How to List Skills on a Resume: 4 Ways to List Your Skills

The skills section on a resume is a list of important skills or abilities and professional experience a job candidate possesses that can help them qualify for a new job. The types of skills listed in the skills section typically fall under two categories: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills often refer to technical skills, such as computer skills, including experience with programming languages like HTML and CSS, or fluency in foreign languages. Soft skills typically refer to interpersonal skills learned through work experiences, such as communication or leadership skills.

Similar to work history, employers take the skills section on a job application into great consideration when assessing a candidate, which is why the listed skills must be relevant to the job position for which you are applying. For example, if you want to apply for a graphic design job, you can list your experience with design tools and software in the skills section. For an accounting position, you might list your familiarity with accounting software and any additional skills that highlight why you’re the right candidate for the job.

Additionally, employers use applicant tracking systems that scan resumes for specific keywords that correlate to the skillset of the open position. Therefore, listing the right terminology to describe your skills puts you in the best position to get to the next stage in the screening process.

In general, the skills on any resume fall under two main types:

1. 1. Hard skills: Hard skills are job-specific skills typically listed in the job description or job postings, which employers frequently mention in job interviews. These are skills learned through education, training, and certification, which employers can test and evaluate. Among these notable skills are data analysis, search engine optimization (SEO), and computer programming experience.
2. 2. Soft skills: Soft skills, also known as people skills, relate to how you conduct your work. Employees may seek out candidates with transferable soft skills, which refer to talents and experience that an employee can apply to any role, like time management, communication, critical thinking, customer service, and decision-making. In job interviews, hiring managers will often test your soft skills by presenting you with a hypothetical scenario to assess your response.

A concise and well-written list of job skills can help recruiters determine if your skillset is the right fit for their specific job. You can list skills on a resume in several different ways, including:

1. 1. Additional skills: If the position you are seeking is based more on experience, list your job history in a professional experience section at the top of your resume to ensure that hiring managers notice it. You can add a bulleted list of your skills near the bottom of your resume under the heading “additional skills.” If you are unsure about formatting, you can use a resume builder or other online resume templates to create the best resume.
2. 2. Key skills: If you lack a diverse or extensive resume, skip the work experience section at the top and simply list your best skills that apply to the job you’re seeking. Start the list with the most relevant skills to the job.
3. 3. Skill summary: Job candidates often include a skill summary on their functional resume, a resume format for job seekers with gaps in work experience or limited experience in a particular job. List the top skills relevant to the job and describe any achievements gained through those skills.
4. 4. Technical skills: If the job you’re seeking requires any special technical experience or ability, list those at the top of the resume just below your resume summary, which serves as your professional introduction.

Job candidates list a range of skills in the skill section of their resumes, including:

1. 1. Communication skills: The ability to hear, process, and give information to employees and customers is a crucial skill in almost every job. Among the notable communication skills include customer service skills, experience with public speaking, adaptability, and interpersonal skills.
2. 2. Computer skills: For technical positions, include your experience with various programs, style sheets, and programming languages. You can also include any experience with email management, system management, or data analytics.
3. 3. Management skills: Your ability to organize, motivate, and direct individuals or teams to complete a project requires a mix of hard and soft skills that can benefit any position. Project management and problem-solving are necessary skills, as is encouraging teamwork; other good skills for management include interpersonal skills, like good communication and decision-making.

Get the MasterClass Annual Membership for exclusive access to video lessons taught by business luminaries, including Robin Roberts, Chris Voss, Sara Blakely, Daniel Pink, Bob Iger, Howard Schultz, Anna Wintour, and more.

The skills section on a resume is a list of important skills or abilities and professional experience a job candidate possesses that can help them qualify for a new job. The types of skills listed in the skills section typically fall under two categories: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills often refer to technical skills, such as computer skills, including experience with programming languages like HTML and CSS, or fluency in foreign languages. Soft skills typically refer to interpersonal skills learned through work experiences, such as communication or leadership skills.

Similar to work history, employers take the skills section on a job application into great consideration when assessing a candidate, which is why the listed skills must be relevant to the job position for which you are applying. For example, if you want to apply for a graphic design job, you can list your experience with design tools and software in the skills section. For an accounting position, you might list your familiarity with accounting software and any additional skills that highlight why you’re the right candidate for the job.

Additionally, employers use applicant tracking systems that scan resumes for specific keywords that correlate to the skillset of the open position. Therefore, listing the right terminology to describe your skills puts you in the best position to get to the next stage in the screening process.

In general, the skills on any resume fall under two main types:

1. 1. Hard skills: Hard skills are job-specific skills typically listed in the job description or job postings, which employers frequently mention in job interviews. These are skills learned through education, training, and certification, which employers can test and evaluate. Among these notable skills are data analysis, search engine optimization (SEO), and computer programming experience.
2. 2. Soft skills: Soft skills, also known as people skills, relate to how you conduct your work. Employees may seek out candidates with transferable soft skills, which refer to talents and experience that an employee can apply to any role, like time management, communication, critical thinking, customer service, and decision-making. In job interviews, hiring managers will often test your soft skills by presenting you with a hypothetical scenario to assess your response.

A concise and well-written list of job skills can help recruiters determine if your skillset is the right fit for their specific job. You can list skills on a resume in several different ways, including:

1. 1. Additional skills: If the position you are seeking is based more on experience, list your job history in a professional experience section at the top of your resume to ensure that hiring managers notice it. You can add a bulleted list of your skills near the bottom of your resume under the heading “additional skills.” If you are unsure about formatting, you can use a resume builder or other online resume templates to create the best resume.
2. 2. Key skills: If you lack a diverse or extensive resume, skip the work experience section at the top and simply list your best skills that apply to the job you’re seeking. Start the list with the most relevant skills to the job.
3. 3. Skill summary: Job candidates often include a skill summary on their functional resume, a resume format for job seekers with gaps in work experience or limited experience in a particular job. List the top skills relevant to the job and describe any achievements gained through those skills.
4. 4. Technical skills: If the job you’re seeking requires any special technical experience or ability, list those at the top of the resume just below your resume summary, which serves as your professional introduction.

Job candidates list a range of skills in the skill section of their resumes, including:

1. 1. Communication skills: The ability to hear, process, and give information to employees and customers is a crucial skill in almost every job. Among the notable communication skills include customer service skills, experience with public speaking, adaptability, and interpersonal skills.
2. 2. Computer skills: For technical positions, include your experience with various programs, style sheets, and programming languages. You can also include any experience with email management, system management, or data analytics.
3. 3. Management skills: Your ability to organize, motivate, and direct individuals or teams to complete a project requires a mix of hard and soft skills that can benefit any position. Project management and problem-solving are necessary skills, as is encouraging teamwork; other good skills for management include interpersonal skills, like good communication and decision-making.

Get the MasterClass Annual Membership for exclusive access to video lessons taught by business luminaries, including Robin Roberts, Chris Voss, Sara Blakely, Daniel Pink, Bob Iger, Howard Schultz, Anna Wintour, and more.