Skills to Put on a Resume (and How to List Them)
The skills section is where recruiters (and ATS searches) check whether you have the basics for the job. It works best as a short, grouped list that your experience bullets then back up with evidence.
Hard skills first
Hard skills are the teachable, checkable ones: programming languages, software, machines, methods, certifications, languages. They're what job descriptions list and what recruiters search for, so they deserve most of the space.
Soft skills: show, don't list
"Communication" and "teamwork" in a list tell a reader almost nothing. Put the evidence in your bullets instead: "Presented monthly results to the leadership team" shows communication; "Coordinated a five-person team across two time zones" shows teamwork.
How to format the section
- Group skills: "Languages: Python, SQL" · "Tools: Tableau, Excel" · "Design: Figma"
- Keep it to roughly 8–15 skills that match the job
- Put the most relevant group first
- Use the job description's wording where it is true for you
- Avoid rating bars and percentages — they are subjective and ATS can't read them
Examples by field
- Software: JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Node.js, SQL, Git, REST APIs, AWS, testing
- Data: SQL, Python (pandas), statistics, A/B testing, Power BI/Tableau, Excel
- Design: Figma, user research, prototyping, design systems, accessibility
- Marketing: SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, GA4, content strategy, email marketing
- Finance and accounting: Tally, GST, financial modelling, reconciliation, advanced Excel
- Engineering: AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Revit, MATLAB, quality control, project planning
Frequently asked questions
How many skills should a resume have?
Usually 8–15 relevant skills, grouped. More than that dilutes the ones that matter for the job.
Should I add soft skills to my skills section?
You can add one or two that the job emphasises, but they are far more convincing as evidence inside your experience bullets.
Lay out your skills beautifully
Grouped skills render as chips, tags or tables depending on the template you pick. Free resume builder with PDF export.