IT Skills for a Resume (Examples & Tips)
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Information technology is an industry in constant evolution. With the rise of artificial intelligence, machine learning and IoT, the need for IT professionals assisting all industries continues to grow.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 377,500 yearly openings in the information technology industry. Candidates with the right set of IT skills will soar above the rest. Stay ahead by learning more about the skills you need to take your IT career to the next level.
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What are IT skills?
IT skills are abilities you’ve learned through formal education, boot camp, on-the-job experience or self-taught. These skills help you perform your job, collaborate with colleagues and other departments, and stand out from other candidates. Your IT skills can also help you specialize in your craft and build expertise in a specific area.
Examples of IT skills
Hard skills
Hard skills are those abilities that help you perform your daily tasks and long-term projects. These skills are the core of IT and can be as varied as the industry you’re serving.
- Project management
- Programming languages
- Programming
- Networking
- DevOps
- Coding
- Web development
- Technical support
- Virtualization
- Cybersecurity
- Troubleshooting
- Web development
Soft skills
Honed soft skills are an asset for IT professionals. These skills speak to how you perform, handle feedback and interact with others. Among competitive candidates, soft skills can be a determining factor.
- Excellent communication
- Collaboration
- Time management
- Creativity
- Leadership
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Adaptability
- Flexibility
Technical skills
Technical skills are the core of your IT role. Whether you specialize in hardware, software, infrastructure or cybersecurity, these skills will show the employer what you bring to the role.
- Artificial intelligence
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Mobile application development
- IT infrastructure management
- Operating systems
- Cloud computing
- Server management
- Database management
Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills are highly regarded in the IT field. IT professionals are constantly working as a team, collaborating with different departments and communicating with colleagues to improve tools, processes and services.
- Cultural sensitivity
- Relationship-building
- Negotiation
- Tactfulness
- Negotiation
- Conflict resolution
- Active listening
- Verbal communication
- Diplomacy
- Consensus-building
Transferable skills
These transferable skills can be taken from information technology to any industry or vice versa.
- Technical writing
- Testing
- Innovation
- Customer service
- Data analysis
- Analytical thinking
- Risk management
- Technical support
- Automation
- Project assessment
How to improve your IT skills
Keeping up with IT skills is a must to remain competitive. In a constantly evolving industry, you’ll need to know what remains relevant. There are numerous ways to continue learning and improving your IT skills. Choose more than one to remain a sought-after candidate.
- On-the-job experience: Through your daily tasks and long term projects, you’ll learn about what’s changing in the industry. Take advantage by showing initiative for new opportunities.
- Mentorship: Find a mentor through your job, an organization or a mentorship program. An industry veteran can help you learn beyond your IT hard skills, you’d learn how to move in an ever-changing industry.
- Feedback: Learning what works, what doesn’t and the reasons why will broaden your perspective, guide you to improve your skills and be a better colleague and employee.
- Workshops and boot camps: Similar to traditional education, these tools can help you learn new skills and gain knowledge in a condensed and intensive format.
- Online communities: GitHub, Code and Coffee, Tribaja, and Slack communities, like Swift-lang, Laravel and Python Developers, can broaden your perspective and keep you informed on what’s going on in IT in other industries. These communities can also be a learning resource and an oasis of information to improve your IT skills.
How to highlight IT skills on your resume
A resume is the presentation of your skills and qualifications. Each section is designed to bring attention to your IT skills and how you include them in your resume will guide the hiring manager’s attention.
- Choose a resume format according to your years of experience. The format and resume template work together to guide the reader’s eyes. Picking the best match for your career brings attention to your strengths.
- Your professional summary or resume objective highlights your strongest job relevant skills. You should include a related accomplishment to bring the point home.
- Your work history section shows how you’ve successfully used your skills, particularly your IT soft skills, through your quantifiable accomplishments.
- A dedicated IT skills section grabs the hiring manager’s attention. Match as many as possible from the job description. Use bullet points for easy reading and include 6 to 12 skills. To highlight expertise or highlight a specific subset of skills, divide your IT skills in categories. For example: Programming Languages, Databases, Security and so on.
Common tools and technologies used in IT
- Databases— Essential to store, manage and retrieve information. Examples include MySQL, Oracle Database and MongoDB.
- Cloud computing platforms— With remote work on the rise, access to resources is necessary. Examples include Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
- IT service management — Managing incidents and tickets seamlessly is the bread and butter in IT. Examples include ServiceNow, JIRA, BMC Helix ITSM
- Project management — These tools help IT pro plan, execute and track projects. Examples include Asana, Trello and Microsoft Project.
- Collaboration tools—The IT field needs to communicate quickly and clearly. These tools go beyond keeping a conversation going. Examples include Slack, Microsoft Team and Google Workspace.
Best IT certifications
In the information technology industry, certifications are a valuable tool to show your expertise and resourceful knowledge. Candidates benefit from pursuing certifications to elevate their resume and career.
These are only a few examples of current IT certifications:
Cloud computing certifications
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
- Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Architect
- CompTIA Cloud+
- Salesforce Certified Technical Architect
Artificial intelligence (A.I.) certifications
- IBM Data Science Professional Certificate
- Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate
- NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute (DLI) Certification
- Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
- Google Cloud Certified - Professional Data Engineer
Programming languages certifications
- Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE Programmer
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate
- Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Developer
- Python Institute Certified Python Programmer (PCPP)
- PHP Zend Certified Engineer (ZCE)
Software development certifications
- Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE Programmer
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate
- AWS Certified Developer - Associate
- Google Associate Android Developer
- Salesforce Certified Platform Developer
These are only a handful of the certifications available for information technology. Reach out to mentors and experienced colleagues to learn about the up-and-coming certification that could benefit your career.
Key takeaways
- In-demand IT skills are necessary to create a competitive information technology resume.
- A resume will organize your IT skills according to your career stage, highlighting your strongest, job-relevant skills first.
- Hard IT skills, which include your programming languages and cloud computing, can be learned through formal education, boot camps, workshops and work experience.
- Soft skills are key in the information technology industry. Improving your current soft skills can help set you apart from other candidates with similar qualifications.
- Learning about common IT tools can help IT job seekers improve their skills and hone their expertise.
- Certifications are a must in the IT industry, solidifying your expertise and expanding your skill set to the latest trends.
FAQ
What skills do you need for information technology?
To work in IT, you’ll need a combination of skills.
- Hard skills are the abilities to perform your tasks and projects.
- Technical skills relate to the specific areas you’ll be working with, like programming, networking, database management and system administration.
- Soft skills are all about how you perform your job, like creativity, problem-solving and analytical thinking.
- Interpersonal skills are key for IT roles. These are the skills that help you communicate, collaborate and relate to your coworkers, managers, clients and so on.
Successful candidates will need a combination of these skills. When writing a resume, remember to match as many skills as possible to the job description and include other IT skills relevant to the role.
What are basic information technology skills?
Basic IT skills are the foundation of your information technology career.
Programming language, database management and operating systems are examples of basic technical skills, while communication and collaborative skills are the basic soft skills.
How to get information technology skills without going back to school?
There are several ways to develop IT skills without going back to school, like so:
- Boot camps and workshops — Shorter than traditional education, boot camps and workshops are available in person or online. You’ll receive hands-on training in the area you want to develop, like programming, cybersecurity, cloud computing and more.
- On-the job-experience — If you already have basic IT skills, you can start at an entry-level position and acquire more IT skills through your projects and tasks.
- Online communities — Communities are a great resource to guide your journey. You can learn through conversation, seek mentorship, and reach out to experienced professionals for questions and advice.
How to write information technology skills in a cover letter?
A cover letter is a complement to your resume. Use it to expand on your accomplishments, which show how you’ve successfully used your skills.
Use storytelling. Narrate in a short paragraph how you were able to resolve an issue and implement a new process. Include details showing which tools were used, soft skills that helped you perform and the result. Present the outcome in a positive light, even if you were not successful.
For example:
“As an IT specialist at XYZ Company, I encountered a major network outage that affected the entire organization. Despite the urgency, I remained calm, assessed the issue, and realized it was a complex hardware failure. I communicated with the affected employees, provided regular updates on the progress, and worked closely with a cross-functional team to troubleshoot and resolve the issue efficiently. This experience highlighted the importance of effective communication, teamwork, and staying composed under pressure, as well as the value of setbacks as learning opportunities for developing technical skills further.”
What soft skills are needed to work a career in information technology?
Soft skills are key to a career in IT. These skills help you work effectively on your own and with others. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Job Report, “employers are placing greater emphasis on soft skills […] to respond to change.” As IT is always evolving, you’ll need these soft skills to succeed:
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Creativity
- Problem-solving
- Adaptability
- Time management
- Cultural competence
What problem-solving skills are needed in the field of information technology?
Problem-solving skills like research, analytical thinking, decision-making and adaptability are key in solving technical problems and finding their root cause.
Examples of these problem-solving skills in IT include:
- IT infrastructure design and implementation
- Cybersecurity incident response and mitigation
- IT project management and coordination
- Network security and threat detection
- Software development and debugging
- Database management and optimization
How we reviewed this article
Since 2012, we have helped more than 11 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.
Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Computer and Information Technology Occupations
Forbes. Article. Perry, Christin. The Tech Soft Skills You Need To Succeed
Southern New Hampshire University. Article. Communication in IT: Why Soft Skills Matter
Nilda is a career advice writer. She is committed to helping job seekers navigate the job market and succeed in their careers.
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