The skills section is the most underused real estate on a resume. Done lazily, it's a random pile of words — "Microsoft Office, communication, teamwork" — that tells a recruiter nothing and helps you not at all. Done well, it's a targeted keyword magnet that gets you past the tracking software and signals, at a glance, that you're a match. Here's how to build one that works, plus a bank of examples by industry to pull from.
Hard skills vs. soft skills
Every skill on your resume falls into one of two buckets, and you need both:
- Hard skills are specific, teachable, provable abilities — software, tools, languages, certifications, techniques. "Python," "QuickBooks," "Spanish (fluent)," "Google Analytics." These are what tracking systems scan for.
- Soft skills are how you work — communication, leadership, problem-solving. They matter, but they're easy to claim and hard to prove, so they carry less weight in a skills list and are better demonstrated in your bullet points.
The move: load your skills section with relevant hard skills, and let your experience bullets prove the soft ones.
The golden rule: match the job description
Your skills section should be tailored to each role, not copy-pasted. Read the job posting and mirror the specific skills and tools it names — using the employer's exact wording where it's genuinely true of you. If the posting says "Salesforce" and you list "CRM software," you may miss the keyword match entirely. This is the single highest-leverage thing you can do; we cover the mechanics in resume keywords that beat the ATS.
One firm rule: never list a skill you can't back up. A keyword you can't defend in an interview does more harm than a missing one.
Skills examples by industry
Use these as a starting bank — keep the ones that are true for you and that appear in your target postings.
Technology & software
Python, JavaScript, SQL, React, AWS, Git, CI/CD, API design, data structures, Agile/Scrum, cloud architecture, debugging, unit testing.
Marketing
SEO, Google Analytics, content strategy, paid social, email marketing, HubSpot, A/B testing, conversion optimization, copywriting, campaign management, marketing automation.
Finance & accounting
Financial modeling, forecasting, QuickBooks, Excel (advanced), GAAP, budgeting, variance analysis, accounts payable/receivable, auditing, financial reporting.
Sales
Salesforce, pipeline management, lead generation, cold outreach, negotiation, account management, CRM, quota attainment, prospecting, closing.
Healthcare & nursing
Patient care, EMR/EHR (Epic, Cerner), vitals monitoring, medication administration, HIPAA compliance, care planning, triage, IV therapy, patient education.
Administrative & operations
Scheduling, data entry, Microsoft Office, calendar management, vendor coordination, process improvement, inventory management, CRM, bookkeeping.
Design
Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, UX/UI design, wireframing, prototyping, typography, design systems, user research, responsive design.
How to format the skills section
- Keep it a simple list — no ratings bars or star graphics. Those look modern but read as blanks to tracking software, and "skill: 4 of 5 stars" means nothing to a recruiter anyway.
- Group logically if you have many — e.g., "Technical," "Tools," "Languages."
- Put it near the top for skills-forward roles (tech, trades), or below experience when your work history carries the weight.
- Aim for depth, not a wall — roughly 8–12 targeted skills beats 30 generic ones.
Skip the filler
Some "skills" are so expected they add nothing and can even date you: "Microsoft Word," "email," "internet research," "team player," "hard worker." Cut them and use the space for skills that actually differentiate you. If a skill is assumed for any professional, it's not earning its spot.
See which skills your resume is missing
The hard part is knowing which skills a given employer's system is actually scanning for — and whether yours match. Our free AI Resume Scorer compares your resume against what recruiters and tracking systems look for and flags the important skills and keywords you're missing, so your skills section is targeted instead of generic. Run it in about a minute before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
How many skills should I list on a resume?
Around 8–12 targeted, relevant skills. A short list of skills that match the job beats a long list of generic ones.
Should I include soft skills?
A few, but don't rely on them in the skills section — they're easy to claim. Prove soft skills through your experience bullets instead, where you can show them in action.
Do I need to change my skills for every application?
Adjust them to mirror each job posting's language. It takes two minutes and meaningfully improves your keyword match against the tracking system.
Bottom line: lead with provable hard skills, mirror the job posting's exact wording, cut the filler, and never list what you can't defend. A tailored skills section is one of the fastest ways to move from "filtered out" to "looks like a match."