The skills section of your resume shows employers you have the abilities required to succeed in the role you’ve applied for. Often, employers pay special attention to this section to determine if you should move on to the next step of the hiring process.
In this article, we discuss the 10 top skills to include on a resume, take a look at specific skill sets for different roles and provide an FAQ on frequently asked questions about skills and resumes, such as how many should you include.
Related: Resume Writing 101: Tips for Creating a Resume
10 of the best skills to put on a resume
While you can often easily determine hard skills to list based on details in a job description, selecting relevant soft skills isn’t always as apparent. To help narrow down which soft skills to put on a resume, review the various duties of the position and determine which of your personal strengths will help you successfully complete those tasks.
Here are 10 examples of the best resume skills employers may be seeking:
1. Active listening skills
Active listening refers to the ability to focus completely on the person who you’re communicating with. Active listening helps you to understand their message, comprehend the information and respond thoughtfully. Active listeners use verbal and nonverbal techniques to show their attention to a conversation partner. Developing and using active listening skills can show colleagues you’re engaged and have an interest in the project or task at hand.
Related: 11 Active Listening Skills To Practice
2. Communication skills
Communication skills are the abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of information. Some examples include communicating ideas, feelings or what’s happening around you. Communication skills involve listening, talking, observing and empathizing. Having strong communication skills is important in every industry at every career level.
Read more: Top 10 Communication Skills for Career Success
3. Computer skills
Computer skills involve the ability to learn and operate various technology. Hardware skills allow you to physically operate a computer, and this can be as simple as knowing how to switch devices on and off. Software skills help you to efficiently use computer programs and applications. There are some software skills employers may consider prerequisites to employment, like using spreadsheets or knowing a certain coding language.
Read more: Basic Computer Skills: How To List Them on Your Resume
4. Customer service skills
Customer service skills are traits and practices that help you address customer needs to create a positive experience for them. Customer service skills, in general, rely heavily on problem-solving and on communication. Customer service is often considered a “soft skill.”
Related: 101 Soft Skill Interview Questions To Prepare For
5. Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills are the personality traits you rely on when you interact and communicate with others. They cover a variety of scenarios where cooperation is essential. Developing interpersonal skills is important to work efficiently with others, solve problems and lead projects or teams.
Read more: Interpersonal Intelligence: Meaning and Why It’s Important
6. Leadership skills
Leadership skills allow leaders to organize a group of individuals to reach a shared goal. Whether you’re in a management position or leading a project, leadership skills require you to motivate others to complete tasks and reach milestones—often according to a schedule.