How to List Microsoft Office Skills on a Resume [+50 Examples]

Nowadays, every business and organization depends on Microsoft Office tools for their daily management, operations, and communication (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). Being proficient in Microsoft Office allows you to perform all these responsibilities with accuracy and confidence. Having Microsoft Office skills is a requirement for any kind of profession, hence make sure to list them properly to make your resume stand out.

Read on to learn the most important Microsoft Office skills for a resume and how to describe your proficiency in Microsoft Office.

You may see “Microsoft Office Skills" very often in a job description. Simply put, these are the techniques that you learn when working with Microsoft Office programs or tools. Some depend on your job, but the basics tend to stay the same across industries.

10 examples of important Microsoft Office skills in the workplace:

• Creating and formatting documents
• Presenting data through tables, graphs, and charts
• Executing formulas 
• Delivering attractive and informative presentations
• Using proofreading and editing tools
• Inserting multimedia elements
• Task delegation and assignment on Outlook
• Integrating calendars and schedules
• Printing
• Using other Office applications with Access

Many people tend to overuse the phrase “Proficient in Microsoft Office” on their resume. However, this may mislead employers with “having basic MS Office skills”. For example, basic MS Word skills refer to the ability to create, design, and format documents that look professional and error-free. Meanwhile, a proficient MS Word user is someone who can easily execute a variety of functions, including advanced features. 

No matter what job you’re seeking, being adept at using Microsoft Office will help you succeed in today’s office-based environment. 

Many recruiters consider this as a benchmark to measure the candidate’s quality, irrespective of the industry. Go over the job description and list all required Microsoft Office skills on your CV - this way, your CV will get through applicant tracking systems and pass the initial check.

Having advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office programs is also beneficial when you’re making a career change or expecting a promotion. 

📝 Microsoft Word skills

As the best word processing and document creation, Microsoft Word is the most familiar MS Office tool for you. Include Microsoft Word skills on your CV no matter which job and position you’re applying for. 

📝 Microsoft Excel skills

Even if you aren’t pursuing a data-driven career, you still need to know how to use Microsoft Excel on some level.

📝 Microsoft PowerPoint skills

For years, Microsoft PowerPoint has been the go-to presentation tool for a variety of purposes, from lectures to conferences. By making an engaging slideshow, you can even demonstrate your creativity.

📝 Microsoft Outlook skills

Microsoft Outlook is an email platform that includes various functions like calendaring, task managing, note-taking, web browsing, etc. Many other company email systems exist today, but many companies also still utilize Microsoft Outlook, so it still is an important skill to have.

📝 Microsoft OneNote skills

OneNote is a note-taking application and productivity tool that is handy for sharing information within a team. Even though it’s not commonly used as Word, it is worth having a basic understanding and techniques.

📝 Microsoft Access skills

Microsoft Access is a database management system from which can link directly to other apps and databases. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, many companies use Microsoft Access to retrieve and analyze information, as well as organizing and sharing data within teams.

📝 Microsoft Publisher skills

Microsoft Publisher is a desktop publishing application used for creating materials like event programs and newsletters. Rather than text composition and proofing, the tool focuses on page layout and design.

There are a few sections where you can show off your Microsoft Office skills to recruiters. Some of them are in the skills section, work experience section or licenses & certifications section. Read on for more tips and examples on how to list Microsoft skills on your resume.

1. In the “Skills” section

Whether you’re a fresher or senior, your resume has to cover the “skills section", including both hard skills and soft skills. Microsoft Office skills fall under the category of “Hard/Technical Skills” as these can be taught and measured. 

Keep in mind to review the job description carefully for MS Office-related requirements. Hence, you can add or match them with the skills section in your resume/CV.

2. In the “Work Experience” section

To further demonstrate your ability to use Microsoft Office, “work experience” is a go-to section. Employers can have a clearer picture of how you apply MS Office skills on your job responsibilities. Also, you can relate these to the job you’re applying for if relevant.

Here's an example of MS Office skills in the work experience section:

3. In the “Licenses & Certifications” section

When it comes to knowledge, nothing can be more credible than a "licenses and certifications". Hence, showcase any related information that demonstrates your levels of Microsoft Office skills in a professional and convincing way. 

Here's an example of including Microsoft Office certifications in your resume:

🖋 Using levels of proficiency ratings.

Like language proficiency, Microsoft Office skills also have a benchmark to measure the user level. This way, employers find it easy to read and understand about you. That’s why many candidates choose to describe their ability to use Microsoft Office on their resumes by using major levels of proficiency. 

5 major levels of proficiency are:

• Fundamental
• Basic
• Proficient
• Intermediate
• Advanced

🖋 Including Microsoft Office certifications.

As mentioned earlier, certifications on a resume/CV prove that you have gained solid knowledge and been approved by a trusted organization. Note that Microsoft Office certifications should be listed in a separate section in your resume.  

Check out this example of the resume “Certifications” section: 

How would you describe your Microsoft Office skills effectively on your resume?

Read on to see the 3 useful tips!

💡 List only the abilities you really have.

What you write on the CV is the first piece of information employers have about you - so, be honest and accurate. Don’t list MS Office skills that you don’t actually know, which may prevent you from being put in the right seat for success.

💡 Use bullet points.

Bullet points make the resume easy-to-read, professional, and organized. It particularly works well for describing your proficiency in Microsoft Office as employers can get a quick idea of which tool you are adept at using. 

💡 Quantify your achievements.

A huge benefit of Microsoft Office is helping boost business productivity. Thus, show employers how you leverage these tools to accomplish job tasks, for example: 

“Gained 28% reduction of overages by executing Excel formulas to report spreadsheets.”