List of Important Skills for a CV [+ How to Write & Where to Put Them]

The skills section in a CV plays an important part in determining whether you’re qualified for the job opening. Based on all types of skills listed on your CV, including hard skills, soft skills, computer skills, and others, employers can see if you can complete the tasks and adapt to the company culture. Thus, a well-written skills section can help you demonstrate your qualifications and get a leg up on the competition. 

Read on to learn key CV skills examples and how to list skills in a CV.

Soft Skills (Personal Skills)

Soft skills are interpersonal attributes that characterize one's relationships in a social or professional environment. In the workplace context, soft skills listed on your CV reflect how you get the work done and interact with other people like colleagues and clients. 

15 examples of soft skills: 

• Active listening
• Communication
• Public speaking
• Collaboration
• Empathy
• Flexibility
• Negotiation
• Problem-solving
• Goal-oriented
• Pay attention to detail
• Positivity
• Respectfulness
• Stress management
• Emotional Intelligence
• Non-verbal cues

Hard Skills (Technical Skills)

Hard skills, also known as technical skills, are abilities or knowledge that are often geared towards a specific career. Unlike soft skills, hard skills are teachable which you can acquire through education and hands-on experience. It’s equally important to highlight your hard skills on your CV so employers can grab a quick idea of your job-related expertise and capabilities. 

Computer Skills (Digital Skills)

Computer skills are digital-related skills that allow you to integrate computer software, tools, and applications in performing tasks at work. Nearly all professions require some level of computer skills, so make sure you list key computer skills on your CV.

10 examples of computer skills:

• MS Office 
• Google Chrome
• Scheduling tools 
• Canva & Figma 
• Spreadsheet
• Communication tools: Gmail, Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, and Skype.
• WordPress 
• Social Media 
• SEO
• Creating attractive and informative presentations

Marketing Skills for CV

• Strong communication
• Attention to market trends 
• Teamwork 
• Strategic thinking
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Data research & analysis
• SEO
• CRM tools
• Social media management 
• Graphic design 

Accounting Skills for CV

• Analytical skills
• Collaboration
• Detail-oriented
• Problem-solving
• Stress management
• Budget development & tracking
• Revenue projections
• Tax accounting 
• GAAP
• Accounting information systems

Retail Skills for CV

• Industry expertise
• Product knowledge 
• POS systems
• Math and money handling skills
• Multitasking
• Attention to market changes 
• Customer service skills 
• Active listening
• Negotiation skills 
• Time management

Project Management Skills for CV

• Multitasking
• Leadership 
• Critical thinking 
• Problem-solving
• Technical expertise
• Conflict resolution
• Risk management
• Social media management
• Communication tools: Slack, Skype, Zoom, and Google Meet
• Project management tools: Trello, Asana, and Zoho Projects

Skills in CV for Freshers

• Communication 
• Collaboration
• Fast learner
• Active listening 
• Self-motivation
• Enthusiasm 
• Technical writing
• Coding 
• Graphic design 
• MS Office skills

Nursing Skills for CV

• Ethics and confidentiality
• Detail-oriented
• Patient 
• Meditech documentation
• Patient/family education
• Nursing Practice Act & JCAHO
• Patient care
• Operating room support
• Equipment use expertise
• Nursing diagnosis

Skills for HR CV

• Talent acquisition
• Workforce management 
• Employee management systems: 15five, Workday, and Connecteam.
• Recruitment tools: Interview Mocha, Vervoe, Predictive Index, and Vidcruiter
• Scheduling 
• Active listening
• Attention to HR trends
• Interpersonal 
• Communications
• Organizational skills 

Cashier Skills for CV

• Accuracy
• Reliability
• Integrity
• Able to work under pressure
• Interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of the products
• Basic math
• Computer skills
• Point of Sale (POS) systems
• Loss prevention techniques

Student Skills for CV

• Creative thinking
• Collaboration across networks
• Diligence
• Adaptability
• Entrepreneurialism
• Interpersonal skills 
• Curiosity
• Accessing and analyzing information
• Social media management 
• MS Office skills

Customer Service Skills for CV

• CRM software: Salesforce CRM, HubSpot Sales Hub, and Monday 
• Customer success management
• Client relationship development 
• Process improvement
• Front-end supervision 
• Business acumen
• Friendly attitude
• Attentiveness
• Dependability
• Effective communication

Skills for Teacher CV

• Gamification
• Online teaching
• Teaching software and tools: ReadWorks, LearnZillion, and TES Teach.
• Communication tools: Microsoft Teams and Zoom
• Classroom scheduling and management
• Communication and interpersonal skills 
• Empathy
• Assertiveness 
• Analytical skills
• Patience

Sales Skills for CV

• Positivity and confidence
• Go-getter attitude
• Resilience
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Social selling 
• Business communication
• Knowledge of product and industry
• Client engagement
• Sales presentations/demos
• Salesforce CRM and ActiveCampaign

Step 1: Brainstorm and write down all the skills you have.

All of us have developed skills in different fields, including job-related skills and good character traits. These can benefit your work to some extent, so list down all the skills you have before moving to the next step. Brainstorming helps you choose the most outstanding skills to write in your CV and eliminate those that are not very beneficial compared to the others. 

Step 2: Carefully read the job description and requirements.

When going over any job description, you can easily find what recruiters and employers would expect to see in job applicants. Thus, make sure you have read it carefully, especially the requirements section, to check a list of skills and qualifications required for the opening job. From that, you can decide what personal qualities and skills for your CV. 

Step 3: Include the key skills on the CV.

According to a recent survey, you have 7-8 seconds to make an impression with your CV or resume. Hence, highlight key skills in your CV only, which should include hard skills, soft skills, and additional skills. The golden tip is mentioned earlier - reviewing the job ad carefully for the list of skills to put on your CV.  

Step 4: Back up the information with numbers and/or specific details.

You can choose to back up your claims with numbers, certifications, or licenses. Those are professional details that employers find impressive and convincing. 

Let us show you how to quantify skills in your CV. 

1. CV Summary

Including the skills in your CV summary is a great way to catch recruiters’ attention, as it is normally the first part of the CV that a recruiter reads. Make sure to highlight your strongest skills that are relevant to the job in this part of your CV.

Check out this example:

2. Skills section

To elaborate on your skills and abilities listed in your CV, you can use different levels of proficiency as follows.  

• Fundamental – You have a knowledge or understanding of the basic techniques and concepts. 
• Basic – You know how to apply your knowledge to fulfill a task. 
• Intermediate – You can utilize this competency to complete diverse job responsibilities. 
• Advanced – You can successfully perform multiple tasks associated with this competency and apply this to improve processes and other work outcomes.
• Proficient (Expert) – You are able to provide guidance, troubleshoot, and answer any question related to this competency.
  

Here’s an example:

3. Work Experience section

Another common and good way to list your skills in your CV is in the work experience section. This is especially great if you are trying to highlight some hard skills related to your profession in your CV.

Here is an example:

4. Certifications section

When you learn certain hard skills, it is often that you learn it by enrolling in a course or by taking a certification course. When this is the case, the certifications section is the perfect place to include your hard skills in your CV.

Here’s how you can include them in your CV:

By including the above, the recruiter would know that you possess: Javascript, SEO, Google Analytics, MS Office and Adobe Photoshop skills.

💡 Include the most relevant skills to the position.

As explained earlier, we all have different skills that specifically benefit our career at some point. Hence, it’s important to tailor your skills section to the specific job, especially hard skills to put on a CV. This way, you can show employers that you're the right fit for the role opening.

💡 Indicate your skill levels.

To further define your knowledge of a particular field, indicate your skill levels with words such as basic, intermediate, proficient, or expert. By doing this, you can create a more structured order to your skills section in your CV and make it look more professional and concrete. 

💡 Use quantifiable results.

Under any circumstances, numbers speak louder than words. Measurable results not only help support the information you provide but also impress employers better. They can see that you’re a competent, goal-oriented, and reliable candidate. For this reason, always try to use quantifiable results to describe how proficient you are in a certain skill on your CV.

💡 Be honest when writing qualities for your CV.

Everyone wants to show the best image and so do you.

However, make sure what you mention in your CV is true. Honesty is also an important quality to list in a CV.  

💡 List different types of skills in your CV.

Employers might be seeking candidates with the ability to perform multiple tasks and contribute to a positive work environment. Thus, showing them different types of your skills on your CV will increase your chance of landing the job interview.