Skills for Your Resume: What to List (With Examples by Role)
Your skills section gets read twice: once by the applicant tracking system scanning for the keywords in the job post, and once by a recruiter skimming for proof you can do the work. The right skills, grouped and relevant, help with both. A wall of generic buzzwords helps with neither.
The goal isn't to list everything you can do. It's to list the skills this job asks for that you can actually back up, lead with the ones that matter most, and cut the filler. Below is how to choose them, example lists by role, and the tired ones to drop.
Hard skills vs soft skills
Resumes mix two kinds of skills, and good ones balance them to fit the role.
Hard skills
Teachable, measurable abilities: software, languages, tools, certifications, techniques. Think Excel, Python, SEO, financial modeling. These are the keywords an ATS looks for.
Soft skills
How you work with people and problems: communication, leadership, adaptability, problem-solving. Real, but weak on their own, so they need proof.
A technical role leans hard; a people-facing role leans soft. The job description tells you the balance, so read it before you write your list.
How to choose the right skills
Not every skill you have belongs on every resume. Pick for the job in front of you.
Match the job
Read the posting and list the skills it names that are genuinely yours. Mirror its wording where it's true, because that's what the ATS scans for.
Prove what you claim
A skill you can show in a bullet beats one you only assert. If you list it, be ready to back it with an example.
Lead with hard, role-specific skills
Put the concrete, job-relevant ones first. 'Financial modeling, SQL, forecasting' says more than 'motivated, organized.'
Cut the filler
Drop skills that could sit on anyone's resume or that the job never mentions. Space is better spent on what's relevant.
Skills by role (examples)
Starting points for common roles. Take the ones that are true for you, match them against the posting, and add the tools you actually use.
Customer service
Active listening, Conflict resolution, CRM software, Zendesk, Product knowledge, Empathy, De-escalation, Ticketing systems, Multitasking, Clear communication, Problem-solving, Patience.
Software engineer
JavaScript, Python, React, Node.js, SQL, Git, REST APIs, Automated testing, CI/CD, Debugging, System design, Code review.
Project manager
Project planning, Risk management, Stakeholder communication, Agile, Scrum, Budgeting, Jira, Roadmapping, Scope management, Reporting, Cross-functional leadership, Timeline management.
Marketing
SEO, Content marketing, Google Analytics, Paid social, Email marketing, Copywriting, Campaign management, A/B testing, HubSpot, Brand strategy, Conversion optimization, Reporting.
Accounting & finance
Financial reporting, Reconciliations, Excel, QuickBooks, Accounts payable, Accounts receivable, GAAP, Month-end close, Forecasting, Auditing, Budgeting, SAP.
Data analyst
SQL, Excel, Python, Tableau, Power BI, Data cleaning, Statistics, Dashboards, A/B testing, Data visualization, ETL, Reporting.
Sales
Prospecting, CRM, Salesforce, Negotiation, Pipeline management, Cold outreach, Account management, Closing, Lead qualification, Upselling, Relationship building, Forecasting.
Administrative
Scheduling, Calendar management, Microsoft Office, Data entry, Travel coordination, Minute-taking, Expense reports, Vendor management, Filing systems, Correspondence, Multitasking, Discretion.
Nursing & healthcare
Patient care, Electronic health records, Medication administration, Vital signs, Triage, Patient education, BLS / ACLS, Charting, Wound care, Infection control, IV insertion, Compassion.
Soft skills that land, and how to prove them
Soft skills matter, but 'good communicator' on its own is invisible, because everyone writes it. The fix is to show the skill in a bullet instead of, or as well as, listing it.
Skip
Skills: Communication
Do this
Ran weekly cross-team standups that cut handoff delays from three days to same-day.
Skip
Skills: Leadership
Do this
Mentored two junior analysts to independent delivery within six months.
Skip
Skills: Problem-solving
Do this
Traced a recurring billing error to a rounding bug and fixed it, ending 30+ complaints a month.
List a few soft skills if the job asks for them, but let your experience bullets carry the weight.
Clichés to cut
Some 'skills' are so common they say nothing. If you can't prove it, or everyone claims it, it's taking up space.
- Hard worker
- Team player
- Detail-oriented (unless a bullet proves it)
- Go-getter
- Microsoft Office (unless the job specifically asks for it)
- Fast learner
Replace each with a specific, relevant skill or a bullet that shows it in action.
Where skills go on your resume
Two places, working together. A short dedicated skills section near the top lists your hard, role-relevant skills and tools so the ATS finds them fast. Then your experience bullets prove the rest, both hard and soft, in context. The section gets you scanned; the bullets get you believed.
Put a clean, ATS-friendly skills section on your resume free in your browser, then check which of your skills actually match the job you want.
Frequently asked questions
What skills should I put on my resume?
The ones the job asks for that you genuinely have. Read the posting, list the hard, role-specific skills first (tools, software, techniques), add a few soft skills if the role calls for them, and cut anything generic. Match the posting's wording where it's true.
What are good hard skills for a resume?
The concrete, teachable ones relevant to your field: software and tools (Excel, SQL, Python, Salesforce), languages, certifications, and techniques specific to the work. These are what an applicant tracking system scans for, so name the exact ones from the job post.
What are good soft skills for a resume?
Communication, leadership, adaptability, problem-solving, collaboration, and time management are all strong, but only if you can prove them. Rather than just listing 'communication,' show it in a bullet, like running the standups that cut handoff time.
How many skills should I list?
Enough to cover the role without padding, usually around 8 to 12 in a dedicated section. Prioritize the hard, job-relevant ones. A short, targeted list beats a long, generic one.
What skills do I list with no experience?
Lead with what you've genuinely built: software and tools from coursework or projects, languages, and transferable skills from part-time work or volunteering. 'Excel, Python, and customer service from two years in retail' is real and relevant.