10 Best Skills To Include on a Resume (With Examples)

 

Top 10 skills for resumes

Some important types of skills to cover on a resume include:

• Active listening
• Communication
• Computer skills
• Customer service
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership
• Management skills
• Problem-solving
• Time management
• Transferable skills

Hard skills vs. soft skills

Employers are looking to hire employees who have the right mix of two different types of skills: soft skills and hard skills.

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Hard skills are abilities specific to the job and/or industry. Generally, these are more technical skills that you learn in school, certification programs, training materials or experience on the job. Hard skills might include proficiency in things like:

• Software
• Foreign languages
• Operating certain equipment or machinery

Soft skills, on the other hand, are abilities that can be applied in any job. Often, soft skills may be referred to as “people skills” or “social skills” and include proficiency in things like:

• Communication
• Customer service
• Problem-solving
• Time management
• Leadership

Hard skills are usually teachable while soft skills are much harder to develop because they are typically personality traits and, therefore, extremely valuable to employers. In most cases, your soft skills can enhance your hard skills. For example, if you’re a detail-oriented software developer skilled in a computer programming language, you’ll likely be able to catch errors and correct issues in the code you and your team create.

As a job seeker, it’s important to highlight your best hard and soft skills to position yourself as a well-rounded candidate. It’s also helpful to consider how the two types of skills relate to one another and the job so you can speak to this in your next interview.