20+ Best Skills for Resume (With Examples)

Want to outshine the competition? See our guide on the best skills for a resume and how to highlight impactful skills to put on a resume for any role.

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By Ho 3 minutes read

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20+ Key Skills to Put On Your Resume - Examples and Tips

Whether acquired through experience, education, or sheer talent, skills profoundly enhance your value to an employer. To help you understand how to choose the best skills for your resume that will help you get the job you want, I’ll show you:

  • Which skills employers look for on resumes.
  • Sample skills from various industries.
  • How to use resume skills to target keywords and pass ATS.
  • Where to include skills on your resume.
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Top 20 Skills for a Resume

1. Communication Skills

Effective communication skills involve excellent verbal, written, and nonverbal communication, such as body language, which is equally important. Through communication, you can clearly convey any message, idea, intention, and goal to others in a way that achieves the best results.

Related resume skills:

  • Written communication
  • Active listening
  • Public speaking
  • Friendliness
  • Empathy

Don’t miss to include this skill if you are writing a copywriter resume or a manager resume.

2. Teamwork

Teamwork skills involve collaborating with others to achieve a shared goal, emphasizing cooperation, mutual respect, and effective contribution within a group setting. They showcase your ability to thrive in diverse environments and contribute positively to group dynamics.

Related resume skills:

  • Collaboration
  • Conflict resolution
  • Dependability
  • Interpersonal communication
  • Flexibility

Teamwork is a must-have for roles like project manager resumes or customer service resumes.

3. Leadership

Leadership skills involve motivating and guiding a team toward achieving objectives while fostering growth and maintaining high morale. They also highlight one’s ability to take charge, make decisions, and inspire others to perform at their best.

Related resume skills:

  • Decision-making
  • Delegation
  • Strategic planning
  • Conflict management
  • Influencing

Include this in resumes for managerial positions, such as a CEO resume or marketing director resume.

4. Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is the ability to analyze situations, identify issues, and develop effective solutions. It demonstrates resourcefulness, critical thinking, and the capacity to address challenges efficiently.

Related resume skills:

  • Analytical thinking
  • Creativity
  • Research
  • Attention to detail
  • Decision-making

Ideal for engineering resumes or software developer resumes.

5. Adaptability

Adaptability is about adjusting to new challenges, environments, and tasks quickly and efficiently. This skill showcases your resilience and ability to stay productive even during significant changes.

Related resume skills:

  • Flexibility
  • Resilience
  • Learning agility
  • Stress management
  • Openness to feedback

This skill is valuable for teacher resumes or entrepreneur resumes.

6. Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate information objectively, make logical decisions, and solve problems effectively. It involves a systematic approach to analyzing situations and drawing rational conclusions.

Related resume skills:

  • Analytical skills
  • Creativity
  • Problem-solving
  • Research
  • Decision-making

Highlight this skill in resumes for analyst roles or legal professions resumes.

7. Time Management

Time management involves organizing and prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines efficiently. It demonstrates discipline, focus, and the ability to balance multiple responsibilities effectively.

Related resume skills:

  • Scheduling
  • Planning
  • Goal-setting
  • Prioritization
  • Task delegation

Essential for administrative assistant resumes or product manager resumes.

8. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to understand, manage, and regulate emotions in yourself and others. It emphasizes empathy, social skills, and relationship management.

Related resume skills:

  • Empathy
  • Interpersonal communication
  • Conflict resolution
  • Self-awareness
  • Leadership

Highlight this in resumes for HR roles or customer-facing positions.

9. Active Listening

Active listening is the ability to focus completely on a speaker, understand their message, and respond thoughtfully. It enhances communication and fosters stronger relationships.

Related resume skills:

  • Empathy
  • Nonverbal communication
  • Focus
  • Patience
  • Questioning

Add this skill to resumes for psychology or social work resumes.

10. Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution involves identifying the root cause of disputes and finding peaceful, effective solutions. It demonstrates strong interpersonal and negotiation skills.

Related resume skills:

  • Negotiation
  • Mediation
  • Problem-solving
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Collaboration

Critical for HR manager resumes or warehouse supervisor resumes.

11. Creativity

Creative thinking is the ability to think outside the box and develop innovative ideas or solutions. It highlights originality and the capacity to solve problems in unique ways.

Related resume skills:

  • Brainstorming
  • Design thinking
  • Idea generation
  • Innovation
  • Visualization

Perfect for graphic designer resumes or marketing resumes.

12. Decision-Making

Decision-making skills involve choosing the best course of action based on available information and potential outcomes. It showcases your ability to weigh options and act confidently.

Related resume skills:

  • Strategic thinking
  • Problem-solving
  • Analytical skills
  • Leadership
  • Prioritization

Highlight this on resumes for executive or leadership roles.

13. Attention to detail

It’s about being able to complete a task while demonstrating a thorough concern for all the areas involved, no matter how small. Attention to detail includes monitoring and reviewing work or information for accuracy, while organizing time and resources efficiently.

Related resume skills:

  • Proofreading
  • Editing
  • Task-oriented
  • Dedication
  • Diligence

Editor resumes, or video editor resumes, can greatly benefit from including this resume skill.

14. Data Analysis

Data analysis is the ability to collect, organize, and interpret data to make informed decisions. It showcases your technical expertise and problem-solving skills.

Related resume skills:

  • Data visualization
  • Statistical analysis
  • Critical thinking
  • Excel proficiency
  • SQL

Crucial for data analyst resumes or financial analyst roles.

15. Project Management

Project management involves planning, organizing, and overseeing projects to ensure they are completed on time and within budget. It demonstrates leadership and organization.

Related resume skills:

  • Scheduling
  • Task delegation
  • Risk management
  • Budgeting
  • Leadership

Key for resumes targeting operation manager or project manager roles.

16. Programming

Programming skills include writing and testing code to develop software, apps, or websites. It demonstrates technical expertise and problem-solving ability.

Related resume skills:

  • JavaScript
  • Python
  • Debugging
  • Code optimization
  • Software testing

Essential for programmer resumes or entry-level IT resumes.

17. SEO/SEM Marketing

SEO/SEM marketing involves optimizing content and managing ads to improve online visibility. It highlights your expertise in driving traffic and increasing engagement.

Related resume skills:

  • Keyword research
  • Google Analytics
  • Content strategy
  • Ad campaign management
  • Data analysis

Perfect for digital marketer resumes or resumes for SEO roles.

18. UX/UI Design

UX/UI design is the ability to create user-friendly interfaces and experiences. It demonstrates creativity, technical skills, and attention to detail.

Related resume skills:

  • Wireframing
  • Prototyping
  • User research
  • Visual design
  • HTML/CSS

Crucial for web designer resumes or UX designer roles.

19. Organizational skills

Effective organizational thinking skills increase productivity and decrease confusion in the workplace, whether it’s keeping accurate records or arranging information for easy reference.

Related resume skills:

  • Budgeting
  • Records management
  • Strategic thinking
  • Delegation
  • Documentation

Crucial for Scrum master resumes and office assistant resumes.

20. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence involves designing and implementing algorithms to enable machines to learn, reason, and make decisions. It showcases your ability to work with AI technologies and improve processes through automation and intelligent systems.

Related resume skills:

  • Machine learning
  • Natural language processing (NLP)
  • Neural networks
  • Deep learning
  • Python programming

Perfect for machine learning resumes or senior software engineering roles.

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What Are the Two Types of Skills

Skills are typically divided into two main categories: hard skills and soft skills. While hard skills demonstrate job-specific expertise, soft skills showcase your interpersonal traits and how you collaborate, communicate, and adapt in the workplace. Both are essential to paint a well-rounded picture of your qualifications and potential.

Let’s break them down.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are technical abilities you’ve gained through training, education, or hands-on experience. These skills are specific, measurable, and often applicable to a limited array of particular jobs. They’re what helps you tackle the technical side of work and solve job-specific challenges.

Examples of Hard Resume Skills

  1. Data Analysis: Proficient in using tools like Excel, Python, or Tableau to interpret data and make informed decisions.
  2. Coding: Experienced in programming languages like Java, Python, or HTML for building and maintaining websites and applications.
  3. Graphic Design: Skilled in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or Canva for creating marketing materials, logos, and branding.
  4. SEO and Digital Marketing: Knowledgeable in search engine optimization strategies to increase website traffic.
  5. Project Management: Expertise in tools like Trello, Asana, or Microsoft Project to organize and execute tasks efficiently.
  6. Technical Writing: Capable of creating user manuals, reports, and guides that are clear and effective.
  7. CRM Tools: Experienced with platforms like Salesforce or HubSpot to manage customer relationships and drive sales.

These skills can be backed by resume certifications, training, or additional projects, making them easy to prove on a resume.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are personal and interpersonal abilities that define how you interact with others and approach challenges. They show your personality and give insight into how well you’ll work within a team or handle workplace dynamics.

Examples of Soft Resume Skills

  1. Communication: Skilled at delivering clear messages and listening actively to understand others.
  2. Teamwork: Proven ability to collaborate with colleagues to achieve shared goals in dynamic environments.
  3. Problem-Solving: Adept at identifying issues and finding creative, effective solutions under pressure.
  4. Adaptability: Thrives in ever-changing environments, adjusting quickly to new tools or workflows.
  5. Time Management: Strong ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines while maintaining high-quality work.
  6. Leadership: Experienced in motivating and guiding teams to success, even in high-stress situations.
  7. Conflict Resolution: Skilled in mediating disputes and fostering positive outcomes for all parties.
  8. Emotional Intelligence: Able to read emotional cues and respond thoughtfully to build stronger relationships.

Soft skills are harder to measure, but just as important for showing your ability to contribute to a workplace’s culture and team.

Why You Should List Skills On Your Resume

Adding skills to your resume is one of the easiest ways to show employers what you’re good at. It helps them see why you’re the right fit for the job quickly. Here’s why listing your skills is so important:

  • Show what you can do: Your skills tell employers exactly what you bring to the table. They show that you have what it takes to succeed in the role.
  • Get through ATS systems: Most companies use software to scan resumes for specific skills. Adding the right skills can help your resume pass ATS filters and reach a hiring manager.
  • Stand out from the crowd: Listing relevant skills makes your resume stand out, especially if you include the ones that match the job description.
  • Customize your resume for each job: Tailoring your skills to match the resume keywords the employer is looking for shows you’ve read the job description and understand their needs.

Make a Great First Impression: Recruiters skim resumes, and your skills section is one of the first things they’ll notice. A strong skills section can grab their attention right away.

Where and How to Showcase Resume Skills

The first thing you need to do is come up with a “master list” of relevant skills you can use for your resume. The skills you actually end up listing in your resume will depend on your field and each specific job opportunity, so it’s important to pay close attention to the job description.

Next, slot them into these resume sections:

1. Resume Introduction

Your introduction, whether it’s a resume summary or a resume objective, is the first place to highlight key skills that match the job description. Use it to quickly grab the recruiter’s attention by showcasing your most valuable strengths.

Skills for Resume Example—Introduction

Results-driven Sales Manager with 8+ years of experience in leading high-performing teams, boosting revenue by 20%, and delivering exceptional client satisfaction. Skilled in team leadership, strategic planning, and CRM software.

2. Work Experience

Demonstrate your skills in action by connecting them to specific accomplishments in your work experience section. Use strong resume bullet points to describe how you applied your skills and their impact.

Skills for Resume Example—Work History

  • Managed social media campaigns, increasing engagement by 35% through strategic content creation and analytics tools.
  • Utilized SEO expertise to drive a 50% increase in website traffic within six months.

3. Skills Section

The skills section is a straightforward way to list your top abilities. If you’re writing a skill-based resume, you may divide the list into categories, such as technical skills, soft skills, or industry-specific tools, for better clarity. If you’re writing a regular reverse-chronological resume, keep them in one list. Use keywords from the job description to match ATS systems.

Skills for Resume Example—Skills Section

  • Python
  • JavaScript
  • Cloud Computing (AWS, Azure)
  • SQL
  • Problem-solving
  • Communication
  • Attention to Detail

4. Education

The education section is more than just a record of your degrees—it’s an opportunity to highlight skills gained during your academic journey. Include relevant coursework, academic projects and honors to showcase your abilities.

Skills for Resume Example—Education

  • Relevant Coursework: Data Structures, Artificial Intelligence, UX/UI Design
  • Academic Project: Designed a machine learning algorithm to predict stock market trends, improving accuracy by 15%.

5. Additional Sections

Additional sections like certifications, awards, or languages are great for showcasing niche skills that don’t fit elsewhere. These can provide extra credibility and set you apart from other candidates.

When it comes to languages on a resume, I always recommend giving them a separate section. clear, separate section for languages lets employers quickly see your skills without hunting through other parts of your resume. It’s especially useful if the job description mentions language requirements, like speaking to international clients or working in a diverse team.

Skills for Resume Example—Bonus Sections

Awards

  • Winner of the 2023 Creative Design Award for Best Logo Design

Certifications

  • Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Photoshop. Issued by Adobe | July 2023
  • Google UX Design Certificate. Issued by Google | March 2022

Languages

  • English: Native (C2)
  • Spanish: Professional Proficiency (B2)
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Include Skills in a Cover Letter

Don’t stop with just your resume. Including skills in your cover letter is essential because it helps show employers how your abilities match their needs. When writing a cover letter, you can go beyond simply listing skills by giving real and detailed examples of how you’ve used them to achieve results.

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WRITTEN BY Ho

Ho is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and editor with two decades of experience in content strategy, creation, and development. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University and his background includes experience aiding military veterans as they transition to civilian careers.

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