How to List Skills on a Resume: Complete Guide with Examples (2025)

Your skills section can make or break your resume. Done right, it quickly demonstrates you have what employers need. Done wrong, it wastes valuable space or gets your resume filtered out by ATS. This comprehensive guide shows you exactly how to list skills on your resume for maximum impact.

What is the Skills Section?

The skills section is a dedicated area of your resume that lists your relevant professional abilities. It serves three critical purposes:

1. •ATS Optimization: Helps your resume pass applicant tracking systems
2. •Quick Scanning: Allows recruiters to quickly assess your qualifications
3. •Keyword Matching: Demonstrates you have the specific skills mentioned in job descriptions

Types of Skills to Include

Hard Skills (Technical Skills)

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that can be measured and verified. They're industry or job-specific.

Examples:

• •Programming languages (Python, JavaScript, Java)
• •Software proficiency (Excel, Salesforce, Adobe Creative Suite)
• •Foreign languages (Spanish - fluent, Mandarin - conversational)
• •Certifications (PMP, CPA, AWS Certified)
• •Technical processes (Data Analysis, SEO, Financial Modeling)

Soft Skills (Interpersonal Skills)

Soft skills are personal attributes that affect how you work. They're transferable across jobs and industries.

Examples:

• •Leadership
• •Communication
• •Problem-solving
• •Teamwork
• •Time management
• •Adaptability

Important: Don't just list soft skills—demonstrate them through achievements in your work experience section.

Transferable Skills

Skills that apply across industries and roles.

Examples:

• •Project management
• •Data analysis
• •Written communication
• •Customer service
• •Budget management

Where to Place Your Skills Section

Option 1: After Professional Summary (Recommended)

Best for technical roles or when skills are your strongest qualification.

Contact Information
Professional Summary
Skills
Work Experience
Education

Option 2: After Work Experience

Best for traditional roles where experience matters more than specific skills.

Contact Information
Professional Summary
Work Experience
Skills
Education

Option 3: Integrated Throughout

For executive resumes or when you have extensive experience, integrate skills into your summary and work experience rather than a separate section.

How to Format Your Skills Section

1. Simple List Format

Best for: Most resumes, especially when applying through ATS

SKILLS
Marketing: SEO, Content Strategy, Google Analytics, Email Marketing, Social Media Management
Technical: HTML/CSS, WordPress, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Hootsuite
Soft Skills: Team Leadership, Strategic Planning, Data Analysis, Project Management

2. Categorized Format

Best for: Technical roles, showing depth in multiple areas

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Programming Languages: JavaScript, Python, Java, C++
Frameworks: React, Node.js, Django, Spring Boot
Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis
Cloud: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes

3. Proficiency Level Format

Best for: When skill level matters (languages, technical tools)

SKILLS
Programming Languages:
• Expert: JavaScript, Python, SQL
• Proficient: Java, C++
• Familiar: Go, Rust

Languages:
• English - Native
• Spanish - Fluent
• French - Conversational

4. Column Format

Best for: Maximizing space, showing many skills

SKILLS
Excel           Salesforce      Data Analysis
Python          SQL             Tableau
Project Mgmt    Agile           JIRA
Leadership      Communication   Problem-Solving

How Many Skills to List

Optimal Number: 10-15 skills Minimum: 5-7 skills Maximum: 20 skills (only for very technical roles)

Why not more?

• •Dilutes your strongest skills
• •Appears unfocused
• •Takes valuable resume space
• •May seem dishonest

How to Choose Which Skills to Include

Step 1: Analyze the Job Description

Identify required and preferred skills in the posting. Prioritize:

• •Skills mentioned multiple times
• •Skills in the "requirements" section
• •Technical skills specific to the role

Step 2: Match Your Skills to Requirements

List skills you genuinely possess that match the job description.

Step 3: Prioritize by Relevance and Strength

Order skills by:

1. •Most relevant to the job
2. •Your strongest skills
3. •In-demand skills in your industry

Step 4: Include Mix of Hard and Soft Skills

Ideal ratio: 70-80% hard skills, 20-30% soft skills

Skills Section Examples by Industry

Software Engineering

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Languages: JavaScript, Python, TypeScript, SQL, HTML/CSS
Frameworks & Libraries: React, Node.js, Express, Django, Redux
Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis
Cloud & DevOps: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Git
Methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Test-Driven Development

Digital Marketing

CORE COMPETENCIES
Digital Marketing: SEO, SEM, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Social Media Strategy
Analytics: Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Data Studio, A/B Testing
Tools: HubSpot, Mailchimp, Hootsuite, SEMrush, Ahrefs
Content: Copywriting, Content Strategy, WordPress, Basic HTML/CSS
Leadership: Campaign Management, Team Collaboration, Budget Management

Project Management

SKILLS
Project Management: Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Kanban, Risk Management
Tools: JIRA, Asana, MS Project, Confluence, Smartsheet
Leadership: Stakeholder Management, Team Leadership, Change Management
Technical: Budget Planning, Resource Allocation, Process Improvement
Certifications: PMP, Certified Scrum Master (CSM)

Data Analysis

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCIES
Data Analysis: Statistical Analysis, Predictive Modeling, Data Visualization
Programming: Python (Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn), SQL, R
Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Matplotlib, Seaborn
Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB
Tools: Excel (Advanced), Jupyter, Git

Sales

SKILLS
Sales: B2B Sales, Enterprise Sales, Solution Selling, Consultative Selling
Tools: Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo
Skills: Negotiation, Relationship Building, Pipeline Management, Forecasting
Achievement: Consistent 120%+ quota attainment, $5M+ annual sales

Customer Service

COMPETENCIES
Customer Service: Issue Resolution, Customer Retention, Complaint Management
Technical: Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, LiveChat, Phone Systems
Communication: Active Listening, Empathy, Clear Communication
Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Fluent)
Soft Skills: Patience, Problem-Solving, Multitasking, Positive Attitude

Common Skills Section Mistakes

1. Listing Skills You Don't Have

The Problem: You'll be exposed in interviews or on the job

The Fix: Only list skills you can genuinely demonstrate or discuss in detail

2. Including Obvious Skills

Don't Include:

• •Microsoft Word (unless applying for administrative role)
• •Email
• •Internet browsing
• •"Computer skills"

Exception: If the job specifically mentions these

3. Vague Soft Skills Without Context

❌ "Team player, hard worker, detail-oriented" ✅ Show these through achievements in work experience instead

4. Not Matching Job Description Keywords

The Problem: ATS filters out your resume

The Fix: Mirror language from job posting (e.g., if they say "JavaScript," don't just say "coding")

5. Outdated Skills

Remove:

• •Obsolete software (Flash, FrontPage)
• •Very old programming languages not used anymore
• •Skills from 10+ years ago not relevant today

6. Rating Skills with Stars or Bars

❌ ★★★★☆ Excel ❌ ████████░░ Python

Why it's bad:

• •Subjective and meaningless
• •Doesn't pass ATS
• •Takes up space

Better: List proficiency level in words if needed

ATS Optimization for Skills Section

Do's:

Don'ts:

❌ Use graphics or charts ❌ Put skills in headers or footers ❌ Use unusual skill names ❌ Rely only on soft skills ❌ Use tables (some ATS can't read them)

Skills Section Alternatives

For Entry-Level: Relevant Coursework + Skills

RELEVANT SKILLS & COURSEWORK
Technical: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Git, Responsive Design
Coursework: Data Structures, Algorithms, Web Development, Database Systems
Projects: Built 5 full-stack applications (GitHub: github.com/username)

For Executives: Core Competencies

CORE COMPETENCIES
Strategic Leadership | P&L Management | M&A Integration | Digital Transformation
Team Building & Development | Stakeholder Management | Change Management

For Career Changers: Transferable Skills

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
From Teaching to Corporate Training:
• Curriculum Development → Training Program Design
• Classroom Management → Workshop Facilitation
• Student Assessment → Learning Effectiveness Measurement
• Educational Technology → E-Learning Platforms (Articulate, Captivate)

How to Develop Skills for Your Resume

If You're Missing Key Skills:

1. Online Courses:

• •Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning
• •Get certificates to add to resume

2. Practice Projects:

• •Build portfolio projects demonstrating skills
• •Contribute to open source

3. Volunteer Work:

• •Use skills in volunteer context
• •Counts as real experience

4. Current Job:

• •Ask for projects using target skills
• •Cross-train with other departments

Skills Section Checklist

Before finalizing your skills section:

• •[ ] Includes 10-15 relevant skills
• •[ ] Matches keywords from job description
• •[ ] 70-80% hard skills, 20-30% soft skills
• •[ ] Ordered by relevance and strength
• •[ ] Uses simple, ATS-friendly formatting
• •[ ] No vague or outdated skills
• •[ ] Includes certifications if relevant
• •[ ] No skills you can't demonstrate
• •[ ] Formatted consistently
• •[ ] Includes industry-specific terminology

Tools to Optimize Your Skills Section

HatchCV's resume builder provides:

• •Skills suggestions based on your industry and role
• •ATS optimization for skill keywords
• •Multiple formatting options for skills sections
• •Skills matching against job descriptions
• •Professional templates with optimized skills sections

Conclusion

Your skills section is prime real estate on your resume. Make it count by:

• •Including only relevant, genuine skills
• •Matching job description keywords
• •Using ATS-friendly formatting
• •Prioritizing hard skills over soft skills
• •Keeping it concise (10-15 skills)

Remember: Skills get you past ATS and catch recruiters' attention, but achievements in your work experience section prove you can apply those skills effectively.

Ready to create a skills section that gets results? Build your optimized resume with HatchCV today.