successful. Key skills for management roles and functions include:

• Adaptability
• Change management
• Employee development
• Problem solving
• Project management
• Risk management
• Team-building

Marketing skills

Since marketing controls the way a company functions, many employers look for employees who possess a variety of skills in this area. Here are 10 good examples for your résumé:

• Customer relationship management
• Data analytics
• Email marketing
• Google Analytics
• Mobile advertising
• Search engine marketing
• Search engine optimization
• Social media marketing
• Video marketing

Retail and sales

If you’re in a customer-facing role, your retail and sales skills should take centerstage on your résumé. Some good examples to list in your skills section include:

• Buyer engagement
• Buyer-responsive selling
• Cold-calling
• Customer service
• Friendliness
• Lead generation
• Product knowledge
• Understanding body language

Design skills

Design skills are no longer restricted to creative professionals who design products and experiences for consumers, and are often required across a wide range of industries and roles. Here are some examples of useful design skills for your résumé:

• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop
• Graphic design
• Layout development
• Photo and video editing
• User experience development
• User interface development
• Wireframing

Computer skills

As most jobs today require at least some basic knowledge of information and communication technology, it’s always a good idea to showcase your computer skills on your résumé. Some of the best examples worth listing include:

• Cloud computing (such as AWS and Google Cloud)
• Databases (such as Oracle RDBMS and MySQL)
• Machine learning
• Operating systems (such as MacOS and Windows)
• Presentation software
• Programming/coding (such as HTML, Ruby on Rails and C++)
• Project management software
• Spreadsheets (such as Excel and LibreOffice)
• Systems and networks
• Word processing (such as Google Docs and Microsoft Word)

How to list skills in your résumé

Now that you have a general idea of what skills to put on your résumé, you’re probably wondering how to go about listing them.

Here are some quick tips to keep in mind:

• Showcase your job skills as a bulleted list in a dedicated section towards the end of your résumé. To save space, you can group similar skills together under specific categories or themes — for example: “Frameworks: Django, Laravel, Meteor”.
• Make sure to strategically refer to both your hard and soft skills throughout your résumé — not just in the skills section. For example, adding “Managed a team of 15 outbound sales specialists” as a bullet point in your experience section clearly encapsulates your leadership skills.
• Always choose skills that are directly relevant to the position you’re applying for . Read the job description to get a better idea of what the employer is looking for, and match your unique skill set to the specific job requirements.

Example résumé skills for specific jobs

Here are a few examples of résumé skills sections for different professions:

Web content editor

Web content editors rely on a mix of soft and hard skills that embraces technology to be successful in their job, which they should always highlight in their résumé — as done in the following example skills section:

• CMS platforms (HubSpot, Wix, WordPress)
• Content calendar management
• Content proposals
• Editing and proofreading
• Fact-checking
• Social media management

Working as a nurse requires a very specialized and technical skill set, and employers want to know you have exactly what it takes to succeed on the job. The following list of skills can be useful when writing your nurse CV or résumé :

• Clinical nursing
• Communication
• CPR and BLS skills
• EMR charting
• Medication management
• Patient assessment
• Patient safety and wellbeing
• Urgent care

Teachers require a variety of skill sets to effectively create lesson plans, instruct students and interact with parents, and it’s essential that they market these skills to prospective employers — like in the example skills section below:

• Behavior management
• Compassion and empathy
• Conflict resolution
• Classroom management
• Curriculum planning
• Effective communication
• Leadership skills
• Performance evaluations
• Teaching methods

FAQs about résumé skills

Got questions about résumé skills? We got answers!

What are professional skills?

Professional skills are competencies and abilities that help you succeed in a job . They consist of hard skills (which are learnable, and which allow you to perform job-specific tasks, such as copywriting and graphic design) and soft skills (personal habits or traits that shape how you work, which are developed over time, such as creativity and emotional intelligence).

How many skills should you list in your résumé?

For most jobseekers, listing between 10 and 15 skills is generally adequate. Any more than that, and you risk making your résumé look cluttered and unfocused. The most important thing to remember when listing your skills, though, is to choose the ones that are most relevant to the position you’re applying for.

What skills should you include if you have no experience?

If you’re just starting out in your career or you’re moving into an industry in which you have no (or little) relevant experience, your best bet is to focus on your transferable skills .

These are skills that have been acquired throughout your life (either in a personal, professional, academic or voluntary capacity) and can be applied to any job and work environment. For example, if you led a project team or founded an organization at university, you could use this experience to showcase your leadership skills.

Where is the best place to include skills in your résumé?

Traditionally, skills are listed towards the end of a résumé , after the experience and education sections and before supplemental sections for things like awards and professional memberships.

If you’re using a skills-based format for your résumé, meanwhile, you’ll need to add a skills summary section (immediately after your career profile) in addition to the standard skills section. Here, you’ll focus on 3–5 of your most relevant skills, providing examples of when — and how — you used each one.

Key takeaways

Here’s a quick rundown of everything we covered in this article:

• Including skills in your résumé is a great way to demonstrate your expertise, knowledge and strengths to potential employers.
• Some of the best examples to highlight are communication, critical thinking, management and computer skills .
• They are best featured in a dedicated section towards the end of a résumé , and they should always be tailored to the job you’re targeting.
• Specific professions and industries require specific skill sets; as such, it’s imperative that you understand what is required of you and how you fit the bill .
• When it comes to how many skills you should list, 10–15 usually does the trick .

Remember: listing your best and most relevant skills in your résumé is not an option — it is a necessity. They could, after all, be the make or break of your application, so make sure you get it right.

Got a question or want to suggest some other useful résumé skills? Let us know in the comments section below!

Originally published on September 4, 2017.

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How To List Skills On Your Resume Skills Section (With Examples)

• Most Common Skills
• Resume Skill Sets
• Skills For An Entry-Level Resume

The skills section of your resume is your chance to emphasize your qualifications for the job you’re applying to help you stand out from other candidates. Knowing how to list good skills on your resume skills section correctly will help you show hiring managers what you bring to the table.

Whether you need to list hard or soft skills or have to update new skills you’ve learned, we’ll go over how to list skills on your resume section and provide examples of common hard and soft skills, as well as how many skills you should list.

Key Takeaways

You should include 3-10 skills in your resume skills section.

In addition to a standalone skills section, you can and should incorporate your skills throughout the rest of your resume.

Hard skills are your job-specific and technical abilities, while soft skills are the intangible traits and abilities that make you an effective employee and team member.

Match the skills you list on your resume to the job description you’re applying for.

How to list skills on your resume

Where else can you put skills on your resume, 80 hard skills examples for your resume, 30 soft skills examples for your resume, what skills should i put on my resume, how many skills should i put on my resume, what’s the difference between hard skills vs. soft skills, tips for identifying your skills, skills to list on your resume faq, final thoughts, ask the experts.

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You can list your skills section in the chronological resume format, functional resume format, or a combination resume format depending on your resume template and format. Regardless of the format you choose, a stand-alone skills section should be on your resume, so a hiring manager can find it at a glance. Below is a more detailed list of how to list the skills section on your resume:

The chronological resume format is the most popular, and we recommend putting your skills section near the bottom of the page for this format. Your work history is the star of the show, but a recruiter can also easily find your skills and check that they’re relevant.

For a chronological resume, you can separate your skills into hard and soft skills or list them all together. Use a bullet point for each skill. You can also put them side by side to save space, separating each skill with a comma or line.

Additional Skills Hard Skills: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Acrobat, etc.) Illustrator UX design Print design Soft Skills: Creativity Adaptability Time management Problem-solving

Here’s an example of a chronological resume with the skills section at the bottom:

For the functional resume format , your skills and qualifications are front and center, while your work history takes a back seat. It’s good for people with gaps in their employment or without formal experience in the field of their target job.

You should still open with your contact info and a resume summary statement , but follow that with your skills section. Make a subheading for each skill, and then explain it further with bullet points or a short few sentences.

Technical Skills Programming Languages Expert with HTML/CSS and Javacript Proficient with Python and SQL Some experience with PHP Security SSL certificate configuration and management FireEye CMS/ETP Juniper Netscreen Operating Systems Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 Linux + CentOS Ubuntu Kali

A combination resume format (you guessed it) combines the above two formats. It’s usually used for senior-level positions and career changes , so we still recommend putting your skills section before your work history.

You should also spend time explaining each skill more fully, as you would with a functional resume format.

Relevant Skills Audit Engagements Audited financial statements for compliance with GAAP under US Audit Standards. Maintained clear lines of communication between management and associates throughout. Worked with CPAs and other staff accountants on the audit team for governmental and nonprofit audits. Financial Statements Prepared and analyzed financial statements along with monthly, semi-annual, and annual reports in accordance with SEC (GAAP) requirements. Researched corporate actions, past due incomes, and income entitlements. Posted income adjustments according to fund policies. Payroll Administered payroll using ADP into QuickBooks with full accountability for hiring, training, and performance assessment. Assisted in the investigation of various outstanding payroll tax liabilities with a team of other contractors. Managed and processed daily payroll and reconciled credit card activity with bank statements.

Regardless of which format you choose or where you put your skills section, make sure that it’s clearly labeled. You can call it “Skills,” “Additional Skills,” “Relevant Skills,” or “Technical Skills” — whatever you think works best with the rest of your resume.

For example, someone in sales might call their section “Additional Skills,” someone in IT might label it “Technical Skills,” and someone making a career change might use “Relevant Skills.”

Just make sure the word skills is in there, because that’s probably what the applicant tracking system (ATS) is looking for to assess your skill set.

One caveat: don’t use the term “Additional Skills” as your section header unless it’s at or near the bottom of your resume, or it will look strange.

You can include skills in your resume summary, in your work history, or in your certifications section as long as they fit. Below is a more detailed list of where else you can include skills in your resume:

Resume summary, profile, or objective. You should try to include 2-3 key skills in your resume summary, profile, or objective. This is your quick pitch, and likely one of the only things the hiring manager will read. Use those keywords that came up multiple times in the job description if you can.

Using action verbs throughout. Additionally, try to incorporate the same sorts of action verbs used in the job posting to give your skills greater relevant context.

Work history section. Your work history section is another place to emphasize your skills. A recruiter who’s impressed with your skills section will turn to your professional history next to see when you actually leveraged these skills.

That’s why you need to make sure that every skill listed in your skills section comes up somewhere in your work history, even if you don’t use the exact wording. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments .

Volunteer section. Depending on the role you’re applying for and your relevant experience, you may also include some skills in the volunteering or education sections of your resume. This is especially helpful for recent graduates without much more experience who still want to demonstrate their skills in action.

Certifications section. Finally, certain positions might have specific certification requirements. In these cases, it’s usually best to have a separate certification section in addition to your skills section.

Hard skills such as computer skills, management skills, and marketing skills are just what you need to get a competitive edge in the job market. It’s tough to say outright what hard skills are most in-demand because it’s heavily industry-dependent. But to give you a better idea of hard skills you can list on your resume, we’ve broken them down into categories:

Computer skills . Computer skills can range from pretty basic to super advanced, but they all count as hard skills.

Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, etc.)

Scheduling software

Database management

Billing software

Other coding languages (Python, SQL, PHP, etc.)

Cloud computing

CRM Platforms

Management skills . If you’re applying for a supervisory position, soft skills are important. But it’s equally important to show you have the hard skills required of a manager.

Project management

Agile software

Business analytics

Project management software

Financial planning

Project lifestyle management

Scrum management

KPI tracking

Marketing skills . Marketing may have always been around, but marketing in today’s world is filled with new techniques and technologies that qualify as hard skills.

SEO/SEM (search engine optimization/marketing)

AdWords, Facebook ads

Google analytics

A/B testing

CMS like WordPress

Social media marketing

Marketing campaign management

PPC (pay-per-click)

Graphic design skills

Data visualization

Accounting skills . Hard accounting skills are pretty essential in the daily life of an accountant . But many of these hard skills are applicable for non-accountant jobs as well.

Advanced Excel

Financial statement preparation

Data modeling

Microsoft Visual Basic

Accounting software

Analytical skills . Data has become one of the most important assets in our economy. But it’s not worth very much if you don’t have the right analytical skills to make sense of it.

Data mining

Data presentation

Diagnostics

Data engineering

Web analytics

Analytical reasoning

Design skills . Design skills are a must for those in visually creative fields. However, they can be equally important skills for those involved in marketing and web development.

Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Acrobat, etc.)

Illustrator

User interface design

Video production

Digital product design software

Print design

Hard communication skills . Communication skills usually fall under the soft skill category, but some can be categorized as hard skills.

Language fluency (multilingual)

Press releases

Translation

Transcription

Proposal writing

Technical writing

Academic writing

Medical writing

SEO copywriting

Sales and retail skills. Those who work in sales need a bunch of soft skills to make the client feel comfortable and understood. But these jobs also require hard skills.

CRM software like Salesforce

Referral marketing

Contract negotiation

Customer lifetime value

POS (point of sale) systems

Lead generation and qualification

Product-specific knowledge

Customer acquisition cost

Window display design

Task-oriented skills. Your task-oriented skills help you know how to fulfill your responsibilities or the functions of your job.

Account management

Classroom management

Recruitment

Some examples of soft skills include organizational skills, leadership, and active listening skills. Keep in mind that soft skills are more difficult to prove than hard skills.

With that in mind, make sure the rest of your work experience provides proof of your soft skills in action. After all, anyone can call themselves a “team player,” but having numbers to back up your successful collaborative efforts is much more impressive.

Organizational skills

Written and verbal communication

Active listening

Emotional intelligence

Decision-making

Time management

Collaboration

Goal-oriented

Detail-oriented

Conflict resolution

Problem-solving

Flexibility

Negotiation skills

Public speaking

Responsiveness

Resourcefulness

The skills you list on your resume should relate to the job description and should be a combination of your hard and soft skills. The ultimate goal is that your skills align so perfectly with what the recruiter is looking for that they have no choice but to call you in for an interview .

Here’s a five-step process for choosing the skills you list on your resume:

Create a master list of all the skills you possess. Not only is it a truly self-affirming experience, but you’ll have a much easier time picking and choosing relevant skills for your customized resume if you have a big list, to begin with.

Brainstorm without judgment and challenge yourself to come up with 50 skills — the last few might be huge stretches, but it’s still a good exercise.

Separate your list into hard and soft skills. As you sort and rearrange your list, also try to loosely organize them based on marketability. You should end up with one list that has your most impressive hard skills at the top, and another your most impressive soft skills.

Edit your list for a specific job title. Remove all the irrelevant skills for the type of job you’re looking for. For example, your customer service skills won’t help you land an accounting job that has no customer interaction. If you’re on the fence about whether a skill is relevant, leave it in for now.

Review the job description. Highlight any skills or action verbs closely related to skills. Use a different color for hard and soft skills.

You may need to read between the lines for some hints, but you can find out what skills hiring managers are looking for in job seekers if you pay attention. Feel free to add new skills to your master list if you pick up on any extras in your research.

Tailor your skills to the job description. Some of your skills might not be an exact match, but it’s okay to bend the truth a bit. In general, try to keep a similar number of hard and soft skills. But the role has a lot to do with your decision. For example, a programmer might list more hard skills, while a waitress might list more soft skills.

If the job description you’re working with doesn’t provide a whole lot of skills to work with, try reading similar job descriptions in the same industry. Similar roles in similar industries usually require the same skills, so it’s a safe bet to use this as a guide .

You can also check company website for a mission statement that might clue you in to what they value.

If all else fails, check out LinkedIn profiles of people who have the job you want. Read their resumes and summaries to find out what sorts of keywords they use to talk about themselves.

You should include anywhere between 3-10 skills, with a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, in the skills section of your resume. For a chronological resume, aim for the higher end of that range, and for a functional resume aim for the lower end.

A functional resume is skills-focused, so you should go more in-depth for each skill and write about how you’ve leveraged that skill for professional success.

If you feel that you have more than 10 skills that align with the job description, use your strongest skills or the skills you feel are most relevant for the job. It’s up to you whether you separate your hard and soft skills.

Additionally, consider putting a proficiency level beside each skill you list. You don’t have to do this, but it can be helpful if you want to emphasize your strongest skills and not mislead a recruiter about skills you only have a basic grasp of.

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a job-specific responsibility, while soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective in the workplace.

The best job applicants will demonstrate a healthy mix of hard and soft skills on their resumes. For the best shot at being called in for an interview, your resume should include at least a few hard skills from the job description. After all, those are usually non-negotiable (or at least 1-2 key ones are).

Soft skills are just as important, and more employers are seeking applicants who possess strong interpersonal abilities . Since soft skills are more transferable between industries and positions, you shouldn’t need to customize these for each job application as much. Still, if you notice that a soft skill like communication comes up a lot in the job description, consider adding it.

You should talk to a coworker or think through your awards and achievements if you’re having a hard time determining your skills. Below are more ways to help determine which skills you have:

Talk to a coworker. Ask a coworker you know well what they’d consider some of your top skills to be. Often other people can see your skills more clearly than you can, which can be helpful for identifying what you’re good at.

Think through your awards and achievements. Even the informal ones. If you were recognized for something, it’s likely that it’s related to a skill you have.

Take a skills assessment. These quizzes aren’t always the most accurate, so take them with a grain of salt, but they can help remind you of some skills you forgot you had or help you identify your level of expertise within a skill.

What are good skills to put on a resume?

Communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills are good skills to put on a resume. Some other skills to list on a resume include:

Analytical skills

Computer skills

What are technical skills on a resume?

Technical skills also referred to as hard skills, are skills gained by performing physical or digital tasks. Typically, people working in mathematics, computer science, or mechanics use technical skills. Some examples of technical skills include:

Accounting skills

What are interpersonal skills?

Interpersonal skills are traits you rely on when interacting and communicating with others. Some examples of interpersonal skills are:

Communication

The skills section of your resume may be small, but it should pack a punch if you want to hear back from hiring managers . Remember to customize your skills section for the position, provide a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, and ensure that the rest of your resume shows your skills in action.

Don’t forget about the power your cover letter has to further emphasize your skill set. It can be tough accurately describe your relevant skills on a one-page resume, but a cover letter gives you a chance to tell a richer story of how you’ve excelled with certain skills in the past.

That’s your skills section done — now it’s time for the other resume sections .

What tips would you give to optimize a resume?

Amanda Traugutt Content Director | Career Coach Elevated Resumes

The best way to optimize your resume is to identify your core values and skills that align with the type of position and industry you are looking to enter.

To do so, start by doing some research on other people who have been successful in that type of role. Identify trends and skills that you often find yourself using in your current or past positions. Then, position your resume around those skill sets and expand on the experience that will help you be successful in your new role.

Keep these core themes consistent throughout your resume by highlighting how you have used these relevant skills throughout your career.

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Ryan Morris was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog who tried to make the job process a little more entertaining for all those involved. He obtained his BA and Masters from Appalachian State University.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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While the resume summary and work experience section are essential parts of a resume, so are the skills you include on the document. Resume writing has to take into consideration the top skills a hiring manager will be impressed to see. It’s another way to share why you’re a great candidate for a position with people at the company.

Even knowing that it is essential to include your skills, it can be challenging to decide which to add, which to exclude, how many to incorporate, and more. This guide will delve into each of those topics to help you build the best resume possible. In addition, we’ll share position-specific skills, general skills, and more.

Why Add Skills to Your Resume?

Are you wondering, “Why do I need job skills for a resume?” There are several reasons that it’s a common practice on modern resumes. First, if nothing else, it’s considered best practice, so most hiring managers expect to see it. However, it isn’t always required to follow all the rules, so you may want to know what other reasons skills are helpful.

One of those reasons comes down to the use of an applicant tracking system for resumes. What this means is that you send in a resume digitally and it is processed by a machine. The machine looks for specific keywords, including skills related to the job. Before a human sees the resume, the computer determines if it is relevant.

Even after the resume hits a hiring manager’s desk, skills are helpful. If you include skills related to a job description, it shows that you have the abilities for the job. In addition, items that might not fit in other sections of the resume can be added to skills to make you come off as well-rounded and show precisely what you are capable of.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: Understanding the Difference

Recruiters and hiring managers want to see both hard and soft skills in the skills section. Hard skills for a resume are skills gained through education, experience, and practice. A few examples include reading, writing, and coding. Hard skills are essential since they show how efficient, productive, and satisfied you may be in a position.

Soft skills for a resume, on the other hand, are based on personality and may not be easy to learn. These skills are what make someone perform well in a specific position or do better at a job than someone else. A few soft skills include adaptability, communication, and other social skills.

Deciding What Skills to List on Your Resume: How to Choose the Right Ones?

Even knowing you need to list skills, you may wonder exactly what skills to put on your resume. This section will help you better understand the best skills to put on the professional document. You can go through all your skills to determine which are good resume skills and which are not. Below are a few tips to help you decide which skills to include on a resume.

Consideration #1: Ensure Your Skills are Relevant to the Position

Of the skills to list on a resume, you want only the most relevant. After you make a list of skills and put them on paper – you need to go through them. Think about each one and how it pertains to the job. If the skill has nothing to do with the position, you should not add it. Instead, add something in its place that has a bit more relevance.

For example, someone working in finance might prioritize number skills and time management skills. However, someone applying to be a teacher might focus on teaching-related soft skills, certifications, and related things. After you make sure the skills on your list relate to the job, you can move forward.

Consideration #2: Group Skills into Categories

When you’re questioning what skills to put on a resume, make groupings for them so you can think about them by category. This can help you ensure you only add skills that matter and don’t state something several times in the process. For example, you can group the skills in terms of soft skills vs. hard skills or categorize them by type of skill, such as communication skills, technical skills, etc.

Start by writing down the relevant skills you have, whether on paper or in Word or Google Docs. Then, organize them into categories so you have an idea of where all the skills fit. When you choose the final skills for the resume, select some from each category to show how versatile and capable you are.

Consideration #3: Pay Attention to the Job Listing

Another tip when it comes to creating an excellent skills section is to read through the job listing. Read it a few times and choose skills that are mentioned in the job description and/or relevant to what you would be doing if you were hired. Many skills will be stated explicitly in the ad, but sometimes you may need to look for hints about skills, too.

So look for comments about the duties and determine what skills are related to them. Then, search your list of professional skills to see what matches up. Both explicit and hidden skills are essential to show that you can handle the rigors of the position. It also shows that you can read between the lines and understand the position well.

Consideration #4: Speak with Industry Professionals

If you still aren’t sure which skills to put on a resume for a particular job, it may be worth speaking to a professional in the same field. Talk to someone who has or is working in a position similar to the one you are interested in. This person can likely tell you which skills are the most essential. See which you have and make sure to use them.

At the same time, even if you know a skill is valuable, you shouldn’t place it on a resume unless you are experienced with it. If you’re starting to learn the skill, you don’t have to add it simply because it’s on the job description or a professional mentions it. If you move on to an interview and the skill is brought up, you can explain where you are in the learning process and how you are improving your abilities.

How to List Skills on a Resume

The number of skills you choose to add to your resume will vary. If you have a considerable number, make sure you spread them out in places like the experience section and resume summary. (Check out these excellent resume summary examples to help with that!) The other specific skills should be listed in the resume skills section. But remember that you will have limited space to do so.

All of your skills should be relevant and will typically be listed through bullet points. You can also choose a type of skills list, such as additional skills, relevant skills, or additional skills as a heading. Below is a resume skills example that you can use to get an idea of how this section is typically designed and placed on the page.

15 Must-Have Resume Skills for Most Common Jobs

When it comes to examples of skills for a resume, a lot of it comes down to the type of job and industry the role is based in. For instance, you wouldn’t list the same skills on an engineer resume as you might for a marketing resume. However, in some cases, there are good skills to have on a resume for any job, which we’ll delve into later.

Below, you’ll find skills for resume examples based on common positions. You’ll learn more about good skills to have on a resume so you can make a list that you’re sure fits the position. Each of the examples below will highlight examples of skills for a resume and why those skills are vital.

Advertising and Marketing

If the resume is for a job posting in advertising and marketing, you must show that you can take a product and make it seem like the best thing in the world. Many skills are helpful in marketing, but a few are extra relevant. Of course, the actual position will dictate the right skills to include, whether graphic design, research, or something else.

Calendar Management Skills

Whether you do marketing on social media like LinkedIn or your skills lie somewhere else, advertising and marketing are time-sensitive positions. Knowing when things have to be done and making sure they are completed is crucial. You should be organized and capable of flipping between tasks as needed based on priority.

Data Analysis Skills

Data analysis is vital in several jobs, but none is more essential than marketing. A considerable part of a marketing job involves analyzing metrics and determining how to make changes based on that data. Having knowledge of data analysis is something employers want to see for this specific job. It’s a valuable skill to include.

SEO & SEM Skills

Depending on the type of job, you may be expected to have SEO skills, SEM skills, or both. SEO focuses on ensuring a site gets lots of organic traffic, while SEM looks at improving traffic through paid and organic means. If you already know how to add keywords and optimize a website for Google, make sure you include that to the skills section.

Technical & Engineering

If your job search involves the technical or engineering fields, you want to show that you can handle that work without a problem. In addition, you’ll want to show that you understand the technology used in the position, are capable of making good decisions, can troubleshoot, and have some writing skills to stand out.

Programming Languages Skills

Whether you only know HTML and CSS or you have a knowledge of JavaScript, Python, and more, you’ll want to highlight those competencies in your skills section. Showing a hiring manager what you can do and what tools you’re experienced with can be the difference between getting a job and not.

Troubleshooting & Decision Making Skills

Another of the required skills for a tech or engineering work environment is troubleshooting. This also leads to the ability to make decisions on your own using logic. In addition, the work experience in these jobs often involves making changes based on new information, so these types of skills make it clear you can excel in the position.

Adaptability Skills

One of the most crucial skills for tech and engineering is adaptability. In tech and engineering, you have to be capable of flexibility. Problem-solving and a dynamic nature play into this type of skill. Showing you can use different approaches to reach a goal is something that can make you stand out from other applicants.

Nursing & Healthcare

Having a work history that speaks to a great work ethic is essential for nurses or other healthcare providers. However, the right skills are also going to be essential, and you want to be sure you show those on your resume. Of course, medical skills are the most important, but other things can be more vital than you might expect.

Medical Skills

Everything from general nursing or medical skills to the ability to carry out wound dressing and work on patients with urgent needs is vital in healthcare. Whatever medical skills you’ve earned from education or work experience are something to focus on when you create a resume in this kind of position.

Technical Skills

Many healthcare providers will also expect nurses and other professionals to have technical skills. You may need to do record-keeping on a computer, look up information for patient education, and take down the medical history of a patient. Being capable with computers and healthcare software is a huge benefit.

Patient Care Skills

While this falls under general nursing skills, you do need to provide evidence that you can care for patients well. This could simply be through knowing how to take vital signs and perform phlebotomy, or it could mean you have experience with medication administration, use of scans, glucose checks, and more.

Retail, Customer Service, and Sales

Sales, retail, and customer service are all different jobs – but many of them make use of the same kinds of skills. All of these jobs involve working with customers, so anything related to that will be a boon for your resume. There are also other skills that might be less obvious that you should include on your resume.

Teamwork Skills

When you fill out a job application, a hiring manager wants to know you can work well with others. Many retail, sales, and customer service jobs involve working with others on a team, even if it’s only part of the time. Showing that you can collaborate and work with others is a soft skill that is worth noting on a resume.

People Skills

As you might guess, an immense skill set not to ignore is people skills. You should highlight any customer service skills you have for this sort of position. Focusing on interpersonal skills is an excellent way to ensure you show you’re qualified for one of these positions. Try to weave these abilities throughout the entire resume.

Sales Skills

In a sales job, clearly, skills related to getting people to buy things are essential. However, these skills can also be helpful for retail or customer support positions. There will be chances to get sales in these positions in many cases, and a manager who knows you have experience in that may be more likely to contact you.

Administrative & Office Jobs

The final common positions that we want to go over are office and administrative jobs. You need to have the skills employers want to get the best positions with top pay and excellent benefits. Offices may all be slightly different, but most jobs in them will be working with the same things. Make sure you note those on your resume.

Microsoft Office Skills

Microsoft Office skills, such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, are often needed in administrative positions. However, placing these abilities on your resume can also show that you have general computer skills and won’t need that kind of training. An alternative is listing similar skills, like knowledge of Google Docs, Sheets, and other items.

Project Management Skills

Depending on the office job you choose, some relevant skills will be used more or less than others. For example, a large number of those in administrative positions will be in the place of needing to handle project management, whether that’s heading up a company’s party planning or doing something in a specific department.

Time Management Skills

One of the skills that fit office jobs and many others is time management skills. When you have a variety of projects to get done with different timelines and deadlines, you need to have a method of organizing things so they are completed. Therefore, listing time management skills shows you could be an asset to the job.

Looking for Other Good Skills to Put on a Resume in 2023? Consult the Full List of Skills for Resumes

Now that you’ve seen our resume skills list for specific jobs, we want to look at transferable skills. These are the top skills that managers want to see on a resume of any kind. This section of our guide will focus on the major categories of skills and which skills are the most desirable by employers. We’ll delve into special skills for a resume that you might not think of yourself.

Communication Skills

• Foreign languages (Spanish, French, German, etc.)
• Public speaking
• Interpersonal communication
• Verbal communication
• Written communication
• Active listening
• Constructive criticism
• Nonverbal communication
• Presentations
• Corporate communication

Active Listening Skills

• Asking questions
• Note-taking
• Punctuality
• Organization

Interpersonal Skills

• Communication
• Flexibility

Time Management & Organizational Skills

• Task delegation
• Prioritization
• Goal setting
• Dependability

Computer Skills

• Email management
• Word processing
• Spreadsheets
• Coding language knowledge
• Systems administration

Leadership Skills

• Team leadership
• Time management
• Ability to mentor and teach
• Team building
• Risk-tasking
• Decision-making
• Stress management
• Conflict resolution
• Problem-solving

Customer Service Skills

• Reliability
• Interpersonal skills

Problem-Solving Skills

• Critical thinking
• Attention to detail
• Collaboration
• Analytical skills

Management Skills

• Team communication
• Project planning

Transferable Skills

Final points about the best skills to add to resume.

Creating the best resume possible takes work, whether you work with a resume template, a resume builder, or build it on your own in word processing software. Learning  how to make a resume is a good start before looking at templates, choosing a resume format , adding skills, and writing up a cover letter.

When it comes to the skills you should add, this article provides you with some great information to ensure your resume looks fantastic. After that, you can finish the resume and send it to an employer, knowing you did the best you could. Good luck out there!

FAQs Related to the Skills Section of a Resume

What skills should you not put on a resume.

The skills you should avoid adding to a resume are those that don’t pertain to the job description. If the skill isn’t valuable, avoid adding it. Try to list only skills that you are the most experienced with. It’s also intelligent to have soft and hard skills on your resume.

What are individual skills?

Individual skills are often referred to as soft skills or personal skills. These skills cannot be taught or require a considerable investment to see any change. This includes things like core values or social skills. Examples include analytical skills, dependability, problem-solving, motivation, and adaptability.

What are employability skills for students?

For students going into a first job, there are essential core skills. Some of these include communication, conflict resolution, resume writing, accepting criticism, and interviewing skills. Other valuable skills include working with a team, proper use of electronics in the workplace, and workplace etiquette.

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10+ Good Skills To Put On A Resume

By Christina Colclough

Last updated: March 4, 2024

Even a job market newbie is aware that a set of good skills is always the key to landing that position. When recruiters screen your CV, they assess how well your skills and experience match the job requirements. The closer your attributes align with the qualifications needed, the better your chances of advancing in the hiring process. 

So, what should job seekers include in their CVs? Scroll down my expert guide to learn examples of skills for a resume.

In this article:

2 types of skills for resume.

HR professionals like me divide your skills into hard or soft ones. The former indicates technical abilities that develop through study and on-site practice. They are often associated with a specific field or position. For example, technical requirements for a nurse include CPR and BLS , patient safety, vital signs, etc.

Employers may assess your hard skills through tests or the specific tasks you have performed. I advise you to specify your responsibilities in the past role to showcase your ability. It is also helpful to mention the program of training, degrees, and certifications. Do not forget to include the tools or programs you’ve mastered.

In comparison, soft skills are personal characteristics that reflect your unique strengths and attributes. These include qualities such as leadership, motivation, and communication, etc. It seems impossible to quantify or measure due to the lack of specific standards. In business settings, soft skills influence how you adapt to and interact with people and various situations.

To demonstrate your abilities, mention instances where you have managed to achieve goals or solve problems. Your work ethic and core values are also part of these aspects.

10 Personal Skills To Put On Resume

Problem-solving.

This skill involves identifying the root of a problem and developing effective solutions, which is essential across various professions, such as police, lawyers, doctors, etc. Most positions require the ability to handle challenges quickly and effectively as they directly impact customer satisfaction and overall success. 

Therefore, problem-solving deserves the top position on my list. Many recruiters for leading brands shared with me that they actively seek individuals who can confidently handle unexpected emergencies.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinkers can logically organize their thoughts and tend to come up with out-of-the-box ideas. They possess a deep understanding of complex problems and navigate them with well-thought-out plans. Remember to highlight this competency in your resume when applying for a management or supervisory position.

Communication

It refers to how you receive and respond to various types of information. My research shows employers look for candidates who can interact with multiple audiences, both verbally and nonverbally. 

In detail, it encompasses active listening, articulating ideas, and respecting others’ viewpoints. Effective communication plays an important role in the field of customer care, teaching, sales, or management.

Multi-Tasking

Certain job titles come with demanding schedules that require the person in charge to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, like categorizing projects and determining their priorities. It also means working effectively under time constraints. Undoubtedly, multi-tasking is a valuable asset in today’s fast-paced work environments.

Not everyone is born with a sense of creativity; only some possess an endless treasure trove of innovative solutions or approaches. 

Through my experiences working with numerous talented individuals, I’ve come to realize that they are gifted with a distinctive perspective when facing new challenges, offering unexpected conclusions and groundbreaking solutions. Creative thinking clearly provides a competitive edge in marketing, design, or writing, where fresh ideas significantly impact.

Adaptability

When you are thrown into a new business environment, you’re in for an adapt-or-die challenge. The ability to adapt empowers you to maintain your performance during interruptions or changes at the workplace.

Moreover, it also motivates you to learn new technologies or processes that enhance your expertise. Being flexible and open-minded is an advantage when working in the marketing, purchasing, or healthcare industry.

Effective leadership involves allocating resources and motivating team members to achieve shared goals. However, the ability to provide guidance and inspiration is not solely reserved for senior roles. Don’t hesitate to show off your strengths even if you apply for an entry-level position. It leaves a good impression and highlights your potential for promotion in the future.

Attention To Detail

As you work in an environment where teamwork is at its heart, a small mistake may cause a domino effect that leads to far-reaching losses. Therefore, caution and conscientiousness are a plus point that sets you apart. In your CV, provide evidence that you’ve identified underlying errors or showcase instances where you considered every decision meticulously.

Organization

Having organizational skills signifies your ability to effectively manage work, whether it is for your team, your supervisor, or yourself. It is also synonymous with multi-tasking skills – taking on many tasks in one go. That’s a solid proof of your effectiveness and productivity in the workplace. Apply a well-structured and coherent resume to create a positive impression of your organizational ability.

Time Management

This skill ensures a healthy work-life balance, meaning you follow suit with your assigned deadlines and prioritize your responsibilities. According to my research, up to 89% of employees admit to wasting their work time, underscoring the significance of time management skills in optimal performance.

Professional Skills To Add To Resume

Not only designers but also some roles within the marketing field demand proficiency in design skills. For example, professionals in branding or construction require basic techniques to illustrate their ideas effectively. The same goes for product launches, which call for considerable designing ability to optimize the packaging.

Data Analysis

Large databases are a valuable asset but also a challenge for businesses. That’s why HR managers look for candidates with strong data analytical skills. Proficient use of analytical tools and acumen with numbers has become a solid foundation for devising innovative solutions in the face of industry changes.

Mathematics

Almost, if not all, jobs necessitate you to work with numbers. While healthcare or construction roles require basic mathematical skills, finance, administration, or logistics demand something advanced. 

For example, a business consultant cannot provide a practical and effective strategy without insights from profit margins, financial reports, and trend charts.

Project Management

The workload in a business is often organized into projects within the same department or involving multiple parties. Regardless, the ability to manage tasks plays a key role. It means you could fulfill your duties on time and contribute to the overall development. If you work in a team, managing resources, monitoring progress, or communicating with members are paramount.

Writing And Editing

Writing skills are more important than ever in the booming era of information. A great command of correct grammar, appropriate context, and the ability to cater to diverse target audiences are highly valued. 

Do not hesitate to demonstrate your abilities with social media posts, blogs, articles, or any other content that attracts the audience’s attention. Additionally, tailoring your cover letter and resume is a simple yet effective approach.

Foreign Language

Even if the job posting does not mention any language requirements, being fluent in two or more languages sets you apart from other candidates. Who knows if it will make a difference? 

Your skills certainly shine in certain situations, especially as large businesses plan to globalize their services. Depending on the industry, language needs vary. However, employers will appreciate a candidate fluent in Spanish, French, Chinese, and German.

Software Proficiency

A basic understanding of Microsoft Office applications is typically expected in today’s modern work environment. Recruiters often prioritize applicants, including entry-level positions, who can work with emails, spreadsheets, documents, and presentations.

Some fields, especially information technology or computer science, seek more advanced skill sets. It would help to highlight specialized tools such as programming languages, cybersecurity, or cloud computing in your resume to meet the standards.

This ability adds value to your resume, as most businesses want to promote their products or services. At least, it shows you can keep up with market trends and analyze them. 

At a higher level, developing social media marketing campaigns is the clearest evidence. A professional marketer works on many aspects, including content creation, public relations, search engine optimization, and more.

Sales skills involve developing strong relationships with customers and negotiating and closing deals. These attributes make sense for various job sectors. Even if you do not apply for a sales position, your experience in this field reveals good communication and problem-solving abilities.

Accounting Or Bookkeeping

Accounting skills include numerical competence, financial analysis, risk management, etc. As an accountant, your expertise expands to invoicing, bookkeeping, or account reconciliation. Your familiarity with financial management software like FreshBooks, Xero, or SAP makes your CV stand out.

Resume Skills Examples For Each Job Type

Content writer/editor.

Data Analyst

Web Developer

Customer Service Job

Graphic Designer

Accountants

Nurse/Doctor

Teacher/Coach

How To List Key Skills For Resume

Match the job description.

If you are unsure what to include in your CV, check the JD first. Read it at least twice to find target keywords, especially the “Key Skills” or “Requirements” section. 

These terms indicate major skills to shortlist the most outstanding and suitable candidate. Once done, cover them all in your application. For example, what is highlighted below are the work skills required :

Summary of responsibilities:

• Represent the brand with a positive attitude
• Interact with potential customers
• Maintain close connection with customers and provide necessary support
• Identify customer needs and develop appropriate strategies
• Raise customer awareness through campaigns

Desired skills:

• You can make informed decisions and solve problems independently
• You can show empathy for customers
• You can monitor and lead public opinion within your customer group

Separate Skills To Different Resume Sections

Recruiters receive hundreds of resumes for one position, so keep your design impressive immediately. Use two sections, “soft skills” and “hard skills,” to prove your strengths. Then, arrange your attributes into their correct categories as described above. Never add more than 10 bullets in both sections.

Show Off Skills Through Work Experience

As far as I’ve seen, modern employers appreciate achievement-based values rather than task-based ones. Therefore, describe your previous role with specific evidence. It shows how you applied your skills at work and achieved your goals.

For instance:

• Support customers in highly technical roles (⇒ technical skills).
• Work with 20+ customer service specialists to resolve concerns and feedback (⇒ collaboration).
• Train new hires to use specialized tools, including Salesforce and JIRA (⇒ software efficiency, leadership, and communication).

What Should Freshers Put In Their Resume?

Stay calm if you do not have much professional experience. Mentioning interpersonal skills, including communication, collaboration, adaptation, or problem-solving skills, makes a positive impression. However, do not miss the technical skills needed for your field.

What Are The Top Skills For The Experienced?

Professional skills come out on top when employers look for potential candidates for mid positions and above. Pay more attention to your soft skill sets. Some must-have abilities include leadership, management, decision-making, strategic thinking, etc.

See more interview tips: 50 Good Resume Headlines Examples How To Write A Follow-Up Email After Interview 3 Examples For Thank-You Email After Interview 8 Examples of Challenges You Have Overcome At Work 6 sample answers of accomplishments at work 5 Examples of Problem-Solving in The Workplace How To Ask for Feedback After Job Rejection How to Explain The Reason for Leaving a Job on Applications For Interview Question: What Do You Like To Do For Fun? What Are You Most Passionate About? What Are You Looking For In Your Next Job? Why Are You Interested In This Position? What Accomplishments Are You Most Proud Of?

Your resume represents your identity, and the skills listed are your distinctive features. Crafting a good CV has never been an easy task, whether you have a little or a lot of experience. However, make sure what you put in is truthful. Choosing special skills for a resume relevant to your future role is also good to impress employers at first glance. If you’re unsure where to start, keep your eyes on the job description.

Christina J. Colclough

Dr Christina J. Colclough is an expert on The Future World of Work and the politics of digital technology advocating globally for the importance of the workers’ voice. She has extensive regional and global labour movement experience, is a sought-after keynote speaker, coach, and strategist advising progressive governments and worker organisations.

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30 Examples: How to List Leadership Skills on Your Resume

Leadership skills on your resume showcase your ability to manage teams, projects, and organizations effectively. These skills indicate that you can assume responsibility, guide others, and make informed decisions.

Here’s a quick breakdown of key leadership skills to include:

• Communication : You need to articulate your ideas clearly and listen effectively.
• Teamwork : Collaborate well with others and build strong team synergy.
• Problem-solving : Find solutions to issues and think critically to overcome challenges.
• Innovation : Show creativity and the willingness to try new approaches.
• Reliability : Demonstrate dependability in completing tasks and maintaining work ethic.
• Mentoring : Guide and support the development of peers or team members.

Highlight the skills that align closely with the roles and responsibilities of the position you’re applying for. This customization will help your resume resonate with potential employers.

Identifying Your Leadership Qualities

To effectively showcase your leadership skills on a resume, start by pinpointing what you bring to the table as a leader. This will help tailor your resume to highlight your unique strengths.

Self-Assessment

• Begin with some honest self-reflection.
• Consider your previous experiences where you took charge—whether formally or informally—and think about the skills that helped you succeed in those roles.
• Were you good at setting clear goals, or perhaps your strength lay in motivating a team? List down these instances and skills.
• Try categorizing them under relevant skill sets like communication, problem-solving, or team motivation.

Feedback from Peers and Mentors

• Next, reach out to colleagues and mentors who’ve seen you in action.
• Ask them to share their perspectives on your leadership abilities. This step not only gives you additional insights but also validation for the skills you’ve identified through self-assessment.
• Compact these insights into clear bullet points, such as “recognized by team for effective conflict resolution” or “commended by manager for strong project vision and execution”.

Showcasing Leadership Skills in Different Resume Sections

Professional summary.

Your professional summary is a teaser of your capabilities and accomplishments. Mention a standout leadership achievement or characteristic here. For example, if you spearheaded a project that exceeded targets, you could start with, “Dynamic team leader who successfully drove project X to completion, exceeding goals by 20%.”

Work Experience

In your work experience section, quantify leadership accomplishments with specific results. Under each relevant job title, describe how you guided teams or projects. Use bullet points like:

• Led a sales team to a record-breaking year, increasing revenue by 30%.
• Managed cross-departmental collaborations to streamline the product development process.

Your skills section should concisely list leadership qualities that match the job description. You can focus on skills such as:

• Critical thinking
• Team building
• Strategic planning
• Effective communication
• Decision making
• Conflict resolution
• Emotional intelligence
• Adaptability
• Problem-solving
• Accountability
• Visionary thinking
• Influencing others
• Cultural intelligence
• Time management
• Performance management
• Change management

Categorize them as ‘Leadership Skills’ to make them easily identifiable.

Education and Certifications

Include any leadership roles you held during your education or mention relevant certifications. If you were a club president or coordinated a major event, it’s worth mentioning. For example:

• President of the Student Council, managing a team of five to organize school events.
• Certified Project Management Professional with expertise in agile leadership practices.

Quantifying Your Leadership Impact

When listing leadership skills on your resume, showcasing the tangible impact you’ve had in past roles can make a significant difference. Employers value candidates who can demonstrate their leadership skills with clear evidence of success.

Example Achievements:

Project management.

• Coordinated a team of 10 to deliver a web development project, resulting in a 30% increase in user engagement within three months.

Team Development

• Mentored five junior staff to advance into mid-level positions, enhancing team productivity by 20%.

Using Specific Metrics:

Revenue growth.

• Spearheaded a new market strategy that led to a revenue boost of $100K in the first quarter.

Cost Reduction

• Implemented operational efficiencies that cut supply costs by $50K annually.

Tailoring Leadership Skills to the Job Description

When crafting your resume, aligning your leadership skills with the specific requirements of the job description can make a significant impact. This customized approach shows employers that you’re not just a great leader, but the right leader for their team.

Researching Job Postings

Start by thoroughly reading job postings in your field, focusing especially on the responsibilities and qualifications sections. Here you’ll find keywords and phrases that companies use to describe their ideal candidate. Make a list of these terms, particularly those related to leadership.

Matching Skills to Employer Needs

Once you have your list, match your own experiences and skills with the needs of the employer. Did you spearhead a successful project? That’s a great opportunity to highlight your strategic planning abilities. Have you overseen a team? Mention your supervisory experience and how you’ve fostered team productivity and morale. Ensure each skill you list is presented in a way that’s directly applicable to the job you’re aiming for. Use bullet points for clarity:

• Strategic Planning : Organized a fundraiser that exceeded goals by 30%, illustrating strong strategic planning and execution abilities.
• Team Leadership : Led a team of 10 sales associates to a record-breaking quarter, demonstrating effective team motivation and leadership skills.
• Conflict Resolution : Resolved interdepartmental conflicts by mediating discussions, resulting in improved communication lines and a 15% increase in project efficiency.

Tailoring your leadership skills to the job description not only positions you as a qualified candidate but also demonstrates your attention to detail and your commitment to the role.

Writing Compelling Bullet Points

Crafting your bullet points with clear action verbs and specific outcomes will make your leadership skills shine on your resume.

Action Verbs

When you start your bullet points, kick off with a strong action verb that showcases your leadership skills. This approach brings energy and clarity to your experience. Check out these verbs to strengthen your resume:

• Coordinated
• Implemented
• Streamlined
• Facilitated
• Revolutionized
• Spearheaded
• Transformed

Concrete Outcomes

Highlight the results of your leadership using concrete numbers and outcomes. These specifics will paint a picture of your effectiveness. Here are examples showing how to do this:

• Boosted sales by 20% through strategic leadership of a cross-functional team
• Cut costs by 15% by streamlining in-house training processes
• Increased team productivity by 30% by implementing a new project management system
• Developed a new employee engagement program that reduced turnover by 25%
• Led a marketing campaign that generated a 40% increase in qualified leads
• Improved customer satisfaction scores by 35% as a result of a team restructuring initiative
• Enhanced operational efficiency by redesigning the workflow, saving the company 1000+ hours annually
• Closed deals with 3 major clients, resulting in a revenue increase of $1.5M
• Drove the company’s expansion into two new international markets within a year
• Oversaw a budget of $500,000 while cutting unforeseen expenses by 10%
• Guided a project team to deliver all projects within deadline, 95% of the time
• Achieved a record low employee turnover rate of 5% through improved morale and leadership engagement
• Raised $200,000 in funding for a community service project by leading fundraising efforts
• Completed a company-wide audit leading to a reduction in operational waste by 20%
• Accelerated the company’s growth by 200% in three years through strategic partnerships
• Revamped the onboarding process, resulting in a 50% decrease in new hire ramp-up time
• Delivered a cloud migration project that improved system uptime by 99.9%
• Successfully coached a team of junior managers to achieve their KPIs six months in advance
• Pioneered a new customer feedback system that improved product development cycles by 30%
• Secured a 98% client retention rate through effective team leadership and problem-solving strategies
• Launched a diversity initiative that increased minority representation in leadership roles by 40%
• Orchestrated a department merger without disruption in services or employee satisfaction
• Built a volunteer program that contributed over 500 hours of community service per year
• Engineered a supply chain logistics plan that saved the company $250,000 annually
• Cultivated a culture of innovation that resulted in filing 10 new patents
• Designed a comprehensive risk management strategy reducing liability exposure by 20%
• Consolidated multiple legacy systems into a singular platform, enhancing productivity by 15%
• Commanded a national conference with over 300 delegates, showcasing organizational leadership
• Initiated a quality control protocol that improved product quality by 22%
• Masterminded a program that positively impacted over 10,000 local residents

Leveraging Extracurricular and Volunteer Experience

When detailing your leadership skills in a resume, don’t overlook extracurricular and volunteer experiences. These activities are fertile ground for showcasing your leadership qualities, especially if your professional experience is limited.

Organize Your Points Start by listing leadership roles in clubs, sports teams, or community groups. Did you captain your soccer team or head a fundraising event? This shows commitment and the ability to manage a group towards a goal.

• Led practices and strategy sessions.
• Coordinated team logistics for traveling to matches.

Highlight Achievements Quantify your impact where you can. If you raised a notable amount of money for a cause or increased club membership, include these achievements. This demonstrates the tangible outcomes of your leadership.

• Increased club membership by 20% through targeted recruitment campaigns.
• Organized a charity run, raising $5,000 for local food banks.

Showcase Soft Skills Volunteer work often requires collaboration, problem-solving, and communication. Reflect on instances where you used these skills during your extracurricular activities.

• Coordinated with a team of 10 volunteers to optimize the adoption process.
• Fostered communication between the shelter staff and potential pet adopters.

Use Strong Verbs Employ action verbs to convey your role in leading the effort.

• Chaired the annual book fair, managing over 50 volunteers.

Highlighting extracurricular and volunteer work can fill in the gaps and project a well-rounded image of your leadership capabilities. Tailor these experiences to align with the job you’re applying for, reinforcing the relevance of your skills.

Fine-Tuning and Proofreading Your Resume

Before you hit send on your application, take a moment to double-check your resume. Ensuring every detail is accurate and polished reflects your strong attention to detail—a vital leadership trait.

Start with these steps:

• Spell-check : Use tools like spellcheck to catch any typos or misspellings. However, don’t rely solely on this; some mistakes can slip through.
• Grammar check : Programs like Grammarly are a second pair of eyes, but again, they aren’t foolproof. Read through each line to catch errors a computer might miss.
• Consistency : Review for uniformity in font size, type, and heading styles. Consistent formatting is key for a professional look.

Hand your resume to a trusted friend or mentor for feedback. They might spot errors you’ve overlooked and provide suggestions to enhance your leadership descriptions.

Finally, print out your resume: sometimes, physical copies reveal mistakes that aren’t as obvious on-screen. Scan each section carefully, checking for proper alignment and spacing, and be certain that all of your leadership skills shine with precise, clear language.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

• Not specific enough: Rather than claiming you have “excellent leadership skills,” illustrate this with concrete examples. Showcase situations where you guided a team towards a goal. For instance, “Led a team of six in developing a new marketing strategy, resulting in a 20% increase in sales.”
• Overloading your resume with clichés: Terms like “outside-the-box thinker” and “team player” are vague and overused. Reveal how you breathe life into these phrases. Instead of “team player,” you might say, “Collaborated with cross-functional departments to streamline project processes, enhancing productivity by 15%.”
• Ambiguity about your role in a team achievement: Clarify your contributions to a team success. Instead of “Contributed to a project that won an industry award,” detail your specific actions: “Designed the key product features for an award-winning mobile app.”
• Avoid listing leadership qualities without context. Your skills should tie back to actual results or improvements made. Also, resist the urge to embellish achievements, as this can lead to a lack of credibility if questioned during an interview.
• Using too much jargon or technical language can make your leadership skills unclear to the reader. Explain your accomplishments in straightforward terms that anyone can understand.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some examples of leadership skills to put on a resume.

Consider adding skills such as conflict resolution, team building, strategic planning, and effective communication. You might also highlight your ability to delegate, your decision-making prowess, and your knack for inspiring others.

How can I describe my team leadership experience in a resume?

When you describe your team leadership experience, start with a strong action verb followed by the scope of your responsibilities and the impact made. For instance, “Led a team of 12 in completing a cross-departmental project ahead of schedule, increasing efficiency by 15%.”

What kind of leadership achievements should I highlight on my resume?

Showcase achievements where you’ve had a measurable impact. This could be project completions under budget, improvements in team performance metrics, or successful launches of new initiatives. Quantifying these with percentages or dollar figures makes your contribution more tangible.

How would I write a resume headline if I’m applying for a leadership position?

Think of your headline as your professional tagline. If targeting a leadership role, a powerful headline could be “Innovative Team Leader with Proven Record of Elevating Operational Success” or “Visionary Manager with 10+ Years of Experience in Team Growth and Strategic Planning.”

What’s a good way to illustrate leadership skills during an interview?

During an interview, use specific stories that demonstrate your leadership skills. Discuss challenges you’ve faced, how you addressed them, the actions you took, and the results that followed. This method paints a clear picture of your leadership style and effectiveness.

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20 Essential Skills to Put on Your Resume in 2024

Skills to put on a resume refer to the specific abilities and expertise that you highlight to potential employers. These skills are essential in demonstrating your qualifications for a position.

When you effectively present your skills on a resume, you not only catch the eye of hiring managers but also increase your chances of landing an interview . In this article, I will show you various resume skills that can enhance your application for your career success.

1. Communication Skills

Strong verbal and written communication skills allow you to clearly convey ideas, collaborate with colleagues, and build relationships with clients. To showcase your communication skills on your resume, provide specific examples of how you've used these skills to achieve positive outcomes. 

For instance, you could highlight your experience in delivering presentations, writing reports, or facilitating team discussions. Additionally, emphasize your active listening skills and ability to communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner.

2. Leadership Skills

These skills demonstrate your ability to guide teams, make decisions, and drive results. When highlighting your leadership skills on your resume, focus on key qualities such as decision-making, problem-solving, and the ability to motivate others . 

Provide concrete examples of your leadership experience, such as leading a project team, managing a department, or spearheading an initiative. Additionally, emphasize your management skills and ability to delegate tasks effectively.

3. Teamwork

Employers seek candidates who can work well with others, contribute to team goals, and build positive relationships. To showcase your soft skills on your resume, highlight your ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts. 

Provide specific examples of how you've contributed to successful team projects, such as working together to meet deadlines or brainstorming innovative solutions.

4. Problem-Solving Skills

Employers value candidates who can think critically, analyze information, and develop creative solutions. Provide examples of how you've identified and addressed challenges in your previous roles. 

Emphasize your ability to break down complex problems, gather relevant information, and implement effective solutions . Additionally, showcase your critical thinking skills and ability to make data-driven decisions.

5. Adaptability

Employers value candidates who can adjust to new situations, learn new skills , and thrive in dynamic environments. Highlight your ability to learn quickly, embrace change, and adapt to new challenges. 

Share examples of how you've successfully navigated transitions, such as learning new software, adapting to organizational changes, or taking on new responsibilities.  

6. Time Management

Companies seek candidates who can prioritize tasks, manage their workload, and work efficiently. Emphasize your ability to set goals, create action plans, and use tools and techniques to stay organized. 

7. Critical Thinking

To highlight your critical thinking skills on your resume, provide examples of how you've used these skills to solve problems, make decisions, and drive progress in your previous roles. 

Emphasize your ability to gather and analyze relevant information, consider multiple perspectives, and develop well-reasoned conclusions. Additionally, showcase your relevant skills and ability to apply your critical thinking abilities to specific tasks or projects.

8. Technical Skills

Organizations seek candidates who are proficient in relevant software, tools, and platforms. To highlight your technical skills on your resume, list specific software, programming languages, and tools you're proficient in.  

Provide examples of how you've used these hard skills to complete tasks, develop projects, or solve problems. Additionally, showcase your ability to learn new technologies quickly and adapt to changing technological environments.

9. Project Management

Employers value candidates who can manage timelines, allocate resources, and coordinate team efforts . To present your project management skills on your resume, provide examples of projects you've successfully managed, including the scope, timeline, and outcomes. 

Focus on your ability to set goals, create action plans, and communicate effectively with stakeholders. Additionally, showcase your management skills and ability to lead teams to achieve project objectives.

10. Data Analysis

As data becomes increasingly important in decision-making, data analysis skills are in high demand across various industries. Employers seek candidates who can gather, analyze, and interpret data to drive insights and inform decisions. 

Emphasize your proficiency in relevant specific skills such as statistical analysis, data visualization, and data mining. Also, showcase your ability to communicate complex data insights in a clear and concise manner.

11. Customer Service

Strong customer service skills are essential for building and maintaining positive relationships with clients and customers . To highlight your customer service skills on your resume, provide examples of how you've delivered exceptional service, handled customer inquiries, and resolved customer complaints. 

Emphasize your ability to communicate effectively, empathize with customers, and find creative solutions to meet their needs. Additionally, showcase your service skills and ability to contribute to a positive customer experience.

12. Creativity

Employers seek candidates who can think outside the box, generate innovative ideas, and contribute to the development of new products, services, or processes. To highlight your creativity on your resume, provide examples of how you've contributed to creative projects, developed innovative solutions, or generated new ideas. 

Focus on your ability to think critically, challenge assumptions, and explore alternative perspectives. In addition, showcase your soft skills and ability to collaborate with others to bring creative ideas to life.

13. Organization

To highlight your organization skills on your resume, provide examples of how you've used specific skills such as task prioritization, record-keeping, and project management to achieve successful outcomes. Emphasize your ability to maintain a clean and organized workspace, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and ensure the accuracy and completeness of your work.

14. Research Skills

Employers seek candidates who can conduct thorough research, synthesize findings, and apply insights to drive progress . 

On you resume, emphasize your ability to use various research methods, such as literature reviews, interviews, and data analysis, to gather relevant information. Additionally, present your ability to communicate research findings effectively.

15. Attention to Detail

Paying attention to detail is crucial for ensuring accuracy, quality, and consistency in any work environment. To highlight your attention to detail on your resume, provide examples of how you've used this skill to catch errors, ensure the accuracy of your work, and contribute to the overall quality of projects. 

Showcase your ability to follow instructions precisely, double-check your work, and maintain a high level of accuracy even under pressure. 

16. Digital Literacy

Highlight your digital literacy on your resume, listing specific computer skills and technical skills you possess, such as proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Suite, or project management software . 

Provide examples of how you've used these skills to complete tasks, communicate with colleagues, or contribute to digital projects. Additionally, showcase your ability to l earn new digital tools quickly and adapt to changing technological environments.

17. Presentation Skills

To highlight your presentation skills, provide examples of how you've used these communication skills to deliver presentations, facilitate discussions, or train colleagues. 

Focus on your ability to create visually appealing and informative presentation materials , speak clearly and confidently , and engage audiences effectively. Additionally, showcase your ability to adapt your presentation style to different audiences and contexts.

18. Interpersonal Skills

Show your interpersonal skills providing examples of how you've used these soft skills to collaborate with colleagues, resolve conflicts, or build positive relationships with clients or customers. 

Emphasize your ability to communicate clearly, listen actively, and empathize with others. Present your people skills and ability to contribute to a positive and productive work culture.

19. Initiative

Taking initiative is a valuable skill that demonstrates self-motivation, proactivity, and a willingness to go above and beyond. To highlight your initiative, provide examples of how you've provided examples of how you've taken on additional responsibilities, identified and solved problems, or contributed to the development of new projects or processes. 

20. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, manage, and express emotions effectively in the workplace. Employers value candidates who can empathize with others, manage stress, and contribute to a positive work culture. 

To highlight your emotional intelligence on your resume, provide examples of how you've used these soft skills to resolve conflicts, provide support to colleagues, or contribute to a positive work environment.

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills

When it comes to resume skills , it's important to strike a balance between soft skills and hard skills. 

Soft skills refer to interpersonal abilities, such as communication, teamwork , and problem-solving , while hard skills are technical skills specific to a job or industry. Hard skills are often easier to quantify and demonstrate on a resume, as they are typically learned through education, training, or experience. 

For example, proficiency in a programming language or expertise in a particular software tool would be considered hard skills. However, soft skills are equally important, as they enable you to effectively apply your hard skills and collaborate with colleagues.

Skills Section on Your Resume

The skills section of your resume is a crucial component that allows you to highlight your most relevant and impressive abilities. When crafting an effective skills section, it's important to tailor it to the specific job you're applying for and ensure that it complements the other resume sections, such as your work experience and education.

To create a compelling skills section i recommend you to:

• Identify the most relevant skills for the role
• Draw from the list above and the job description
• Group similar skills together and arrange them in order of importance, with your strongest and most relevant skills at the top . 
• Use concise, action-oriented language to describe your proficiencies, and consider including a mix of soft skills and hard skills to create a well-rounded picture of your abilities.

When presenting your skills section, consider using bullet points or columns to make it easy for the reader to scan and absorb the information. Avoid lengthy descriptions and focus on highlighting your most impressive achievements and proficiencies. 

Remember, the skills section of your resume is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Tailor it to each job description of the job you apply for, ensuring that you highlight the skills that are most relevant to the position and organization. 

Tailoring Your Skills to the Job

Analyzing the job description is the first step in identifying the most relevant skills for the role. Look for keywords and phrases that highlight the employer's needs and preferences, and use these as a guide for selecting the skills to feature on your resume.

As you review the job description, make a list of the skills that are most important for the position. These may include both soft skills and hard skills, such as proficiency in a particular software or experience leading teams. Once you've identified the key skills, match them to your own experiences and achievements , providing specific examples of how you've applied these skills in professional settings.

Hiring managers will appreciate your attention to detail and ability to align your qualifications with their specific needs, increasing your chances of moving forward in the application process.

Conclusion: Skills to put on a resume

In today's competitive job market, having the right skills on your resume is essential for standing out and securing your dream job. By highlighting a combination of soft skills and hard skills , you can create a well-rounded and compelling resume that showcases your unique qualifications and potential for success.

Remember, the skills you choose to feature on your resume should be tailored to the specific job you're applying for. Analyze the job description carefully, identify the most relevant skills, and provide concrete examples of how you've applied these skills in professional settings. 

As you continue your job search, it's important to continually develop and update your skills. Stay informed about industry trends, seek out opportunities for professional development, and be proactive in acquiring new knowledge and abilities. Good luck on your job search experience!

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30 Powerful Resume Keywords To Beat ATS In 2024

Using the right resume keywords ensures you are able to shine a light on your skills and experience

More than 90% of employers use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to initially filter out or rank middle-skilled and highly-skilled candidates for job postings, according to a 2021 global study conducted by the Harvard Business Review.

This means that there is at least a 90% chance that your resume will not make it past the screening software.

Applicant tracking systems rely on keywords to assess candidate suitability—and these keywords are the ones that are located within your resume. The problem is, many candidates do not know how to make a resume effective because they fail to include the most appropriate keywords for their industry and role they are applying to. Consequently, they never (or hardly ever) make it past the screening stage to secure an interview.

While there are several factors that determine whether your resume makes it past the ATS or not (although a few are beyond your control), knowing what skills to put on your resume and which resume keywords to include, are a few of the most critical steps you can take to ensure your resume beats ATS.

Why Use Resume Keywords?

"A recruiter will never see that candidate’s application, even though it might fill all of the employer’s requirements," continued the HBR study. Therefore, being the perfect fit for a role is not good enough. You might tick every box and fulfil all the requirements listed on the job description, yet fall short of being shortlisted for the role, all because your resume did not effectively evidence the criteria and skills the employer is looking for.

Here is a simplified example of how an ATS works from a recruiter's point of view:

• You send your resume through a job portal.
• When the recruiter is sifting out 1,000 applications, they'll enter a skill such as "project management," "Power BI," or an education requirement such as "MBA," from the job description.
• This filters available resumes to 300 candidates.
• If your resume is optimized to include the keyword they are looking for, it will show up; if not, it will never be seen and you've just lost the potential to land a career-boosting opportunity to an AI-powered gatekeeper—ATS.

Matching keywords is an essential step to take before sending an application, or you could risk ... [+] being sifted out at the screening stage

Where To Find Keywords To Put On Your Resume

There are number of sources you can use to find keywords for your resume. The first and most obvious of them is the job advert itself. Taking a careful look at the job description, and the key requirements/person specification/ideal candidate section, carefully identify what are the core requirements that the employer is asking for.

You might find it useful to undertake a keyword highlighting exercise by copying and pasting the entire job description and person specification into a Word document, and highlighting the technical and soft skills that stand out to you the most, which are relevant to what you already have to offer.

For example, take a look at this sample job description from Workable for a cost analyst role:

"We are looking for a cost analyst to help us audit our expenses and find ways to make our operations more cost-efficient. You’ll be the go-to person for cost analysis and you’ll get to prepare reports to help management make better decisions. To do this job well, we’d like you to be well-versed in data and financial analysis, and have strong attention to detail. Ultimately, your job will be an integral part of our efforts to ensure profitability and business success."

It then proceeds to list the following responsibilities for the cost analyst role:

• Gather and analyze financial data
• Determine standard costs and investigate variances with actual costs
• Prepare detailed reports, both periodically and ad-hoc
• Help management make important decisions based on costs and benefits (e.g. investments, market growth, pricing changes)
• Create and manage budgets, and monitor spending
• Conduct audits on financial processes and transactions
• Monitor changes in processes or methods to calculate effects on overall costs
• Estimate product costs for existing and new products
• Forecast and analyze costs of processes, labor and inventory
• Suggest cost-reducing or profitable solutions
• Conduct market research to support future business planning

And then the advert proceeds to list requirements and skills for the role (pay close attention to this):

• Proven experience as a cost analyst, cost specialist or similar role
• Experience in data, operational and financial analysis
• Knowledge of accounting processes and software
• Strong analytical skills
• A business acumen
• Great attention to detail
• Good communication aptitude
• Degree in Finance, Accounting or similar field
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) preferred

With the above job advert, how many keywords can you easily identify?

Considering the above data, some of the likely resume keywords and skills used for the job posting above, which you would want to incorporate into your resume for a cost analyst role, include:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• Good communication
• Attention to detail
• Cost analyst
• Accounting processes and software (and name a few)
• Financial analysis/Analyzing financial data

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You can incorporate these keywords into your professional summary, skills highlights, and work experience and education sections.

ChatGPT can help you analyze a job description quickly and can even provide guidance on how to ... [+] tailor your resume for that specific role

How To Use ChatGPT To Find Resume Keywords

One time saving method you could employ to find keywords from the job advert and interspersed them throughout your resume, is to solicit the help of ChatGPT. ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot developed by OpenAI, that has millions of users around the world—with one of the fastest, unprecedented technology adoption rates in history.

It uses LLM (large language models) to engage with you as any other human being would, providing you with timely information and shortening the length of time it takes to accomplish administrative and content writing tasks. While it is not wise to use ChatGPT to draft an entire resume for you on its own, it certainly can be helpful at key junctures in the resume writing process, for example, when analyzing and inputting keywords.

To use ChatGPT to find the best keywords to include in your resume, follow the below steps:

• Provide ChatGPT with a copy or excerpt of a job description for the role you want to apply for, and then prompt: "I am tailoring my resume to apply for this role. Please select and suggest keywords and phrases from this job advert that I can put into my resume. Include any technical skills, software tools, certifications, industry terminology, and soft skills listed in the advert."
• Now that ChatGPT has provided you with a list you can then begin incorporating these words and phrases throughout your resume, ensuring you proofread with each edit so it reads naturally and doesn't give the appearance of meaningless keyword stuffing.

Powerful Keywords To Include In Your Resume

Now that you have this background understanding, here is a sample list of some of the most common and essential keywords you should consider adding to your resume, for three specific industries—information technology, healthcare, and sales. These are categorized for ease of navigation and will provide you with an idea of what to look out for, as relates to your industry:

Resume Keywords For The Information Technology (IT) Industry

• Programming languages (e.g., Java, Python, C++)
• Cloud computing
• Network administration
• Agile methodologies
• ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)
• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Machine learning
• Data analytics
• IT project management

Resume Keywords For The Healthcare Industry

• Electronic Health Records (EHR)
• Clinical research
• Medical billing and coding
• Telemedicine
• Healthcare compliance
• Health informatics
• Medical imaging
• Healthcare quality improvement
• Health insurance
• Healthcare technology

Resume Keywords For The Sales Industry

• Business development
• Account management
• Client relationship management (CRM)
• Lead generation
• Prospecting
• Sales cycle
• Pipeline management
• Value proposition
• Sales forecasting
• Competitive analysis

Keywords include a range of technical skills, soft skills, and education requirements—and even your ... [+] years of experience

Using the right keywords can help you effectively sell yourself and shine as a star candidate to employers, ensuring your skills and experience do not go to waste or escape their notice. Through highlighting your expertise in this way (without keyword stuffing) you increase your chances of securing an interview.

19 Skills a Teacher Should List on a Resume (A to Z List)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

Examples of teaching skills needed to be successful in today’s classrooms include: leadership, communication, multitasking, patience, and reflectiveness.

When adding these skills to a teacher resume, you can list these in two categories: ‘soft skills’ and ‘hard skills’. We’ve listed which type of skill each is below.

Be sure your teaching resume highlights some of the skills listed below, and discuss how they will benefit the students in your classroom.

For content specifically about soft skills, see soft skills for teachers .

A to Z List of Skills for a Teacher Resume

1. communication.

Type: Soft Skill

Teachers need to be able to communicate in the classroom as well as with colleagues, parents, and administration.

Show prospective employers that you are able to effectively communicate with parents in-person.  Examples of communication skills include your ability to speak professionally and articulately, as well as your ability to be an empathetic listener. 

Teachers will also be required to communicate through different media formats such as Google Classroom, Canvas, Edutopia, or any other required website by your district.

Be sure you are informing prospective employers that you are savvy in communicating your class objectives, standards, and assignments in an easy-to-use media format for parents and administrators.

A teacher who has dynamic communication skills will stand out as a candidate that school districts can trust to effectively reach all members of a learning community.

You Might Also Like: Teaching Philosophy Statement Examples

2. Computer Skills

Type: Hard Skill

Technology is here to stay in education. Feature how you use technology in your classroom to make yourself stand out on a resume.

If you use a smart board, projector, online classrooms, or technology in general to drive your instruction, make this stand out on your resume.  In the real world your students will be using computer skills in any or all future job opportunities. 

For example, a student might have to access google classroom in order to access a text and assignment for the day. In math, a group might be working on a shared online document to create a graphing presentation. In Science, students could be using project-based learning to demonstrate their understanding of skills or concepts taught in your class.

A resume that doesn’t highlight a teacher’s ability to incorporate and promote computer skills in their classroom will simply be overlooked.  It is no longer a skill you can go without in the classroom.

3. Creativity

Administrators love hearing new ideas for successful lesson planning and teaching. Demonstrating how you provide a creative spin to older teaching practices is a fantastic way to stand out on your resume.

Creativity can be highlighted in many different parts of your teaching style : how you develop unique lessons, how you informally assess students during class to drive your instruction, innovative solutions you have to common behavioral problems in your classroom, how you support students in sharing ideas and communicating, etc. 

Any way you can offer new insights for common practices in the classroom that lead to student success will highlight your ability to be creative.

For example, a teacher who uses a peer learning strategy that allows their students to read multiple examples of their classmates would showcase that you understand that exposure to multiple examples increases student understanding of writing skills. 

Provide specific examples of how your teaching practices go beyond normal expectations in a classroom setting and highlight the benefits of those examples for your students. This will prove your ability to be creative on your resume.

You Might Also Like: Teacher Vision Statement Examples

4. Cultural Competence

Diversity in education cannot be overlooked.  Your resume needs to prove you can connect with and include to a multitude of cultural backgrounds in your classroom.

An English teacher might discuss the multicultural literature they use during their lesson plans to allow their students to see themselves within the stories and topics they are discussing, for example.

Any teacher can include cultural competence by promoting and respecting dynamic cultural differences of their students in the classroom.

Your resume should highlight how you allow your students to share their personal stories and how you, as their teacher, both formally and informally recognize those differences.

One tip would be to outline how you reach out to students at the beginning of the year and allow them to share their cultures and experiences before diving into any given curriculum.

Cultural competence cannot be overlooked on your resume.  You need to prove your ability to be culturally aware, and how you encourage students to be aware and accepting of their peers’ cultural differences. 

5. Goal Setting

Goal setting for teachers involves making sure you have short-term and long-term plans, as well as knowledge of the steps required to get there.

This is required because teachers need to be able to create a coherent unit of work to get students from their prior knowledge to mastery of a topic.

Your resume should outline how you set goals for yourself and your students, the tasks you need to accomplish, how you minimize distractions, and your overall plan for accomplishing your daily activities successfully.

6. Leadership

Teachers are leaders inside the classroom and in the school community. 

In the classroom, teachers lead groups all day long . They need a leader’s negotiating skills with students while also being able to assert their authority in the classroom.

They might also train and mentor younger and less experienced teachers and help parents with child development information that can help them raise their children.

In the school community, teachers participate in school committees where they develop educational programs and school policies. will usually be more sought after than a candidate focused solely on their classroom instruction.

School districts also have many leadership positions that need to be filled outside of the classroom, including:

• school improvement plans,
• curriculum planning,
• policy and procedure development,
• behavioral programs, etc. 

Market your leadership skills on your resume by showing times when you have been a leader in and outside of the school context. Showcasing these leadership skills are sure to get you closer to securing an interview spot.   

7. Lesson Planning

Lesson planning is a skill specific to our profession. It involves the ability to lay out not just what you will teach but how you will teach it.

Many employers now ask to see samples of lesson plans appended to resumes. If this is required, make sure you list your teaching strategies and be aware of the layout of the classroom. Your lesson plan should answer questions like:

• Where is the teacher standing?
• Are the students in groups or working independently?
• What will be the pacing of the lesson?
• How will you transition into and out of phases of the lesson?
• What education theories are you relying on while executing this lesson?

8. Math Skills

Even if you are not a math teacher you can still easily highlight your math skills on a teaching resume.

Data-driven instruction is a major theme in successful classrooms.  Be sure to demonstrate how you collect data from your students in regards to skills they are working on in class. Questions you might get in an interview may include:

• How do you organize student data?
• How do you interpret data to drive your instruction for your next lesson plan or unit? 

Outlining these components on your day-to-day data collection and assessment will showcase your math skills, even if you are an English teacher.

You can even provide an example of your data collection on an anonymous student and describe how you might interpret that data to a parent or guardian so they can better understand their child’s progress in your class. 

Even if you aren’t a math or science teacher, math and data collection should still be a driving force in your teaching.  Prove this on your resume and you’ll easily showcase your math skills!

9. Multitasking

Your resume should lay out your ability to facilitate the many roles teachers play in their classroom.

In a single class, a teacher will take attendance, engage students, provide materials, introduce assignments, give directions, document behaviors, informally assess student understanding, reteach, and the list goes on!

There is no end to the amount of tasks a teacher may or may not perform in a single class period, let alone an entire day. 

Your resume needs to display your ability to handle the ever-changing needs of your students on a daily basis.  This includes both instruction and social emotional needs of your students. 

Be sure your employer knows that you understand the complexity of what happens in a classroom on a daily basis by giving examples of your ability to handle and adapt to the ever-changing environment of your classroom.

See More: 25 Examples of Multitasking

10. Patience

Teaching is the most patient of professions. Often times, you need to sit patiently with a student for a long time before they finally have the ‘light bulb’ moment they need.

A patient educator needs to be able to change up their pedagogy to match the needs of the student. For example, they should identify when a student is struggling with your teaching modalities and switch them up to a modality that is more beneficial for the student.

If you can, provide examples of past experiences where you’ve demonstrated patience and the positive outcomes that came from those experiences.  Real examples of how you can be patient in an academic setting will set you apart from other candidates.

11. Problem Solving

Being able to identify a problem, determine the cause of the problem, and initiate possible solutions to a problem are a prominent skills for any teacher and should be showcased on your resume.

Problems will appear throughout a teacher’s day. Problems with technology, problems with parents, problems with student behaviors, and student learning difficulties are all examples of issues teachers will need to face. 

‘Putting out fires’ and finding solutions for both your own problems and the problems of your students are therefore central skills. 

Showcases this to employers as a way to enhance your resume. Make sure you demonstrate you are capable of finding solutions for a variety of situations that could occur in any teacher’s day-to-day encounters.

Be sure your resume discusses your problem-solving skills with simple examples and solutions to ensure your prospective employer understands you fully acknowledge that all competent teachers can problem solve.

12. Punctuality

A classroom full of unsupervised students can lead to catastrophe. So be sure your employer is aware of your ability to be on time.

Being punctual to your classes at the start of the school day is necessary for the wellbeing of the students within the school. Teacher presence is often seen as one of the most important aspects of keeping students’ good behavior.

Beyond student supervision, you should be demonstrating to your employer that you are a candidate that they can count on to show up. Nothing is worse for administration than scrambling to find a last-minute substitute for a teacher who doesn’t show up on time to work.

Furthermore, nothing is worse for one of your colleagues than being called out of their planned period to substitute because you were a no-show! No one wants a colleague like that.

Your resume should prove you are accountable and that you will be present every day for your colleagues and your students. 

13. Reflectiveness

A reflective teacher is one who pauses at the end of the lesson and reflects on how it went. By being reflective, they can continually learn from their experiences and improve.

One way teachers show reflectiveness is to discuss how the use students’ formative assessments to plan future assessments.

Once learning is assessed teachers then need to plan their next lessons based on student mastery and determine whether they require interventions for greater understanding or enrichment opportunities for continued growth within a skill. 

One way you can accomplish this is discussing how you might incorporate reteaching strategies when students are not yet reaching mastery for a task that you previously planned to move on from.

14. Resilience

Teachers need to be able to quickly recover from difficulties in their day-to-day jobs. 

Things aren’t going to go right for you. There will always be issues that you could have solved better, and prickly parents who you need to deal with regularly.

Much like a teacher’s ability to problem solve and find solutions, teachers need to quickly bounce back after handling problems.

For instance, a teacher may receive an email in the middle of day outlining a parent complaint where their practice or skills are put down or diminished. Oftentimes, teachers must quickly adapt and continue meeting the needs of their students after facing such scrutiny.

Your resume could include a glimpse into how you might recover from such situations and your plan for growth and improvement. If you have specific examples of your previous resilience in your teaching experience, be sure to highlight these on your resume.

15. Social and Emotional Intelligence

Demonstrating your ability to be are aware of your own feelings, including your strengths and weaknesses, will prove your social and emotional intelligence.

Incorporating social emotional intelligence on your resume is simple. It can be outlined in your ability to communicate, problem solve, and self-assess your work.  

Be sure that you offer examples of both what you excel at in the classroom and what you need to work on.  When discussing what you need to improve on, be sure to include how you will make those improvements and the benefits they will have in your classroom and for your students.

Another way to include social emotional intelligence is your ability to be responsive to your students’ social emotional status within your classroom.

Provide examples for when you understood a student was struggling and provided them with resources needed to support them.

A student who may have struggled to pay attention might be struggling with hunger.  As a teacher, you were able to find them resources for free breakfast and lunch at school is a dynamite way to highlight your social emotional intelligence.

Highlighting your own social emotional intelligence and your ability to recognize social emotional cues in your students will give you an edge on your resume.

See More: Examples of High Emotional Intelligence

16. Subject-Specific Knowledge

Subject-specific knowledge is the hard skill of knowing not how to teach, but what you’re teaching .

A math teacher needs to have excellent math skills, a physics teacher must be excellent at physics, and a woodworking teacher needs excellent skills with a lathe!

One way to demonstrate excellent subject-specific knowledge is to show how you’ve used your subject-specific knowledge in your work prior to becoming a teacher.

17. Teamwork

Being a skilled team member is one of the most crucial parts of being a stellar educator. 

In order to efficiently meet the needs of diverse learners, teamwork is crucial.

Current trends in teamwork for schools include just that: teams of teachers who teach the same group of students.

One example is a school who has all core teachers (Math, Social Studies, Science, and English) overseeing the education of the same group of students.

These teachers will communicate on a daily or weekly basis on the needs of individual students including:  their success in classes, behavioral issues, social emotional needs, special education needs, etc. 

Teams of teachers should be able to observe and provide interventions for students struggling when they work together to meet student needs.  A greater impact can be made on a students’ success in the classroom when there’s a team of teachers in that student’s corner.

Exemplifying your ability to work on a team in an educational setting is a great way to increase merit on your teaching resume.

18. Time Management

In teaching you will not be seen as a viable potential employee if you cannot demonstrate your ability to organize and plan your time.

We live in a time where the crowded curriculum means we need to leverage every moment of the day. If we don’t, we’ll never get through all the teaching we need to get done by the end of the school year.

19. Writing Skills

There’s nothing worse than a teacher who sends home a newsletter with spelling mistakes all over it. It undermines your credibility as an educator!

Your resume is the first look your potential employer has of your writing skills. Make sure it’s impeccable.

You could also explicitly discuss your writing skills. For example, you could provide examples of how you model writing in your classroom, regardless of your discipline. Writing is, after all, a general academic skill that all students need. 

Remember, your resume itself will showcase your writing skills.  Be sure you have proofread your resume and that your writing is grammatically correct, formatted efficiently, and is easy to navigate for potential employers.

Go Deeper: Writing Skills Examples

Soft Skills vs Hard Skills

Soft skills are generalizable skills that are difficult to measure whereas hard skills are specific skills required in a profession, which are generally quantifiably measurable.

1. Soft skills are skills that are general in nature and can be transferrable across different professions. They are usually not quantitatively measurable. Examples include communication and leadership skills.

Soft skills also often require use of emotional intelligence to get them done. In other words, they often involve navigating complex social situations (although not always).

2. Hard skills are skills that are specific for tasks rather than generalist. They’re usually quantifiable and relate directly to your profession. For example, creating lesson plans is a measurable skill (you produce something at the end) and one that is specifically for the teaching profession.

Common Interview Questions for Teachers

• How would you handle a disruptive student? I would answer this by highlighting the important to stay calm and patient, show concern for the student’s needs, and work together with the student, parents, and support staff to ensure the student is comfortable in the learning environment to minimize disruptive behavior going forward.
• What is your teaching style? Most teachers would answer this with reference to active learning , placing an emphasis on situated learning , or achieving differentiation (see: examples of differentiated instruction ).
• How do you plan to contribute to the learning culture at our school? Emphasize your ability to support other teachers, demonstrating high-standards to be a good role model to all students, and your enthusiasm to participate in co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

While the skills included in this article can seem overwhelming, remember that many of these skills are layered within each other and can be incorporated together in different aspects of your resume. 

Time management, patience, resilience, and problem solving are all skills that piggyback off of one another.  You likely won’t have one without touching on some of the others.

Work to group or highlight skills included in this article together.

Most importantly, remember to always make the forefront of your resume about the students.  Highlight how your skills enhance their learning.

The focus should always be on how you can increase student success in your classroom both academically and as citizens.  Teaching is really about the skills you have that make your students thrive!

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Green Flags in a Relationship
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Signs you're Burnt Out, Not Lazy
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Toxic Things Parents Say to their Children

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Cyber Security Analyst Resume Examples For 2024 (20+ Skills & Templates)

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Looking to score a job as a Cyber Security Analyst?

You're going to need an awesome resume. This guide is your one-stop-shop for writing a job-winning Cyber Security Analyst resume using our proven strategies, skills, templates, and examples.

All of the content in this guide is based on data from coaching thousands of job seekers (just like you!) who went on to land offers at the world's best companies.

If you want to maximize your chances of landing that Cyber Security Analyst role, I recommend reading this piece from top to bottom. But if you're just looking for something specific, here's what's included in this guide:

• What To Know About Writing A Job-Winning Cyber Security Analyst Resume
• The Best Skills To Include On A Cyber Security Analyst Resume

How To Write A Job-Winning Cyber Security Analyst Resume Summary

How to write offer-winning cyber security analyst resume bullets.

• 3 Cyber Security Analyst Resume Examples

The 8 Best Cyber Security Analyst Resume Templates

Cyber security analyst resume overview: what to know to write a resume that wins more job offers.

What do companies look for when they're hiring a Cyber Security Analyst?

Companies look for candidates with strong technical skills to protect and secure information systems from cyber threats. They also look for individuals with excellent problem-solving abilities to quickly identify and mitigate security breaches.

Additionally, companies seek candidates proficient in security software and tools, as well as those who can develop and implement security protocols and policies. Lastly, strong communication skills are essential for explaining complex security issues to non-technical stakeholders.

Your resume should show the company that your personality and your experience encompass all these things.

Additionally, there are a few best practices you want to follow to write a job-winning Cyber Security Analyst resume:

• Tailor your resume to the job description you are applying for: Tailor your resume for each application, aligning your skills with the specific requirements of each job description.
• Detail previous experiences: Provide detailed descriptions of your roles, emphasizing hard and soft skills related to the job description.
• Bring in your key achievements: Showcase measurable achievements in previous roles and share your best work.
• Highlight your skills: Highlight your skills in Security Analysis, Threat Detection, Incident Response, and more.
• Make it visually appealing: Use a professional and clean layout with bullet points for easy readability. Also, ensure formatting and font consistency throughout the resume and limit it to one or two pages.
• Use keywords: Incorporate industry-specific keywords from the job description to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and increase your chances of being noticed by hiring managers.
• Proofread your resume: Thoroughly proofread your resume to eliminate errors (I recommend Hemingway App and Grammarly ). Consider seeking feedback from peers or mentors to ensure clarity and effectiveness!

Let's dive deeper into each of these so you have the exact blueprint you need to see success.

The Best Cyber Security Analyst Skills To Include On Your Resume

Keywords are one of the most important factors in your resume. They show employers that your skills align with the role and they also help format your resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

If you're not familiar with ATS systems, they are pieces of software used by employers to manage job applications. They scan resumes for keywords and qualifications and make it easier for employers to filter and search for candidates whose qualifications match the role.

If you want to win more interviews and job offers, you need to have a keyword-optimized resume. There are two ways to find the right keywords:

1. Leverage The 20 Best Cyber Security Analyst Keywords

The first is to leverage our list of the best keywords and skills for a Cyber Security Analyst resume.

These keywords were selected from an analysis of real Cyber Security Analyst job descriptions sourced from actual job boards. Here they are:

• Cybersecurity
• Communication
• Information Security
• Incident Response
• Collaboration
• Interpersonal

2. Use ResyMatch.io To Find The Best Keywords That Are Specific To Your Resume And Target Role

The second method is the one I recommend because it's personalized to your specific resume and target job.

This process lets you find the exact keywords that your resume is missing when compared to the individual role you're applying for.

Here's how it works:

• Open a copy of your updated Cyber Security Analyst resume
• Open a copy of your target Cyber Security Analyst job description
• In the widget below, paste your resume on the left, paste the job description on the right, and hit scan!

ResyMatch is going to scan your resume and compare it to the target job description. It's going to show you the exact keywords and skills you're missing as well as share other feedback you can use to improve your resume.

If you're ready to get started, use the widget below to run your first scan and get your free resume score:

Copy/paste or upload your resume here:

Click here to paste text

Upload a PDF, Word Doc, or TXT File

Paste the job post's details here:

Scan to compare and score your resume vs the job's description.

Scanning...

And if you're a visual learner, here's a video walking through the entire process so you can follow along:

Employers spend an average of six seconds reading your resume.

If you want to win more interviews and offers, you need to make that time count. That starts with hitting the reader with the exact information they're looking for right at the top of your resume.

Unfortunately, traditional resume advice like Summaries and Objectives don't accomplish that goal. If you want to win in today's market, you need a modern approach. I like to use something I call a “Highlight Reel,” here's how it works.

Highlight Reels: A Proven Way To Start Your Resume And Win More Jobs

The Highlight Reel is exactly what it sounds like.

It's a section at the top of your resume that allows you to pick and choose the best and most relevant experience to feature right at the top of your resume.

It's essentially a highlight reel of your career as it relates to this specific role! I like to think about it as the SportsCenter Top 10 of your resume.

The Highlight Reel resume summary consists of 4 parts:

• A relevant section title that ties your experience to the role
• An introductory bullet that summarizes your experience and high-level value
• A few supporting “Case Study” bullets that illustrate specific results, projects, and relevant experience
• A closing “Extracurricular” bullet to round out your candidacy

For example, if we were writing a Highlight Reel for a Cyber Security Analyst role, it might look like this:

The first bullet includes the candidate's years of experience in the role. The next two bullets are “Case Studies” of specific results they drove for companies they worked for. The last bullet wraps up with extracurricular information.

This candidate has provided all of the info any employer would want to see right at the very top of their resume! The best part is that they can customize this section for each and every role they apply for to maximize the relevance of their experience.

Here's one more example of a Cyber Security Analyst Highlight Reel:

The content of this example showcases a candidate applying for an entry-level role. Their resume bullets bring in their experience, measurable results, and wrap up with high-value extracurricular activities.

If you want more details on writing a killer Highlight Reel, check out my full guide on Highlight Reels here.

Bullets make up the majority of the content in your resume. If you want to win, you need to know how to write bullets that are compelling and value-driven.

Unfortunately, way too many job seekers aren't good at this. They use fluffy, buzzword-filled language and they only talk about the actions that they took rather than the results and outcomes those actions created.

To help solve this, our team dove into bullets from the best resumes that have come across our desk. We used that data to create a formula for a great resume bullet. Here it is:

If you apply this framework to each of the bullets on your resume, you're going to make them more compelling and your value is going to be crystal clear to the reader. For example, take a look at these resume bullets:

❌  Cyber   Security  Analyst with experience in reducing  incident   response time.

✅ Cyber   Security  Analyst with a  proven  record of reducing  incident   response  time by  40 % through  automation .

The second bullet makes the candidate's value so much more clear, and it's a lot more fun to read! That's what we're going for here.

That said, it's one thing to look at the graphic above and try to apply the abstract concept of “35% hard skills” to your bullet. We wanted to make things easy, so we created a tool called ResyBullet.io that will actually give your resume bullet a score and show you how to improve it.

Using ResyBullet To Write Crazy Effective, Job-Winning Resume Bullets

ResyBullet takes our proprietary “resume bullet formula” and layers it into a tool that's super simple to use. Here's how it works:

• Head over to ResyBullet.io
• Copy a bullet from your resume and paste it into the tool, then hit “Analyze”
• ResyBullet will score your resume bullet and show you exactly what you need to improve
• You edit your bullet with the recommended changes and scan it again
• Rinse and repeat until you get a score of 60+
• Move on to the next bullet in your resume

Let's take a look at how this works for the two resume bullet examples I shared above:

First, we had, “ Cyber   Security  Analyst with experience in reducing  incident   response time. “

ResyBullet gave that a score of 25/100. Not only is it too short, but it's missing relevant skills, compelling language, and measurable outcomes:

Now, let's take a look at our second bullet, “ Cyber   Security  Analyst with a  proven record of reducing incident   response  time by  40 % through  automation “

ResyBullet gave that a 65/100. Much better! This bullet had more content focused on the experience in the Cyber Security Analyst role, while also highlighting measurable results:

Now all you have to do is run each of your bullets through ResyBullet, make the suggested updates, and your resume is going to be jam-packed with eye-popping, value-driven content!

If you're ready, grab a bullet from your resume, paste it into the widget below, and hit scan to get your first resume bullet score and analysis:

Free Resume Bullet Analyzer

Learn to write crazy effective resume bullets that grab attention, illustrate value, and actually get results., copy and paste your resume bullet to begin analysis:, 3 cyber security analyst resume examples for 2024.

Now let's take a look at all of these best practices in action. Here are three resume examples for different situations from people with different backgrounds:

Cyber Security Analyst Resume Example #1: A Traditional Background

Cyber Security Analyst Resume Example #2: A Non-Traditional Background

For our second Cyber Security Analyst Resume Example, we have a candidate who has a non-traditional background. In this case, they come from a background in sales, but leverage experiences that help them transition to a Cyber Security Analyst role. Here's an example of what their resume might look like:

Cyber Security Analyst Resume Example #3: Senior Cyber Security Analyst Resume

For our third Cyber Security Analyst Resume Example, we have a candidate applying for an entry-level role. Here's an example of what their resume might look like:

At this point, you know all of the basics you'll need to write a Cyber Security Analyst resume that wins you more interviews and offers. The only thing left is to take all of that information and apply it to a template that's going to help you get results.

We made that easy with our ResyBuild tool . It has 8 proven templates that were created with the help of recruiters and hiring managers at the world's best companies. These templates also bake in thousands of data points we have from the job seekers in our audience who have used them to land job offers.

Just click any of the templates below to start building your resume using proven, recruiter-approved templates:

Free Job-Winning Resume Templates, Build Yours In No Time .

Choose a resume template below to get started:.

Key Takeaways To Wrap Up Your Job-Winning Cyber Security Analyst Resume

You made it! We packed a lot of information into this post so I wanted to distill the key points for you and lay out next steps so you know exactly where to from here.

Here are the 5 steps for writing a job-winning Cyber Security Analyst resume:

• Start with a proven resume template from ResyBuild.io
• Use ResyMatch.io to find the right keywords and optimize your resume for each role you apply to
• Open your resume with a Highlight Reel to immediately grab your target employer's attention
• Use ResyBullet.io to craft compelling, value-driven bullets that pop off the page
• Compare the draft of your resume to the examples on this page to make sure you're on the right path
• Use a tool like HemingwayApp or Grammarly to proofread your resume before you submit it

If you follow those steps, you're going to be well on your way to landing more recruiter interviews and job offers.

Now that your resume is taken care of, check out my guide on how to get a job anywhere without applying online!

Paula Martins

Paula is Cultivated Culture's amazing Editor and Content Manager. Her background is in journalism and she's transitioned from roles in education, to tech, to finance, and more. She blends her journalism background with her job search experience to share advice aimed at helping people like you land jobs they love without applying online.

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195 Resume Power Words That Will Get You Hired (+ Examples)

3 key takeaways

• Power words in resumes can significantly increase your chances of getting noticed by hiring managers.
• Tailor your power words to your specific industry and job role for maximum effectiveness.
• Teal’s AI Resume Builder helps make every resume bullet point impactful with AI.

Power words are to resumes what headlines are to a newspaper—they highlight key details and orient the reader. Resume action words grab the attention of the hiring manager and applicant tracking systems—increasing your odds of standing out.

In this guide, you'll learn 195 resume power words, how to use them effectively, and the nuances of industry-specific power powers to help you craft a compelling resume that lands job interviews.

Struggling to land interviews? Write a more impactful resume with Teal's resume builder AI .

What are resume power words?

Resume power words are strong, descriptive words that highlight your skills, achievements, and qualifications. These words help you make an impact because they: 

• Grab attention: They draw the reader's eye to your key accomplishments.
• Convey confidence: You appear self-assured and capable by using assertive language.
• Showcase specificity: Power words are precise and help hiring managers skim your resume without missing important details.
• Improve ATS performance: Power words often align with keywords that applicant tracking systems are programmed to identify. This increases your chances of passing initial screenings. 

195 resume power words to supercharge your application

To make your resume stand out, use words that showcase your achievements. Here's a list of resume power words designed to help your application leave a lasting impression on hiring managers.

Resume action verbs

Strong action verbs communicate your exact responsibility in a job role. They help hiring managers assess your accomplishments in context. Here are 100 powerful verbs that can make each bullet point on your resume more compelling.

• Spearheaded
• Orchestrated

Communication

• Articulated

Problem-solving

• Troubleshot
• Streamlined
• Conceptualized

Achievement

• Outperformed
• Accelerated
• Investigated
• Benchmarked

Improvement

• Coordinated
• Administered
• Consolidated

Customer service

• Implemented

Project management

• Facilitated

Collaboration

Accomplishment, descriptive adjectives.

The right adjectives can paint a vivid picture of the candidate's personal qualities and strengths. These 50 descriptive words will help you make an impact.

• Collaborative
• Resourceful
• Enterprising
• Conscientious
• Accomplished
• Results-oriented
• Detail-oriented

Industry-specific buzzwords

Each industry has its own language, and using the right buzzwords can demonstrate your expertise and familiarity with the field. These 45 industry-specific terms can help you speak directly to hiring managers in your chosen field.

• Machine learning
• Cryptocurrency
• Risk management
• Quantitative analysis
• Content marketing
• Brand equity
• Conversion rate
• Customer acquisition
• Telemedicine
• Electronic health records (EHR)
• Patient-centered care
• Clinical trials
• Population health
• Differentiated instruction
• Blended learning
• Formative assessment
• Inquiry-based learning

Human resources

• Talent acquisition
• Employee engagement
• Diversity and inclusion
• Performance management
• Succession planning
• Due diligence
• Intellectual property
• Arbitration

Manufacturing

• Lean manufacturing
• Supply chain management
• Quality assurance
• Just-in-Time (JIT)

Environmental

• Sustainability
• Renewable energy
• Carbon footprint
• Circular economy
• Green technology

How to use power words effectively in your resume

Now, you can’t just replace regular words with their “powerful synonyms” and call it a day. You have to place them strategically to gently compel the reader or impress hiring managers. Here’s how:

Identifying key responsibilities in job postings can help you tailor your resume effectively, ensuring alignment between your skills and the specific demands of the job.

Using power words effectively requires strategy and balance. Here’s how to make the most of them in your resume.

Tailor power words to job descriptions

To maximize your chances of getting noticed, align power words closely with the specific job description:

1. Analyze the job posting: Identify key skills, qualifications, and responsibilities emphasized in the listing.

2. Highlight relevant keywords: Note industry-specific terms and power verbs used in the description. Tip: Teal's Matching Mode does this for you.

3. Match your experiences: Select power words that accurately describe your achievements and align with the job requirements.

4. Incorporate naturally: Weave these words into your resume, ensuring they fit contextually and don't appear forced.

5. Prioritize placement: Use the most impactful power words in prominent sections like your professional summary and recent job descriptions. If you're writing a cover letter, sprinkle power words throughout but don't stuff them in any one section.

Balance action words with concrete examples

While power words add impact, they must be supported by specific, quantifiable achievements:

• Start with a power word: Begin each bullet point with a strong action verb.
• Follow with a specific accomplishment: Provide context and details about what you achieved.
• Quantify results: Include numbers, percentages, or other measurable outcomes whenever possible.
• Show impact: Explain how your actions benefited the company or contributed to larger goals.

Power word example in a sentence

• Weak: Responsible for sales increase.
• Strong: Spearheaded sales initiative that boosted revenue by 35% in Q3, outperforming targets by 20%.

Avoid overuse and maintain authenticity

While power words are effective, overuse can diminish their impact and make your resume seem insincere:

• Use variety: Avoid repeating the same power words throughout your resume.
• Be truthful: Only use words that accurately reflect your experiences and abilities.
• Balance with simpler language: Mix power words with more straightforward language to maintain readability.
• Consider context: Ensure the power words you choose are appropriate for your industry and career level.
• Read aloud: Review your resume by reading it out loud to catch any awkward phrasing or overuse of power words.

Replacing weak words with power words

Not all words are created equal when it comes to your resume. By replacing weak, vague words with stronger alternatives, you can create a more impactful narrative. Here’s how to make those crucial swaps:

Common weak words to avoid

Frequently used weak words can dilute the impact of a resume by making your accomplishments seem vague or unimpressive. Here are some common weak words and why they are ineffective:

• Responsible for : Implies duty, not action
• Helped : Lacks specificity and doesn’t highlight your role
• Worked on : Vague and does not convey the impact of your initiative
• Assisted with : Implies a secondary role, not leadership
• Participated in : Does not show your direct contributions or the extent of your role
• Job duties included : Focuses on tasks rather than achievements
• Familiar with : Suggests a basic understanding and not proficiency
• Involved in : Does not clarify your specific role
• Handled : Too general; does not indicate outcomes
• Dealt with : Vague and non-specific

Power word alternatives

Replace weak words with powerful alternatives to make your resume more dynamic and impactful. Here’s a list of common weak words and their power word alternatives:

Examples of how to rewrite sentences using power words:

Weak: Responsible for managing team projects. Strong: Orchestrated cross-functional team projects, consistently delivering results 15% ahead of schedule. ‍ ‍ Weak: Helped with customer service issues. Strong: Resolved complex customer service issues, achieving a 98% satisfaction rate and reducing escalations by 30%. Weak: Worked on marketing campaigns. Strong: Developed and executed integrated marketing campaigns, driving a 25% increase in customer engagement.

Industry-specific power word examples

Tailoring your resume with industry-specific power words can draw the reader's attention to relevant achievements. These examples show how to align your language with the expectations and standards of various fields.

Technology and IT

In the world of technology and IT, precision and clarity are key. Here’s a selection of power words that can help you articulate your technical expertise and accomplishments.Power words

• Architected

Sample resume statements

• Architected scalable cloud infrastructure, reducing downtime by 99% and cutting operational costs by 30%.
• Debugged complex legacy code, improving system performance by 40% and eliminating critical security vulnerabilities.

Finance and accounting

Accuracy and attention to detail are crucial in finance and accounting. These power words will help you highlight your analytical skills and financial acumen:

Power words

• Diversified
• Strategized
• Forecasted quarterly revenue projections with 98% accuracy to aid expansion initiatives.
• Streamlined accounts payable processes, to reduce  processing time by 35% and eliminate $50,000 in annual late fees.

Marketing and sales

Success in marketing and sales depends on driving engagement and converting opportunities into results. These power words will help you showcase your ability to innovate, persuade, and achieve impressive outcomes:

• Transformed
• Revolutionized
• Launched an innovative social media campaign that led to increased brand engagement by 150% and drove 10,000 new qualified leads.
• Negotiated strategic partnerships with key industry players, resulting in a 40% boost in annual revenue and expanded market share.

Healthcare and medical

In the healthcare and medical sectors, your resume usually needs to reflect both your technical skills and your dedication to patient care. These power words emphasize your expertise in delivering quality healthcare and improving patient outcomes.

• Rehabilitated
• Collaborated
• Implemented new patient care protocols, reducing average hospital stay duration by two days and improving patient satisfaction scores by 25%.
• Researched and introduced cutting-edge treatment methods, resulting in a 40% increase in positive outcomes for chronic condition management.

Education and teaching

Educators are not just teachers—they are mentors and leaders shaping the future. Use these power words to highlight your contributions to student learning, curriculum development, and educational excellence.

• Differentiated
• Developed and implemented inquiry-based science curriculum, increasing student engagement by 45% and improving standardized test scores by 30%.
• Mentored struggling students through targeted intervention programs, resulting in an 80% improvement in academic performance over one semester.

How to add power words to different resume sections using AI

Strategically incorporating power words throughout your resume can make it seem more personalized and human. Here's how Teal helps:

Professional summary

The professional summary is your chance to make a strong first impression. Use power words to concisely convey your value proposition:

Example: "Dynamic marketing strategist with a proven track record of developing innovative campaigns that drive engagement and boost ROI. Skilled in leveraging data analytics to optimize performance and deliver measurable results across diverse industries."

You can add a professional summary by using Teal’s in-built summary generator. Follow these steps: 

• Import your existing resume into the Resume Builder

Import your LinkedIn profile or create a resume from scratch in minutes if you don't have one. Your summary will be more accurate if you provide more details about your career. 

• Update your work experiences and add achievements

Be sure to include multiple accomplishments related to your recent roles for the best results from the Resume Summary Generator.

• Generate your resume summary with AI

Save the AI-generated resume summaries to your Teal Resume Builder.

• Review and regenerate your summary

By clicking "Re-generate with AI", you can generate a new professional summary based on the existing settings. 

You can save multiple resume summaries so you can use different ones for different applications. 

Work experience

In your work experience section, use power words to highlight your achievements and responsibilities.

Teal's AI Assistant makes this easy, automatically adding power powers to the beginning of every bullet point.

• Before: Responsible for managing team and completing projects.
• After: Spearheaded a cross-functional team of 12, delivering complex projects 20% under budget and one week ahead of schedule.
• Before: Helped with customer service and solved problems.
• After: Resolved critical customer issues, achieving a 98% satisfaction rate and reducing churn by 15%.

Skills section

Enhance your skills section by using power words that align with industry-specific competencies:

• Proficient in data visualization and predictive modeling techniques
• Adept at agile project management methodologies
• Skilled in negotiating high-stakes contracts and partnerships

Achievements and accomplishments

Use power words to make your achievements and resume stand out:

• Pioneered company-wide sustainability initiative, reducing carbon footprint by 30% and generating $2M in cost savings.
• Orchestrated merger and acquisition strategy, resulting in 50% market share growth within 18 months.
• Revolutionized customer onboarding process, slashing time-to-value by 60% and boosting retention rates by 25%.

The impact of power words on applicant tracking systems (ATS)

In today’s job market, your resume must pass through ATS before reaching human eyes. Understanding how power words interact with these systems can give you a crucial edge in landing an interview.

How ATS process power words

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) play a crucial role in the initial screening of resumes. Here’s how they interact with power words:

• Keyword matching: ATS scan resumes for specific keywords related to the job description.
• Relevance scoring: Resumes are ranked based on the presence and frequency of relevant terms.
• Contextual analysis: Advanced ATS can understand the context in which words are used, not just their presence.
• Skill identification: Power words often signal specific skills or experiences that match job requirements.

Strategies for ATS-friendly power word usage

To ensure your resume is both ATS-friendly and impactful:

• Incorporate relevant keywords: Use keywords from the job description naturally throughout your resume.
• Balance power words and keywords: Mix industry-standard terms with relevant power words.
• Avoid overstuffing: Don’t overuse keywords or power words to the point of reducing readability.
• Use standard formatting: Stick to simple, ATS-compatible formatting to ensure all keywords and power words are recognized.

Measuring the effectiveness of your power words

Crafting the perfect resume requires continuous refinement. A/B testing and gathering feedback are essential for measuring the impact of your power words and ensuring your resume resonates with employers.

A/B testing your resume

A/B testing your resume can help determine the effectiveness of different power word usage:

• Create variants: Develop two versions of your resume, each using different sets of power words.
• Submit both versions: Apply to similar jobs with both resume versions.
• Track responses: Monitor the response rate from employers for each version.
• Analyze results: Determine which version received more positive feedback or job interview invitations.

Gathering feedback

Professional feedback is crucial for refining your resume:

• Ask for reviews: Request input from career coaches, mentors, or peers.
• Use online services: Utilize professional resume review services for expert advice.
• Interpret feedback: Analyze the feedback received to understand how your power word usage can be improved.

Power up your career with resume power words

To create a distinct resume, use words that pack a punch and highlight your achievements with precision. Power words tailored to the job and industry can elevate your resume’s impact. But remember, balance is crucial—combine these words with metrics and case studies to avoid sounding superficial.

Start by refining your resume and adding or improving power words where needed. Teal’s AI-powered Resume Builder can streamline this process, helping you craft a resume that grabs attention.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many power words should you include in your resume.

Balance is crucial when incorporating power words into your resume. Aim for one to two power words per bullet point to maintain a strong yet natural tone. This ensures your resume is impactful without appearing exaggerated.

Can using too many power words hurt your chances of getting hired?

Yes, overusing power words can hurt your chances by making your resume seem insincere or cliché. It’s important to use power words genuinely to reflect your true experiences and achievements. Mixing power words with straightforward language helps maintain a natural flow.

Are there any power words you should avoid in your resume?

Avoid overused or cliché power words like "committed dynamic," "synergy," "hardworking," and "go-getter." These terms can make your resume seem generic and unimpressive. Instead, choose more industry-specific and impactful alternatives that accurately describe your skills and achievements.

How can you use power words if you're just starting your career?

If you're starting your career, focus on highlighting transferable skills gained from internships, volunteer work, or academic projects. Use power words to emphasize your enthusiasm and potential for growth. For example, instead of "participated in a marketing project," say "spearheaded a marketing project that increased social media engagement by 20%."

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Account Executive Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

Account Executive Resume Templates and Examples (Download in App)

Most popular account executive resumes.

• Account Manager
• Sales Manager
• Senior Account Manager
• Resume Text Examples
• How To Write a Account Executive Resume
• Account Executive Assistant
• Business Account Executive
• Senior Account Executive
• Enterprise Account Executive

Account Manager Resume Example

9 Sales Manager Resume Examples

Senior Account Manager Resume Example

Account Executive Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

• Account Executive Assistant Resume Example
• Business Account Executive Resume Example
• Senior Account Executive Resume Example
• Enterprise Account Executive Resume Example

Jasmine Brown (123) 456-7890 [email protected] San Diego, CA 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

An assistant account executive with three years of experience, specializing in client relations, sales reporting, and pipeline development. Adept at coordinating with account executives and managers to drive new business development.

Professional Experience

Assistant Account Executive , Roark HR Solutions, San Diego, CA | July 2022 – present

• Support a team of five account executives in managing, developing, and growing a portfolio of 20 major accounts valued at $100,000 to $350,000
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to execute influencer marketing campaigns, perform research on target demographics, and refine content strategy
• Communicate effectively with client stakeholders and external partners to support account growth and achieve long-term business objectives

Assistant Account Executive , Norman Web Design, San Diego, CA | June 2021 – July 2022

• Provided support to account executives in building and maintaining client relationships for accounts valued at up to $200,000
• Analyzed sales performance and delivered recommendations to increase account growth through value-added services
• Business development
• Account management
• Consultative selling
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Client relations

Certifications

• Strategic Account Management, SAMA | 2021

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing University of San Diego, San Diego, CA | 2021

In this example, the candidate makes up for their limited work history by highlighting the experiences they gained working with account executives to manage client relationships. These bullet points show that the applicant has the qualifications to transition from an assistant role to an account executive position.

Yaling Zhang (123) 456-7890 [email protected] San Francisco, CA 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

A business account executive with six years of experience specializing in consultative selling, account management, and pipeline development. A proven track record of collaborating with cross-functional teams and clients to drive new business development.

Account Executive , Cadence Technologies, San Francisco, CA | October 2020 – present

• Identify and nurture new business opportunities for a premiere technology company, coordinate early-stage funnel development, serve as the point of contact for clients, and contribute to over $1.2 million in annual recurring revenue
• Exceed quotas by 25% to 35% year over year by building long-term client relationships and collaborating effectively with internal and external cross-functional teams
• Attend meetings with account managers and clients to assess business needs and identify opportunities for value-added services

Account Executive , Arkline Tech Co., San Francisco, CA | June 2018 – October 2020

• Coordinated with account managers and sales executives to evaluate existing sales processes and identify improvements to support business development efforts for an account portfolio totaling over $900,000
• Liaised with client stakeholders, served as the point of contact for customer issues, and achieved a 92% client retention rate
• Strategic Account Management, SAMA | 2018

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA | 2018

This account manager resume example is effective because it uses numbers and metrics to paint a compelling picture of the candidate’s sales experience. The bullet points also draw attention to the applicant’s cross-functional leadership expertise, which helps to emphasize their versatility as a sales professional.

John Bergsen (123) 456-7890 [email protected] New York, NY 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

A senior account executive with seven years of experience driving new business development for financial services companies. A strong history of defining high-impact sales strategies to grow existing accounts and build long-term relationships with clients.

Senior Account Executive , Highland Financial, New York, NY | March 2021 – present

• Oversee 30 client accounts valued at $1.5 million to $3 million in collaboration with account managers, nurture relationships, and support account growth
• Serve as the point of contact for clients, recommend comprehensive financial solutions based on individual needs, and achieve a 94% retention rate
• Manage all aspects of the sales cycle, conduct prospecting and lead generation activities, and effectively target key decision-makers

Account Executive , Helios Finance Solutions, New York, NY | June 2017 – March 2021

• Educated potential clients on the benefits of finance and investment products, interfaced with prospects throughout the sales cycle, and nurtured long-term business relationships to generate over $600,000 in new business
• Conducted sales reporting and analyzed market indicators to define data-driven sales strategies, which contributed to a 17% increase in growth across 19 accounts
• Strategic selling
• Data-driven decision making
• Certified Business Development Professional (CBDP), AIBM | 2017

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing University of Syracuse, New York, NY | 2017

In this account executive resume, the candidate focuses on highlighting their ability to nurture and maintain high-value client relationships. The bullet points send a clear message that the applicant has a proven track record of success generating new business and achieving exceptional client retention rates.

Meera Patel (123) 456-7890 [email protected] Seattle, WA 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

An enterprise account executive with nine years of experience specializing in marketing strategy, business development, and sales analytics. A proven track record of collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance revenue growth. Adept at building and nurturing strategic partnerships centered on trust and integrity.

Enterprise Account Executive , Roland Payroll Solutions, Seattle, WA | February 2019 – present

• Define high-impact sales and marketing strategies for a payroll management software company, oversee all aspects of the sales cycle, and build and grow a pipeline of 40 contracts generating $17 million in annual recurring revenue
• Manage a team of 12 account executives to identify opportunities to drive revenue growth for existing accounts and exceed annual quotas by 20% to 30% year over year
• Develop a comprehensive prospecting plan to target midsize companies, resulting in $2.7 million in new business in 2023

Enterprise Executive , Specter HR Management Inc., Seattle, WA | June 2015 – February 2019

• Served as the point of contact for a portfolio of 20 client accounts valued at $4.2 million and educated key decision-makers on the benefits of HR management solutions
• Nurtured key account relationships, identified ideal products based on individual client needs, and generated a 14% increase in account growth
• Sales strategy
• Relationship building
• Certified Business Development Professional (CBDP), AIBM | 2015

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing University of Washington, Seattle, WA | 2015

This account executive resume is effective because it demonstrates the candidate’s capabilities as a sales strategist and leader. An ability to manage personnel and client relationships effectively is incredibly valuable for this type of role. The numbers incorporated in the bullet points make this all the more impressive, given the size of the account portfolio.

How To Write an Account Executive Resume

To write a great account executive resume, market yourself effectively to potential employers by illustrating your most compelling sales achievements. Incorporate eye-catching numbers and monetary figures to establish a sense of scope for your contributions. Brand yourself as a creative marketing and sales strategist using tangible examples.

Also, emphasize how you’ve successfully nurtured and maintained relationships in your previous roles, as account executives typically serve as the point of contact for clients. In this guide, we’ll provide expert tips to close the deal on your next big job opportunity.

1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications

Think of your opening summary as a value proposition for the hiring manager. Your objective is to immediately present yourself as a qualified candidate who can generate results for the organization. Highlight your years of experience and three to four skill sets that match the job description. Use the remainder of the paragraph to showcase your unique talents as an account executive.

For example, you might draw attention to your expertise in driving new business development or identifying opportunities to grow existing accounts. Nurturing strategic partnerships and client relationships is another key responsibility of an account executive, so it’s important to illustrate this aspect of your experience directly in the summary.

Profile Example #1

A results-driven account executive with six years of experience specializing in consultative selling, account management, and pipeline development. A proven track record of collaborating with cross-functional teams and clients to drive new business development.

Profile Example #2

A senior account executive with nine years of experience specializing in marketing strategy, business development, and sales analytics. A proven track record of collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance revenue growth. Adept at building and nurturing strategic partnerships centered on trust and integrity.

2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section

The professional experience section serves as the foundation of your account executive resume. Paint a clear and engaging picture of your strongest achievements as a sales professional. Featuring hard numbers, monetary figures, and data is a must. Without this information, the hiring manager will have no way of understanding the full impact of your career accomplishments.

As you develop your bullet points, focus on establishing appropriate context for how you generated account revenue and new business. What strategies did you use to close deals? How did you nurture and maintain client relationships within your industry? These insights will help convey the nuances of your sales expertise.

Professional Experience Example #1

Account Executive, Highland Financial, New York, NY  | March 2021 – present

• Oversee 30 client accounts valued at $1.5 million to $3 million in collaboration with  account managers, nurture relationships, and support account growth

Professional Experience Example #2

Account Executive, Cadence Technologies, San Francisco, CA | October 2020 – present

3. Include relevant education and certifications

Bachelor’s degrees in sales and marketing are typically preferred for account executive positions. Certifications are not always required, but they won’t hurt your chances of landing the interview. Having a Strategic Account Management or Certified Business Development Professional credential can be particularly valuable for these types of positions.

• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Sales and Marketing
• University of Washington, Seattle, WA | 2016
• [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]

4. List pertinent key skills

To pass initial screenings with applicant tracking systems (ATS), you need to incorporate specific keywords that align with the job description. These types of roles often involve a mix of sales and marketing skills, so it’s important to feature both to brand yourself as a versatile candidate. Below is a list of key terms you may encounter during the job search process:

How To Pick The Best Account Executive Resume Template

When selecting a template for your account executive resume, prioritize structure and readability over visual appeal. Bulky graphics and distracting colors can often draw attention away from your qualifications and achievements. Opt for a traditional top-down approach that allows the reader to review each section of your resume individually rather than placing them side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions: Account Executive Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for account executive resumes -.

Diversifying your usage of action verbs can be challenging when crafting your account executive resume. Often you’ll use the same three or four verbs throughout your bullet points. Although varying your word choice takes more time, it also helps to enhance the reading experience for the hiring manager. Review our list of action verbs to craft the professional experience section of your account executive resume:

How do you align your resume with an account executive job description? -

Aligning your account manager resume with the job description is essential for generating interviews in today’s competitive job market. As you review the job description, pay close attention to the keywords and industry experience that employers seek. Instead of only listing key terms, demonstrate these skill sets using examples from your professional experience.

For instance, if a company is looking for a candidate who excels in new business development, define how you identified unique ways to grow an account portfolio. If the posting mentions Salesforce, show the hiring manager how you utilized CRM tools to infuse your account strategies with sales analytics.

What is the best account executive resume format? -

The reverse chronological format is best suited for account executive resumes. This approach ensures that your most recent and relevant experience is featured at the top of your document. Combination and functional resumes tend to prioritize skills and certifications, which are far less impactful than your sales achievements.

Craft your perfect resume in minutes

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Once you’ve completed your account executive resume, consider pairing it with a stand-out cover letter that is fully customized for the organization you’re targeting. Read our account manager and sales manager cover letter guides to learn more.

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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Account Manager Resume Examples and Templates

Sales Manager Resume Examples and Templates

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