What to Include in a Resume Skills Section

The skills section of your resume includes your abilities that are related to the jobs you are applying for. List skills that are relevant to the position or career field that you are interested in, such as computer skills, software skills, and/or language skills. For example, if you are applying for an administrative position, include Microsoft Office skills, QuickBooks skills (if you have them), and other software programs you can use in your skills section. If you are a computer programmer, list the programming languages, software, platforms, and other Information Technology skills you have in your resume skills section.Having a skills section makes it easy for hiring manager to pinpoint if you have a specific skill required for a position. It is also an easy way to get resume keywords onto your resume.

Customize Your Resume Skills

Customize the skills section of your resume to match, as much as you can, the requirements listed in the job posting. The closer a match your skills are to the job requirements, the better your chances of being selected for an interview. Here are tips for writing your resume skills section.

Skills Lists

• Mastery of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience with QuickBooks and with maintaining office budget
• Ability to work with several operating systems, including Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Skill sets include both hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are teachable abilities or skills that can be quantified. Soft skills are subjective interpersonal skills that are much harder to quantify. Both types of skills may be included on a resume and in cover letters. 

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