12 Best Skills to Include on a Resume (With Examples)
Gone are the days when you could simply include “Microsoft Word” or “Data Management” in the skills and work experience sections of your resume.
Now, you have to be more creative to successfully show off your unique skill set. Don’t only “tell”; show what you can do with concrete examples – whether it’s a hard skill (e.g. technology) or soft skill (e.g. leadership).
Need a little help? Here are the 12 best skills (+examples) to include on a resume and grab the attention of your future employer.
1. Communication Skills
Type: Soft skill
Companies want employees who can effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders. Here are a few examples of desired communication skills:
- Actively listening.
- Giving constructive feedback.
- Developing rapport with co-workers.
On top of verbal and non-verbal communication, written communication is high on the list for employers. In fact, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 82% of employers desire candidates with strong written communication skills.
In addition to listing “Communication Skills“ on your resume, you should also provide examples of your communication skills in practice.
Use numbers and quantify your communication skills as much as possible.
2. Leadership Skills
Type: Soft skill
Leadership skills are one of the top skills desired by employers (67% of employers list leadership as a top attribute of candidates).
Here are a few examples of what employers look for:
- Resolving conflicts.
- Delegating tasks to the right team members.
- Aligning team members to achieve goals.
In short, demonstrate how you led a project, team, or initiative within your last position. Give real-life instances to back up your claims.
Prove that you can lead and motivate others to help hit company goals.
3. Project Management Skills
Type: Soft/Hard skill
While you might actually be applying for a project manager role, employers for any position want to see that you can manage a variety of projects. Project management skills include:
- Leading projects through project management software.
- Prioritizing the right tasks.
- Managing your time to meet deadlines.
Communicate how you managed a project such as through strategy creation, meetings, reporting, etc. and the final results.
4. Attention to Detail Skills
Type: Soft/Hard skill
Details can make or break company activities. Show that you’re detailed oriented and can be counted on to accurately complete tasks. Examples include:
- Editing and proofreading documents.
- Processing reports and company-wide emails.
- Following workflow procedures.
While you don’t necessarily have to include this skill under the “Skills” section of your resume, you can include under the “Work Experience” section as an example:
And don’t forget to proofread your resume to give this skill credibility.
Hint: A professional resume service helps ensure that there are no mistakes on your resume.
5. Time Management Skills
Type: Soft skill
Time management skills prove to employers that you’re able to prioritize tasks, spend company time wisely, and meet deadlines. Skills include:
- Making time-sensitive decisions.
- Multi-tasking different projects.
- Managing appointments and deadlines.
Also known as a “transferable skill,” time management shows that you can ultimately meet company goals.
6. Self-Motivation Skills
Type: Soft skill
Especially as more jobs become remote, employers want to see that candidates can take initiative and don’t require constant reminding to complete tasks. Think of skills such as
- Taking initiative on a project without being asked.
- Asking questions to get clarification.
- Completing an online course to improve your skills.
Here’s an example of a way to quantify your self-motivation skills:
7. Organizational Skills
Type: Soft skill
A component of time management, organizational skills demonstrate that you can successfully focus on the job and efficiently handle the tasks required. Examples include:
- Planning company projects.
- Using digital tools.
- Managing team schedules.
As you can see, organizational skills aren’t just limited to a physical organization such as administrative work. Other types of organization skills include teamwork (e.g. collaboration) and planning (e.g. decision making).
Check out this skill in practice:
8. Problem Solving Skills
Type: Soft skill
Any company position comes with its own unique set of challenges and problems. Show potential employers that you can think outside the box to resolve conflict or handle difficult situations:
- Researching to understand an issue.
- Analyzing different solutions.
- Clearly communicating solutions.
Here’s an example of how to effectively communicate your problem-solving skills:
NACE found that 80% of employers want candidates with problem-solving skills. Make yours stand out with practical examples.
9. Teamwork Skills
Type: Soft skill
Almost 79% of employers want candidates that can thrive in a team environment.
Demonstrate that you work well with others by highlighting how you’ve collaborated or worked with team members in the past:
- Listening to coworkers.
- Having a positive attitude.
- Giving constructive feedback.
And, as always, give actual examples of how you’ve successfully been a part of a team:
10. Research Skills
Type: Hard skill
Research skills on your resume highlight investigative and critical thinking abilities.
Employers want to see that you can a) independently find answers to certain questions and b) can use research tools to find qualified answers. Examples include:
- Collecting data.
- Using digital research tools.
- Communicating research findings.
Research skills are especially important for analyst, marketing, design, product development, and finance positions.
Here’s an example of research skills in action:
11. Customer Service Skills
Type: Soft skill
Customers are the lifeblood of any company. Even if you’re not specifically applying for a customer service position, show employers that you have the ability to engage and retain customers:
- Having patience with customer questions.
- Finding solutions for customer problems.
- Following through on customer requests.
33% of Americans say they’ll likely switch companies after one poor customer service interaction. Communicate with employers how your skills will help keep customers happy.
12. Technology Skills
Type: Hard skill
Highlight your competency with technology – from programming skills like HTML and C# to productivity tools such as Trello or Asana:
- Using spreadsheets to organize data.
- Managing company analytics.
- Generating reports from digital tools.
59% of employers want candidates with technical skills. And almost 55% of employers desire candidates with computer skills.
Whatever position you’re applying for, highlight your relevant experience with technology. Here’s an example of what this might look like for a content marketing manager position:
Customize the skills on your resume
Each job that you apply to will require different skills. Start with the twelve listed above, but include the resume skills most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
For example, if you’re applying for a “Marketing Manager” position, you might highlight your communication, project management, and teamwork skills.
For even more guidance, check out our professional resume services here at ResumeSpice.
