Published on: August 04, 2021
A skills section is more than just a list. It shows off your full repertoire of abilities, and when presented correctly, shows the employer that you have what it takes to succeed in the role.
Follow our in-depth guide and use our examples as inspiration to put together a perfect skills section that no hiring manager can turn away from.
Table of Contents
- 4 Tips to Help You Get Started on Your Skills Section
- How to Write Your Skills Section With Examples
- Consider Resume Formats, Resume Examples and Resume Templates
- How Our Resume Builder Helps You
4 Tips to Help You Get Started on Your Skills Section
Being prepared will save you time. Follow our tips to organize your skills and have everything ready before writing your skills section.
- Do your homework.
Read the job description thoroughly to understand what the employer is looking for, and make note of key skills. This can include personal qualities such as being a team player, problem-solver, or excellent communicator, and required skills like Photoshop, AutoCAD, or budgeting, depending on the job and industry. You can also research similar jobs to see the most sought-after skills.
- Make a list of your skills.
Break them into three categories: soft, hard and technical.Soft skills are intangible traits that aren't tied to a single job and help you thrive in the workplace, like organized, problem-solving, or communication. Hard skills (or professional skills) are abilities acquired through practice, education, and repetition specific to the job, such as sales, accounting, or cloud computing. Technical skills are the abilities and knowledge needed to perform specific tasks, and they vary by job title and industry. Someone in big data analysis could list algorithms and data mining in their technical skills, while someone in project management could list benchmarking, budget planning and fabrication.Learn more about the top resume skills job recruiters are looking for. - Match your skill set to the job you're applying for.
With your list of skills written down, you can circle or highlight the skills you possess that align with the job requirements. - Focus on your relevant skills.
Not every skill you possess needs to be — or should be — listed. Include only the ones that directly impact the job you're applying for and will help you look like the best candidate for the role.
How to Write Your Skills Section With Examples
1. Be concise
Use bullet points so the employer can easily scan through your skill set. The goal here is to deliver a strong impression in a matter of seconds, as job recruiters don't usually spend that much time reviewing a resume.
2. Include six to eight relevant skills
List your most relevant hard, technical and soft skills. If there are skills you feel merit a mention, consider using them in the writing of your work history section.
In some cases, you'll need to expand your skill set in a summary of qualifications. This consists of a couple of short sentences where you further explain the top set of skills you've acquired. This section is used only on functional and combination resume formats, for junior to mid-level job seekers.
3. Consider transferable skills
If you're making a career change, focus on listing transferable skills. These are qualities and abilities that can be transferred from one job to another and help you align your past experiences with this new role.
Learn how your current skills transfer to different industries.
4. Select skills that balance each other
Put your best foot forward — or in this case, your best skills forward. Make sure your selection of skills is well-balanced and aligns with your professional summary and work history. Your resume should look and read like one cohesive piece.
Skills section examples with 2 to 5 years of experience
Animal Caretaker | Jameson Animal Rescue | Cincinnati, OH
2019-current
Summary of qualifications:
- Effectively communicates with staff and patients; maintains positive attitude with animals.
- Experienced at handling bigger dogs, such as pit bulls, rottweilers, shepherds, and other dogs that range from 60-120 pounds.
- Understanding and ability to follow facility rules and regulations.
Skills:
- Animal diagnosis
- Surgical safety
- Animal behavior knowledge
- Emergency pet care
- General anesthesia monitoring
- Proper animal restraint
- Systems monitoring
Materials Clerk | Amerhart | St. Louis, MO
2018-current
Summary of Qualifications:
- Providing knowledge of coordination of all shipping and receiving and clerical tasks.
- Proven responsible worker for issuing materials and data entry of inventory.
- Good written and oral communication skills; general computer software familiarity including Excel, Word, and Access.
Professional Skills:
Record-keeping
- Conducted site visits and records reviews to investigate violations of planning regulations and ordinances and notified proper authorities of findings.
- Worked on automated tracking systems, such as iCIMS, hard copy files, and records to enhance office workflows.
- Completed 10+ daily logs and records detailing production data such as volume, materials used, and quality assurance results, helping administration make accurate operational decisions.
Typing and Filing
- Organized material supply and equipment files with sales contracts, records of client interactions, client notes, and other information.
- Input data in ActiveReports to create updated status reports for quick reference of project progress and deadlines.
- Checked prices and typed totals for accurate invoice processing.
Communication
- Conferred with managers, shipping teams, and engineering personnel to revise plans and achieve demanding targets.
- Worked with three material managers and team members to understand supply needs and bring levels within desired tolerances.
- Gauged production progress to inform leaders of performance concerns.
Studio Intern | The Get It Factory Publishing | Detroit, MI
2019-current
Summary of Qualifications:
- Proven ability in assisting in art workshops for students of all backgrounds.
- Skilled in moving supplies weighing up to 30 lbs. and working in outdoor weather conditions.
- Proactive and collaborative approach to digital art projects and jobs.
Skills:
- Graphic design understanding
- Concept development
- Craft support
- Adobe Creative Cloud expertise
- Time management
- Interpersonal skills
- Digital art
Skills section examples with 6+ years of experience
Site Engineer | Contech Engineered Solutions LLC. | Hialeah, FL
2015-current
Skills:
- Project management proficiency
- Health and safety
- Commercial awareness
- Problem-solving
- Strategic planning
- Contract and finance supervision
Construction Expeditor | Walkcon, Ltd. | Fort Wayne, IN
2014-current
Skills:
- Process facilitation
- Responsible
- Analytical skills
- Committed
- Cost software proficiency
- Communication
- Automation understanding
- Report writing and documentation
- Negotiation
CRM Coordinator | Swisher International Inc. | Durham, NC
2014-current
Summary of Qualifications:
- Knowledgeable of outbound calling techniques and customer service measurements of success.
- Proven ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
- Strong drive for results and attention to detail; proficient in critical thinking to resolve customer and team requests.
Skills:
- Competitive analysis
- Interpersonal interaction
- Salesforce Sales Cloud
- Verbal and written communication
- Microsoft Office
- Zoho CRM expertise
Skills section examples with management experience
Janitorial Supervisor | Kimco Facility Services, LLC | Scottsdale, AZ
2017-current
Skills:
- Ordering cleaning supplies
- Employee evaluations
- Cleaning bathrooms
- Dusting furniture
- Team building
- Excellent communication skills
Senior Art Director | Up&Up | Atlanta, GA
2017-current
Skills:
- Visual communication expertise
- Corporate identity branding
- Complex problem solver
- Mac OS X proficient
- Microsoft Visio
- Superior time management
Marine Technician Supervisor | Stange's Prop Repair And Building | Huntington, NY
2014-current
Skills:
- Preventive maintenance procedures
- Computerized diagnostics
- Electrical troubleshooting
- Air and hydraulic brake repairs
- Detail-oriented
- Steering and suspension maintenance
- Qualitative problem solving
- Interpreting engineering blueprints
Consider Resume Formats, Resume Examples and Resume Templates
Resume Formats
There are three standard resume formats: chronological, combination and functional. They organize your information differently, so while they generally have the same key elements, they're not interchangeable. Choosing the right format for you will come down to your years of experience and skills.
Chronological
The chronological format — the most popular resume format — is ideal for senior-level candidates with more than eight or ten years of work experience. It focuses on work history and career progression, showing how you went from a rookie to an expert in your field.
Functional
The functional format is an excellent ally of first-time job seekers or people with less than two years of experience. Unlike the chronological resume, this format shifts most of its focus to your skills and abilities, highlighting everything you're capable of doing for the employer despite your lack of work experience.
Like the combination format, the functional format features other sections where you can expand on your skills and qualifications.
Combination
As the name suggests, the combination format — also known as the hybrid resume — is the best of both worlds and best suited for mid-level job seekers with a couple of years of experience. It combines the chronological and functional resumes to put equal emphasis on your work experience and skill set.
It also features a "Summary of Qualifications" section, where you can elaborate on the professional skills you've learned through work.
Resume Examples
Want more examples? We have an extensive library of resume examples you can use as a base to write yours. Search for examples with the same or a similar job title and in the same industry. They will help you see how you can present your skills and other key sections of your resume.
Restaurant Server
Truck Driver
Veterinarian
Resume Templates
Our professionally designed resume templates make it a breeze for you to organize your information while making a good impression. We have templates for different industries and needs, from more professional and traditional designs to modern and creative styles.
Executive
With left-justified headings, dark lines and plenty of contrast, this layout creates a strong impression of reliability and integrity.
Standout
The sharp graphics and monogram header of this design make a visual statement, even as it organizes your information in an easy-to-scan fashion.
Emphasized
Keep it artsy with a half-tone header while easily customizing your content in this two-column format.
How Our Resume Builder Helps You
- Step-by-step instructions and suggestions.
- A large selection of customizable templates for all types of jobs.
- Organize your information easily and create different versions of your resume for other jobs.
- Quickly check spelling, grammar and formatting mistakes with our tools.
- Our Chrome extension matches your resume with the right jobs, helps you update your resume, and auto-fills job applications.
