Hard skills vs soft skills
Hard skills are teachable, measurable abilities: software, tools, languages, methods and certifications. Examples include SQL, QuickBooks, phlebotomy, AutoCAD, Spanish or forklift operation. Soft skills are how you work with people and problems: communication, organization, leadership, adaptability, problem solving.
Recruiters search mostly for hard skills, so they should make up most of your skills section. Soft skills are more convincing when you show them in your experience bullets rather than simply listing them.
| Hard skills | Soft skills | |
|---|---|---|
| What they are | Specific tools, methods, knowledge | Working style and interpersonal abilities |
| How to show them | Skills section and bullets | Mainly through results in bullets |
| How recruiters use them | Keyword searches and filters | Judged in interviews and references |
| Examples | Excel, Python, Salesforce, EHR, GAAP | Communication, teamwork, time management |
How many skills to list
For most resumes, 8 to 15 skills is a good range. Fewer can look thin; many more starts to look like a keyword dump and makes it harder to see what you are actually strong at. Senior technical roles sometimes group a longer list into categories such as "Languages", "Cloud" and "Tools".
How to choose skills from the job post
- Collect the requirements. Copy the job post's "requirements" and "responsibilities" sections into a document.
- Highlight skill words. Mark every tool, method, certification and recurring phrase, such as "Salesforce", "financial modeling", "patient education" or "stakeholder management".
- Keep only what you really have. Cross out anything you have not genuinely used. Truthfulness matters: if a skill is on your resume, expect questions about it in an interview.
- Use the employer's wording. If they write "Microsoft Excel", do not write only "spreadsheets". If they write "accounts receivable", use that phrase.
- Order by relevance. Put the skills the job emphasizes most at the start of your list.
- Check the gaps. The job description matcher compares your resume to the posting and shows which relevant terms are missing.
Skills examples by field
| Field | Hard skills | Soft skills |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineering | Python, Java, React, SQL, AWS, Docker, Git, CI/CD | Problem solving, code review, mentoring |
| Data analysis | SQL, Excel, Tableau, Power BI, Python, statistics | Storytelling with data, attention to detail |
| Accounting | GAAP, reconciliations, QuickBooks, NetSuite, month-end close | Accuracy, deadline management |
| Marketing | SEO, Google Ads, Google Analytics, email automation, copywriting | Creativity, collaboration |
| Sales | CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot), prospecting, negotiation, pipeline management | Relationship building, resilience |
| Nursing | Patient assessment, EHR (Epic), IV therapy, BLS/ACLS | Empathy, calm under pressure |
| Teaching | Lesson planning, classroom management, Google Classroom, assessment | Patience, communication with parents |
| Administration | Microsoft 365, calendar management, data entry, travel booking | Organization, discretion |
| Customer service | Zendesk, call handling, CRM, order processing | De-escalation, active listening |
| Engineering | AutoCAD, SolidWorks, GD&T, FEA, project scheduling | Analytical thinking, teamwork |
Each resume example on this site lists the hard skills, soft skills and keywords for that job.
Common transferable skills
These skills are valued in almost every field and are especially useful for career changers and students:
How to prove skills in your bullets
A skills list tells recruiters what you claim; your bullets show it. The strongest resumes mention key skills both in the skills section and inside achievements.
Start each bullet with a strong action verb, name the skill or tool, and end with a real result. Do not add numbers you cannot back up.
Skills to leave off
- Outdated or assumed tools: "Internet", "email" or "Windows" for an office job add nothing.
- Skills you cannot demonstrate: if you have only watched a tutorial, it is not ready for your resume yet. Label learning honestly instead, such as "SQL (beginner)".
- Vague traits: "hard-working", "passionate" and "detail-oriented" are better proven with a result than claimed.
- Irrelevant skills: a forklift license rarely helps a graphic design application. Keep a master list and choose what fits each job.
Skills for career changers
If you are moving into a new field, look for overlaps between what you did before and what the new job asks for. A retail supervisor applying for an office manager role already has scheduling, cash handling, training and vendor communication. A teacher moving into instructional design already has lesson planning, presentations and assessment. Name these skills in the employer's language and back each one with a concrete example from your past roles.
Where to put skills on your resume
- Skills section: a simple list or comma-separated line, near the top for technical roles and students, after experience for most others.
- Summary: two or three of your most relevant skills. See summary examples.
- Experience bullets: skills in action, with outcomes.
- Certifications: a separate section for credentials such as PMP, CPA or CompTIA A+.
When your list is ready, add it in the free resume builder and run the finished file through the resume checker.