Top Skills to Put on a Resume: A Comprehensive Guide for Job Seekers 2024
In This Guide:
Why Skills Matter on a Resume
Adding skills to a resume is crucial because it gives employers a quick, clear snapshot of your qualifications and suitability for a particular job.
Skills allow for an easy way to showcase your ability to perform specific tasks or functions related to the position you’re applying for.
These days, HR departments in Singapore use software as part of their initial screening process: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
By using these softwares to scan your CV, recruiters are able to quickly pick up the right keywords inside your CV, without having to read through the entire document.
Think of this as a CRTL+F search across your CV.
Recruiters often search for technical skills, soft skills or industry-specific competencies as keywords.
Candidates with the right keywords in their CV will immediately be shortlisted for a deeper review of their CV.
This is why it’s critical to include all the relevant key skills in your CV.
A well-structured skills section can distinguish you from others and increase your chances of landing an interview.
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills
Hard skills are specific, quantifiable abilities acquired through education or training, such as technical proficiencies or industry-specific knowledge.
Soft skills are intangible qualities containing interpersonal, communication, and behavioral attributes.
A recent study by LinkedIn suggests that 57% of employers value soft skills.
While hard skills are job-specific and measurable, soft skills are universal.
It involves how individuals interact, collaborate, and adapt in various workplace situations.
Employers value both hard and soft skills, with hard skills often defining a candidate’s qualifications for a particular role.
Balancing the mention of these different skills are critical in ensuring your CV gets plenty of interview calls.
Examples of Hard Skills
Here are a few hard skills to put on your resume.
- UX Design
- Due Diligence
- Email Marketing and Automation
- Machine Learning
- Six Sigma Lean manufacturing
- Javascript
- Salesforce FICO
Examples of Soft Skills
Here are some soft skills to put on your resume.
- Team Management
- Negotiations
- Stakeholder Management
- Project Management
- Critical Thinking
- Networking
10 Best New Skills to Put on Your Resume in 2024
Follow the ten must-have examples and sample skills to put in your resume.
- 1. Project Management
It showcases your ability to plan, organize, and execute complex tasks efficiently, demonstrating your competency in handling projects from inception to completion.
Highlighting your leadership and communication skills, as effective project management often involves coordinating teams and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Employers prefer individuals with project management expertise as they tend to be better at meeting deadlines, managing resources, and staying within budgets.
- 2. AI Engineering (ChatGPT, Optimizely, Instantly.AI, Advance.AI)
AI technologies are transforming industries and businesses are increasingly relying on AI-driven solutions like ChatGPT and Advance.AI. By showcasing AI engineering as a skill, you demonstrate your ability to develop, implement, and optimize artificial intelligence algorithms and systems, which are in high demand.
This skill not only highlights your technical prowess but also your adaptability and forward-thinking mindset, making you an attractive candidate to prospective employers looking to harness the power of AI for innovation, efficiency, and growth.
- 3. Team Management
This demonstrates your ability to lead, collaborate, and drive results in a professional setting. Effective team management showcases your capacity to organize and motivate individuals, delegate tasks, and foster a harmonious working environment.
Employers highly value candidates who can oversee teams, as it often leads to increased productivity, better problem-solving, and stronger team cohesion.
- 4. SEO/SEM Marketing (Ahrefs, SEMRush, SEO Power Suite, Majestic)
These showcase your ability to drive online visibility and traffic, ultimately impacting a company’s bottom line. Expertise with known marketing tools such as Ahrefs or SEMRush demonstrates your skills in optimizing websites for search engines, improving organic search rankings, and enhancing user experience.
SEM (Search Engine Marketing) expertise underscores your proficiency in managing paid advertising campaigns, efficiently allocating budgets, and delivering measurable results, highlighting your solid foundation and adaptability in navigating the digital marketing landscape.
- 5. Analytical Thinking
Employers highly value individuals who can dissect information, identify patterns, and generate meaningful insights to make informed decisions, especially in data-driven roles.
Analytical thinkers excel in problem-solving, data analysis, and critical reasoning, which are essential in various industries such as business, finance, technology, and research.
- 6. HTML/CSS Design
Often the most commonly used scripting language for web pages, proficiency in HTML and CSS demonstrates your technical competence. Employers often seek candidates who can contribute to their online presence and branding, making HTML/CSS design a sought-after skill.
Having both HTML and CSS ensures you understand the basics of web pages and how to design one to pique users’ interest. To have a career in the tech field means first understanding how the internet works and influences users to stay connected.
- 7. Client Relationship Management
Fostering positive relationships is crucial for customer retention and business growth. It is a valuable skill that underscores your ability to build and maintain solid and productive connections with customers or clients.
Demonstrating expertise in client relationship management suggests that you can effectively communicate, understand client needs, and provide exceptional service, all of which contribute to enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- 8. Software Testing (CI/CD, Selenium, Load and Stress Testing)
Proficiency in software testing indicates your ability to develop and execute comprehensive test plans, collaborate with software developers to identify and track defects and implement automated testing scripts to improve efficiency and accuracy.
Competencies in test automation, quality metrics analysis, test-driven development (TDD), defect tracking and reporting, and more should be listed. Showcasing experience in managing test environments with various software testing tools such as Testpad or Avo Assure can demonstrate a well-rounded skill set.
- 9. Google Ads (AdSense, Google Analytics, Google Trends, Google Search Console)
Google Ads is a skill highly sought after by businesses looking to expand their online presence. Google Ads proficiency showcases your ability to drive targeted traffic, optimize campaigns for cost efficiency, and maximize ROI.
Skills in AdSense and Google Analytics make you more marketable and highlight your adaptability to evolving technologies. Whether you’re in marketing, e-commerce, or digital strategy, Google Ads is a credential that can set you apart.
- 10. Cloud Computing (AWS , Azure, Google Cloud, Lacework)
Cloud Computing is the backbone of modern IT infrastructure. About 86% of enterprises run more than a quarter of their IT infrastructure in cloud environments. It offers scalability, cost-efficiency, and accessibility, making it critical for optimizing operations and reducing expenses for organizations.
Showcase that you have a solid knowledge of at least one of the most well-known cloud-based providers. These include Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services, among several others.
Don’t stop there! Look through the best resume tips to help boost your application.
Industry-Specific Skills to Consider
The four examples below show the many combinations of top abilities that someone may provide on their resume based on their profession:
1. Information Technology (IT) Key Skills To Include in CV
Possessing a mix of hard and soft skills that align with technical requirements and enable effective collaboration and innovation is crucial. Here are three examples of each:
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
| Programming languages | Detail oriented |
| Cybersecurity | Analytical thinking |
| Cloud computing | Project management |
Hard Skills:
Programming Languages: Different roles may require knowledge of specific languages such as Python, Java, C++, or JavaScript.
These languages are the building blocks for software development, web development, and other IT functions. Strong coding skills are essential for designing and maintaining software, websites, and applications.
Cybersecurity: Certifications are needed to prove your proficiency in cybersecurity. You can list a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).
They establish you as having a deep understanding of security principles, risk management, and ethical hacking techniques. See how you can list other accomplishments on your resume.
Cloud Computing: With the widespread adoption of cloud technologies, knowledge of cloud platforms like AWS (Amazon Web Services), Azure, or Google Cloud is indispensable.
Cloud computing skills include provisioning and managing resources, optimizing cloud infrastructure, and developing cloud-native applications.
If you have many competencies to list, you can create a concise section like this:
- Development Methods: Agile, Waterfall
- Cloud Computing: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
- Languages: Java, Python, C++, J2EE
- Databases: Oracle (SQL PLUS, P/L SQL), MS Access
- Web Tools: HMTL, XML/XSL, PHP, JavaScript, Apache
- Operating Systems: Unix, Windows, AS400
Soft Skills:
Detail Oriented: In IT, precision is paramount. The ability to pay meticulous attention to detail ensures that code is error-free, configurations are accurate, and security measures are foolproof.
A small oversight can lead to significant issues, making attention to detail a critical soft skill in the IT industry.
Analytical Thinking: IT professionals often encounter complex problems that require careful analysis and logical thinking. Analytical skills enable professionals to break down complex issues into manageable parts.
It also allows for identifying patterns and devising effective solutions. This skill is essential for troubleshooting, optimization, and system design. It’s a must-have skills to put on resume.
Project Management: Project management highlights your problem-solving and decision-making prowess as you navigate through technical challenges and adapt to changing circumstances. It showcases your ability to efficiently plan, execute, and oversee complex IT projects, which is crucial in today’s tech-driven world.
It also demonstrates your capacity to collaborate with cross-functional teams, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
2. Marketing and Advertising Key Skills To Include in CV
These 3 skills help professionals excel in their roles and adapt to the evolving landscape of digital marketing and consumer behavior.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
| Marketing Automation | ATL & BTL Communications |
| SEO | Creative Planning |
| CRO and Analytics | SEA Consumer Behaviour |
Hard Skills:
Marketing Automation: Marketers must be well-versed in platforms like HubSpot, Marketo, or Salesforce to streamline campaigns, manage customer data, and automate repetitive tasks.
Understanding how to create and execute automated email marketing sequences or personalized customer journeys is a valuable hard skill.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Mastering SEO techniques is a fundamental hard skill for marketers. Staying current with search engine algorithms and employing keyword research and analysis are integral aspects of SEO expertise.
This skill involves optimizing website content, meta tags, and backlinks to improve a website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). Tools proficiencies like Rankmath, Moz or Ahrefs are essential technical skills to put in your resume.
CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) and Analytics: Marketing efforts are ultimately measured by their impact on conversion rates and ROI. Skills in tools like Analytics, Hotjar, or Google Optimize are vital for tracking and interpreting user behavior and campaign performance.
Showing your ability to employ A/B testing software and data analysis to optimize website elements and marketing campaigns for higher conversion rates showcases your proficiency in CRO.
Soft Skills:
ATL & BTL Communications: Adding ATL (Above-The-Line) and BTL (Below-The-Line) communication demonstrates your ability to engage in traditional mass media advertising and brand-building efforts, as well as to create targeted and personalized marketing experiences through avenues like social media, email marketing, and direct outreach.
Together, these skills indicate your versatility in crafting comprehensive marketing strategies and a marketer capable of navigating both traditional and digital marketing landscapes.
Creative Planning: Employers value individuals who can approach tasks and challenges with creativity, as it often leads to more efficient and effective results—showcasing your ability to think outside the box and find innovative solutions to complex problems.
Whether it’s devising a unique marketing strategy, optimizing workflow processes, or generating fresh ideas for product development, creative planning demonstrates your capacity to bring fresh perspectives to the table.
SEA Consumer Behaviour: Your proficiency in understanding how SEA consumers interact with online advertisements is a critical skill. This knowledge allows you to create more targeted and effective ad campaigns, ultimately driving better ROI for businesses.
Additionally, showcasing your grasp of SEA consumer behavior highlights your ability to analyze data, make data-driven decisions, and adapt strategies to evolving market trends.
3. Engineering and Manufacturing Key Skills To Include in CV
These skills contribute to individual career growth and play a pivotal role in the development and competitiveness of organizations.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
| Higher Mathematics | Critical Thinking |
| Programming | Project Management |
| Statistics | Strategic Planning |
Hard Skills:
Higher Mathematics: Proficiency in higher mathematics is fundamental in engineering and manufacturing. Engineers often deal with complex mathematical concepts like calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations.
These skills are used to analyze and solve intricate engineering problems, design optimal manufacturing processes, and develop precise simulations.
Programming: Knowledge of programming languages like Python, C++, and Java is valuable for developing automated manufacturing systems, creating simulation models, and writing control software for machinery.
Understanding algorithms and data structures is essential for optimizing processes and enhancing efficiency.
Statistics: Proficiency in statistical analysis enables professionals to gather meaningful insights from data, assess product quality, and identify areas for improvement.
Skills in hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and statistical software usage (e.g., Minitab or R) are highly sought after.
Soft Skills:
Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is the ability to analyze situations, identify problems, and formulate effective solutions. Engineers and manufacturers often encounter complex challenges requiring innovative problem-solving.
Showing that you’re a critical thinkers proves you can assess data, consider alternatives, and make informed decisions, which is invaluable for process optimization and troubleshooting.
Project Management: Effective project management is essential for delivering projects on time and within budget. Engineers and manufacturing specialists must coordinate tasks, allocate resources, and ensure that projects meet quality standards.
Managing time, communication, and risk assessment is vital for keeping projects on track and achieving organizational goals.
Strategic Planning: Strategic planning involves long-term vision and goal setting. This skill is essential for developing roadmaps for product development, process improvement, and expansion in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.
Professionals with strategic planning skills can align their efforts with the organization’s objectives, anticipate market trends, and adapt to changes in technology and regulations.
4. Finance Key Skills To Include in CV
These skills contribute to individual career growth and play a pivotal role in the development and competitiveness of organizations.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
| SAP FICO | Accounts Management |
| Hyperion | Forecasting |
| Spreadsheet Software | Financial Planning |
Hard Skills:
SAP Finance and Controlling (FICO): Expertise in SAP FICO, like business process and master data, demonstrates your ability to streamline financial operations, optimize resource allocation, and provide data-driven insights to drive informed business decisions.
Always mention the specific SAP modules you are proficient in, such as SAP FI (Financial Accounting), SAP CO (Controlling), SAP SD (Sales and Distribution), SAP MM (Materials Management), and so on. Highlight your experience with SAP tools and technologies like SAP HANA and SAP S/4HANA.
Hyperion: Proficiency in Hyperion signifies your ability to handle complex financial data, streamline reporting processes, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Various Hyperion expertise like HFM (Hyperion Financial Management), ODI (Oracle Data Integrator), and Essbase database showcase your ability to utilize strong analytical skills combined with technical proficiency.
Spreadsheet Software: Expertise in basic spreadsheet software is not only essential but is practically a prerequisite in the Finance industry. Spreadsheet skills demonstrate your ability to organize, analyze, and present data effectively, which is crucial in decision-making processes.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and OpenOffice Calc should always be listed. These software programs showcase your technological and digital literacy.
You can also add some of your hard skills as “technical skills.”
Soft Skills:
Accounts Management: Adding accounts management as your skill proves your ability to accurately and ethically manage financial transactions, analyze financial data, and generate financial reports. Employers appreciate candidates who can effectively manage budgets, analyze financial data, and make informed decisions to optimize resource allocation.
Additionally, adding your ability to prepare financial statements in accordance with standard accounting principles, such as the GAAP, International Financial Reporting Standards, or pro forma accounting, guarantees a basic level of consistency.
Forecasting: Financial forecasting predicts a business’s financial future by examining historical performance data, such as revenue, cash flow, expenses, or sales. It is a vital skill to put on a resume since it frequently assists business leaders in major decisions around areas like hiring, budgeting, and strategic planning.
Employers value candidates who can provide insights into potential risks and opportunities. These predictions help support a company’s stability. For example, forecasting cash flow can help determine future expenses.
Financial Planning: Financial planning is the ability to manage resources and create and adhere to budgets. A financial plan provides a detailed picture of the current financial situation, financial objectives, and any goals made to reach those objectives.
It underscores your commitment to achieving long-term goals, highlighting your forward-thinking mindset and dedication to success. Additionally, it showcases your analytical prowess, as effective financial planning requires assessing data, identifying trends, and making informed predictions.
How to Showcase Skills on Your Resume
There are a few ways to highlight your skills section to make a strong impression on potential employers. Here, we explore how to showcase your skills on your resume effectively:
1. Organize Your Skills
Start by organizing your skills into relevant sections. They include “Technical Skills,” “Soft Skills,” or “Industry-Specific Skills.” Ensure that the skills you list align with the job requirements.
Example:
Alternatively, you can break your skills down into categories, making an otherwise long list easier to read and digest.
You can also indicate your level of proficiency with skills by listing your years of experience.
2. Prioritize Relevant Skills
Tailor your resume for each job application by highlighting the skills most relevant to the specific position you’re applying for. Read the job description carefully to identify critical skills sought by the employer.
Example:
If the job requires strong analytical skills: “Proficient in data analysis tools and statistical analysis techniques such as Tableau and exploratory data analysis.”. Then definitely be sure to mention key words such as “Tableau” and “data analysis.”
3. Quantify Your Skills
Whenever possible, use quantifiable data to demonstrate the impact of your skills.
Example:
- “Increased website traffic by 40% by implementing SEO meta tag improvements.”
- “Identified bottlenecks in the production process and implemented automation solutions, resulting in a 20% increase in efficiency.”
4. Use Action Verbs
Begin skill descriptions with strong action verbs to make your achievements sound more dynamic and engaging.
Example:
- Instead of saying “Responsible for data analysis,” use “Conducted comprehensive data analysis to inform strategic decision-making.”
If you need a more extensive guide, here’s how to properly write a resume.
Mistakes to Avoid
To help you navigate the resume writing process successfully, here’s a comprehensive list of “Don’ts” – common mistakes to avoid when composing your skills sections.
DON’T:
- Send out a generic skill list for every job application.
- Use overly complex templates or fonts that may distract from the content.
- Ignore keywords, as it will significantly lower your chances of being noticed by the ATS and hiring managers.
- Focus on your job duties. Instead, list your accomplishments and quantifiable achievements in previous roles.
- Make it too long. A concise resume is more effective.
You can create a compelling and professional skill section that increases your chances of standing out to potential employers.
Remember that your resume reflects your qualifications and potential, so invest the time and effort needed. Download some of our resume samples to help craft your next winning job application.
Connect with Diane through their insightful articles, and join them on a journey to transform your resume into a powerful tool that paves the way for your career success.
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