Skills FAQs: How to List, Place and Name Skills on a Resume

Which skills to include and how many, hard versus soft skills, and how to place, name and lay out your skills section, including technical skills, languages and transferable skills. You'll find more topics in our Resume & Career FAQs.

Skills questions

• What skills should I put on my resume?

  Choose the skills for your resume that the job posting asks for and that you can back up with experience, projects, education or certifications. Put the most important ones first, then prove them in your bullets.

• What is the difference between hard skills and soft skills?

  Hard skills are teachable, job-specific abilities, such as bookkeeping or forklift operation; soft skills are how you work with people and handle situations, such as communication. A strong resume shows hard skills and soft skills through examples, not just a list.

• How many skills should I list on a resume?

  There's no set number of skills to list: include the ones that matter most for this job without turning the section into a list of every keyword you know. Relevance matters more than length.

• Should I list Microsoft Office on my resume?

  List Microsoft Office when the job calls for it, and name the programs and tasks, such as Excel pivot tables or Outlook calendar management. A generic "proficient in Microsoft Office" adds little for roles that expect advanced skills.

• How do I show soft skills on a resume?

  Show soft skills through results instead of listing them: rather than writing "leadership," describe the team you led, the conflict you resolved or the people you trained. Each example gives the reader something to ask you about.

• How do I list skills on a resume?

  List skills as short, specific words or phrases, such as "QuickBooks Online" or "patient scheduling," under a plain Skills heading. If you have several kinds, split them into small labeled groups, such as Software, Equipment and Languages. Skip rating bars, stars and percentages: they don't show what you can do, and an applicant tracking system (ATS), the software many employers use to sort applications, may not read them. See how to set up and split your Skills section in our resume headers guide.

• Where should the skills section go on a resume?

  Put your skills section just below your summary when skills are essential to the job, as in many technical and trade roles, or when you're changing careers. Put it lower, after your work history or education, when your experience makes the stronger case and your skills mainly back it up. CareerOneStop, the U.S. Department of Labor's career site, explains where a skills section can go.

• Do I need a skills section on my resume?

  Yes, for most jobs. A short skills section gives readers and applicant tracking systems one place to find the tools and abilities the job asks for, and it takes little space. Keep it brief, since it backs up your work history rather than replacing it.

• What else can I call the skills section?

  Common alternatives are Technical Skills, Core Competencies, Key Skills and Areas of Expertise, or a heading named for the job, such as Teaching Skills. Choose a name people recognize at a glance: readers and applicant tracking systems look for familiar section headings, so a creative label such as "My Toolbox" can get overlooked. The Department of Labor's CareerOneStop resume guide also advises using standard section headings such as Skills.

• What are technical skills on a resume?

  Technical skills are the hard skills tied to specific tools, software, equipment or methods, such as SQL, AutoCAD, a point-of-sale system or MIG welding. Name each one the way the job posting does instead of writing a broad label like "computer skills," and list only the ones you can actually use.

• How do I list languages on a resume?

  List each language with a plain level, such as Native, Fluent, Professional or Conversational, for example "Spanish (Fluent)." If you have a test result, or the posting uses a scale such as the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), you can add that level too, such as "French (C1)." Add languages to your skills section, or give them their own Languages section when the job uses them or you speak several. Claim only a level you could comfortably use in the interview, since an employer may check it.

• What are transferable skills?

  Transferable skills are abilities you built in one job, school or volunteer role that carry over to different work, such as training new staff, keeping records or calming upset customers. They matter most when you're changing careers or applying for your first job. List the ones the new job asks for and prove each with a bullet from your past work; our career change guide shows how to group transferable skills for a new role.

Related guides

• Resume headers to include and leave out
• Changing careers: resume examples, format and writing guide
• Project management resume skills employers want to see

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