Good skills to put on a resume now (Examples)

You’re here because you are probably in the process of writing or updating your CV, and now you want to know what differentiates good skills to put on a resume from bad ones. By showcasing your skills you are also showcasing your abilities, which allows your future employer to imagine more clearly how you conduct your work, both technically and interpersonally.

When considering the many skills you have honed during your lifetime, you would be surprised to find out there might be more than you initially had in mind. Now is the time to narrow them down to the key skills to include on a resume.

We make that easy for you. Here, you will learn what are the best skills to put on a resume, the difference between hard and soft skills, how to put your skills on your resume, and browse through some resume skills examples based on different professions to help you get started.

Best skills for resume

1. Communication skills

Having offline and online communication skills on a resume is necessary in today’s job market. No matter what career you are in, being able to verbally communicate and ready to share ideas and exchange information with the team is vital to landing and keeping the job you want.

Written communication is also vital as you will find that a lot of the back and forth comes through emails, messaging platforms, and other online tools. Sometimes, the lack of hard skills on a resume can even be made up for by good communication skills.

2. Leadership skills

Playing the role of leader holds the heavy responsibility of providing strategies to help the organization or company grow and achieve its goals successfully. It implies that you must have top-notch communication skills in order to guide your team towards triumph and use critical thinking to act fast when coming up with real solutions to problems that may arise at work.

High emotional intelligence is needed in a leadership position for building trust with your team members and managing conflict.

3. Customer service skills

These are skills you use when dealing with any interaction with a customer. These can be both written and verbal. Good communication skills are put into action here as customer satisfaction is the key to a successful business.

Critical thinking and problem solving are used to deal with all kinds of customer-related problems, from a non-responsive feature on your company’s website to a missing mail order. Having to manage your emotions as well as your customer’s can be very frustrating. You have to expect the unexpected and remain patient at all times.

4. Active listening skills

When you put skills on your resume like active listening skills it shows that you value the thoughts and feelings of others, which can help build stronger professional relationships.

A good way of demonstrating that skill is by paraphrasing and summarizing what the other person is saying after they are done speaking. This reassures the other person that you have understood and internalized the information relayed and leads to less misunderstandings in the workplace.

Listing these skills on your resume reaffirms your appreciation for clear communication.

5. Computer proficiency

Computers are a staple in the workplace. The superabundance of tools and softwares available ensure that the work being conducted has a minimized percent of human error and that organization and time efficiency are guaranteed. No matter the program, if you use Microsoft Word for creating text-based documents, or operate a CRM to keep track of customer interaction, being tech-savvy takes you higher on your career ladder.

Adding these skills to your resume shows that you are up to date on the latest tech and are open to advancing with the times.

6. Critical thinking skills

These skills are a priority for any workplace, especially when applying for any project leadership or management position. Critical thinking is needed when dealing with customers, coworkers, or future clients. It sets you apart from competitors by showcasing your ability to tap into your creativity and quick wit to identify a problem, analyze, and solve it on the spot or during a short period of time.

When you put this skill on your resume you better not be lying, as surely a moment will arise where the truth will be revealed, and you would have put yourself in a fairly awkward position.

7. Time management skills

Adding these skills on your CV showcases your high regard for your time as well as others. Having good time-management skills leads to increased productivity at the workplace and leads to a better work-life balance. Being efficient with time demonstrates your ability to be organized, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines, which are all valuable skills that indicate success.

8. Emotional intelligence skills

Including emotional intelligence skills on your CV can make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. Employers value individuals who have a high level of emotional intelligence, as it leads to better communication, stronger relationships, and more effective collaboration.

By demonstrating these skills on your CV, you are showcasing your ability to work with a team while also showing empathy, which makes you a well-rounded candidate for any job you apply for.

9. Project management skills 

Project management skills are vital when applying for a managerial position. It demonstrates that you have gathered the know-how of managing task flows and completing assignments on time. Using management software is a good skill to have on your resume. Also, you can measure this skill by describing how you have contributed to the success of the company through project management.

Pointing out an incident where you submitted an assignment ahead of time is also another way to identify where this skill has been put to use.

10. Negotiation skills

Negotiating plays a large role in being an active member of a workplace, as you will most likely have to negotiate with your boss, clients, and coworkers. When the time comes, demonstrating good communication skills and empathy, or the ability to understand the point of view of another person, goes a long way in the workplace.

This is a key skill to include on your resume, especially if you are applying for a leadership position.

Resume skills examples

On top of the mentioned top 10 skills to put on your resume, here are some job-specific examples for skills to include on your resume.

Nursing skills for resume

Free Download Nursing Resume

Server resume skills

Teacher resume skills

Free Teacher Resume Template

Bartender resume skills

Marketing skills for resume

Free Marketing Resume Example

How to list skills on a resume

It can be a bit challenging having to identify which of the plethora of skills you’ve acquired in your lifetime are considered key skills to include on your resume. Even more confusing, and what can detract attention from your accomplishments, is the way you organize that list.

Both necessary to show that you are a well-rounded employee who can manage impulses when faced with adversities at the workplace.

Hard skills for resume VS. soft skills

Hard skills refer to technical job-specific abilities, like using specific software to help you conduct your job more efficiently. However, soft skills are more about the interpersonal skills you have gathered through time socially and through your work experience. We have separated them into two so you can better visualize how to list your skills on a resume.

Free Download: Resume Examples in Word