Skills for a Resume: 200+ Examples by Category (2026)

The skills section of a CV has one job: to help your application pass the ATS keyword scan and confirm to the recruiter that your technical profile matches the role. The most effective skills sections are specific (tools and technologies, not generic traits), tailored to the job description, and structured by category. Below are 200+ skills across every major category, plus a guide to formatting your skills section correctly.

How to List Skills on a CV

List skills in a dedicated Skills section, grouped by category. Use the exact terminology from the job description — ATS systems match keywords literally, so "Microsoft Excel" and "Excel" may be treated differently. Do not list skills you cannot demonstrate in an interview. Order categories from most to least relevant to the specific role you are applying for.

Technical and Hard Skills

Data and Analytics

Microsoft Excel (PivotTables, VLOOKUP, Power Query)
Google Sheets
SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL, BigQuery)
Python (pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib)
R
Tableau
Power BI
Looker / Looker Studio
Google Analytics 4
A/B testing
Statistical analysis
Data visualisation

Software Engineering

Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, C++, C#, Go, Rust, Swift, Kotlin
React, Vue.js, Angular, Next.js
Node.js, Django, Flask, Spring Boot, Ruby on Rails
REST API design, GraphQL
Git, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
Docker, Kubernetes
AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure
CI/CD (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, CircleCI)
PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis
Microservices architecture
Test-driven development (TDD)
Agile / Scrum / Kanban

Design and Creative

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects
Figma, Sketch
Canva
UI/UX design
Wireframing and prototyping
Brand identity design
Typography and layout
Video editing
Motion graphics

Marketing and Digital

SEO (technical SEO, on-page, link building)
Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads
Email marketing (Mailchimp, HubSpot, Klaviyo)
CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive)
Content marketing
Social media management
Conversion rate optimisation (CRO)
Marketing automation
Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager
Copywriting
Campaign management

Finance and Accounting

Financial modelling
Budgeting and forecasting
Variance analysis
Management accounts
Excel (advanced financial functions)
SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Xero, QuickBooks, Sage
IFRS / UK GAAP
Accounts payable / receivable
Payroll
Due diligence
DCF modelling
FP&A

Project Management

Project planning and scheduling
Risk management
Stakeholder management
Agile / Scrum / Kanban
Prince2, PMP
JIRA, Asana, Monday.com, Trello, Notion
Budget management
Resource allocation
Change management
Microsoft Project

Operations and Logistics

Supply chain management
Inventory management
Process improvement
Lean / Six Sigma
Procurement
Vendor management
ERP systems (SAP, Oracle)
Warehouse management
Quality assurance (QA)
Health and safety compliance

Sales and Business Development

B2B / B2C sales
Account management
Lead generation
Cold outreach
Contract negotiation
Salesforce CRM
Pipeline management
Upselling and cross-selling
Tender and proposal writing
Revenue forecasting

Human Resources

Recruitment and talent acquisition
Onboarding
Performance management
Employee relations
Learning and development (L&D)
HRIS (Workday, BambooHR, SAP SuccessFactors)
Employment law (UK)
Compensation and benefits
Organisational design
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)

Soft Skills for a CV

Soft skills should be demonstrated through bullet points in your experience section — not just listed in the skills section. A recruiter reading "excellent communicator" in a skills list learns nothing. The same recruiter reading "presented monthly performance reviews to board of directors, including written summary and Q&A" understands your communication ability through evidence.

That said, some soft skills are expected on CVs for certain roles and can be listed briefly:

Soft skill	How to demonstrate it in experience bullets
Leadership	"Managed a team of [N]," "led the project," "mentored two junior analysts"
Communication	"Presented to," "wrote," "trained," "facilitated workshops for"
Problem-solving	"Identified and resolved," "diagnosed," "reduced X by Y% by"
Organisation	"Managed [N] concurrent projects," "coordinated across [N] teams"
Adaptability	"Led the transition from X to Y," "onboarded during rapid growth phase"
Attention to detail	"Zero errors across [N] reports," "quality-checked [volume]"

Language Skills

List language skills with your proficiency level. The two accepted standards are CEFR levels (A1–C2, used in Europe and required on Swiss CVs) and self-described levels. CEFR is more credible for international roles.

CEFR Level	Description	How to list it
A1/A2	Beginner / Elementary	"German — A2 (Beginner)"
B1	Intermediate	"French — B1 (Intermediate)"
B2	Upper Intermediate	"Spanish — B2 (Upper Intermediate, conversational)"
C1	Advanced	"Mandarin — C1 (Advanced, professional working proficiency)"
C2	Proficient / Native	"English — C2 (Native)"

How to Format the Skills Section on a CV

Option 1: Categorised list (recommended for most roles)

Group skills under short category labels. This is the most readable format and makes it easy for recruiters to scan quickly:

Skills

Data & Analytics: SQL, Python, Tableau, Power BI, Google Analytics
Project Management: Agile, JIRA, Asana, stakeholder management
Languages: English (native), German (B2), French (B1)

Option 2: Simple bullet list (suitable for shorter CVs)

Used when you have fewer than 10 skills to list or when the role requires a shorter CV format:

Skills
• Python • SQL • Tableau • Agile • Stakeholder management • German (B2)

Option 3: Skills embedded in experience bullets (strongest signal)

Rather than a separate skills section, skills are named within achievement bullets in the experience section. This approach satisfies ATS keyword matching and provides evidence simultaneously. Best used for senior roles where a standalone skills list may appear thin.

Which Skills to Include Based on the Job Description

The single most important thing you can do with your skills section is match it to the job description. Here is the process:

Copy the job description into a document.
Highlight every skill, tool, technology, and qualification mentioned.
Cross-reference against your actual skills.
Add every skill that appears in the job description and that you genuinely have — using the exact terminology from the description.
Remove generic skills that are not in the job description and do not differentiate you.

If the job description says "Google Analytics" and your CV says "web analytics tools," you may not match the ATS keyword. Use the same language. resum8's CV tailoring tool does this automatically against any job description — and connects to broader ATS keyword strategy.

Quick Checklist: Skills Section Done Right

✓Lists 8 to 15 of your most relevant skills
✓Uses the exact terminology from the job description
✓Groups skills by category for fast scanning
✓Prioritises hard skills (tools, technologies, qualifications)
✓Demonstrates soft skills in experience bullets, not the skills list
✓Lists languages with CEFR levels where relevant
✓Contains nothing you could not be tested on in an interview

See Exactly Which Skills You're Missing

Paste your CV and the job description into resum8. The Skill Match Score shows you what's there, what's missing, and which keywords to add.

Try resum8 Free →

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills should I put on my CV?

Put skills that are directly relevant to the role you are applying for, listed using the same terminology as the job description. Prioritise hard skills (tools, technologies, qualifications) over generic soft skills. Remove any skill you could not demonstrate or discuss in detail in an interview.

Where should the skills section go on a CV?

For most CVs: after your professional summary and before or after your work experience section, depending on how technical the role is. For technical roles (engineering, data, IT), put skills directly after the summary so recruiters can immediately confirm your technical profile. For non-technical roles, skills often appear after work experience.

How many skills should I list on a CV?

Between 8 and 15 skills is typical. Fewer than 8 may appear thin; more than 20 starts to look like a keyword dump, which experienced recruiters recognise. Quality and relevance matter more than quantity — a skills section with 10 highly relevant, specific skills is stronger than one with 25 generic ones.

Should I include soft skills on my CV?

Soft skills are better demonstrated through your experience bullet points than listed as standalone items. "Led a team of 12 across three time zones" demonstrates leadership; "strong leadership skills" in a skills list does not. If you list soft skills, keep them to two or three and make sure they appear as evidence in your experience section too.

What are the most in-demand skills for CVs in 2026?

Across most sectors: AI tool proficiency (prompt engineering, Copilot, GPT tools), data analysis (SQL, Excel, Python), project management (Agile, JIRA), and communication skills demonstrated through specific examples. Sector-specific: cloud platforms (AWS, Azure) for tech; Salesforce for commercial roles; IFRS for finance. The most in-demand skill for any specific role is whatever the job description lists first.