From a physical therapist to an actor to a handyman, every job requires a certain level of professional skills to accomplish goals and achieve results. Just handling your most mundane daily responsibilities requires using skills you may not even notice anymore. But you’re using them! And when it comes time to apply for a new job, it’s critical that you show these skills to employers.
But what skills do you include on your resume? The answer will be different for every role and candidate. Your professional skills will include a blend of both the specialized technical skills required for your role and the more broad soft skills you use to stay on task, handle challenges and work well with others.
Want to understand which professional skills to include on your resume? Our guide will walk you through it.
Here, you’ll discover:
- A professional skills definition so you can understand their role on your resume.
- Examples of professional skills you can use to build a resume that gets interviews.
- Practical tips to help you improve your professional skills.
- Key takeaways to help you remember what matters.
Need to build a resume fast? Try our Resume Builder. This tool offers tailored content suggestions for most jobs and formatting tips to help you create a resume where you can showcase your most impressive skills and abilities.
What are professional skills and why are they important?
Professional skills are any of the hard and soft skills that enable you to handle your work responsibilities, collaborate with your team, rise to meet challenges and achieve results.
This definition includes both the specialized hard skills related to your line of work, including subject matter expertise and proficiency with important tools, and the soft skills that help you establish strong working habits, communicate effectively and regulate your emotional state so you can thrive under pressure.
That’s why your professional skills will be different depending on your career. So when it comes to which professional skills to include on your resume, you’re the expert! Think about the skills you use every day to accomplish your goals. Talk to high achievers in your industry and look at resume examples from the role you’re targeting to get a better grasp on what professional skills matter most for your role.
Another gold mine for professional skills is the job ad. The skills listed in the job description for the role you’re targeting can help you identify which professional skills are most likely to help your resume pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS), impress the hiring manager and ultimately land you an interview.
40+ professional skills examples for your resume
We’ve provided a list of professional skills to help you get started on your resume’s skills section. Keep in mind that the specific skills you should include will vary a lot depending on your role.
While the soft skills included here might apply to both a registered nurse and a software engineer, the expertise required for each of these roles is very different. Use your best judgment to decide which skills are a good fit for your resume.
Technical skills
In today’s world, most careers require some level of computer literacy. The following technical skills will help you show employers how great you are at using software tools to your advantage and learning new things on the go.
Technical skills for your resume:
- Software development (e.g., Java, Python)
- Web design (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
- Data analysis (Excel, SPSS, R)
- Cloud computing (AWS, Azure)
- Database management (SQL, MongoDB)
- Cybersecurity protocols
- CAD software
- Project management tools (JIRA, Asana)
Soft skills
Soft skills sometimes take a back seat to technical abilities, but they shouldn’t! Employers want to hire employees with good working habits and strong soft skills, which are almost impossible to teach. Here are some options that work for almost any resume.
Soft skills for your resume:
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Adaptability
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict resolution
Business skills
No matter the industry, leadership roles generally require a degree of business acumen. Show employers that you’re prepared to take responsibility by demonstrating your understanding of the business side of your industry.
Business skills for your resume:
- Strategic planning
- Financial forecasting
- Marketing and sales techniques
- Business development
- Budgeting
- Risk management
- Customer relationship management (CRM)
- Negotiation
- Operational analysis
Creative skills
Whether you work in a creative role or not, the ability to think creatively and use creative tools is a major asset. Show employers your innovative mindset by showing off your creative skills.
Creative skills for your resume:
- Graphic design (Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator)
- Content writing and editing
- Digital marketing (SEO, SEM)
- UX/UI design
- Video production
- Design principles
- Brand development
- Ideation
- Artistic visualization
Interpersonal skills
Working with others is an important skill that can make or break your workplace experience. Demonstrate your collaborative abilities by including interpersonal skills alongside the other soft skills on your resume.
Interpersonal skills for your resume:
- Empathy
- Persuasion
- Public speaking
- Active listening
- Mentoring
- Diplomacy
- Networking
How to list professional skills on your resume
Now that we’ve explored some potential professional skills examples for your resume, let’s discuss how to effectively showcase them to communicate your competency and versatility to potential employers.
Step 1Begin by analyzing the job description
The first step in building any resume is to examine the job listing closely. The job description is your roadmap for customizing your resume. Identify the professional skills that the employer lists for their ideal candidate. These keywords indicate what professional skills will help you succeed in the role and stand out during the application process.
For example, consider this job listing:
Our ideal candidate for the role of marketing manager is someone who can:
- Execute effective digital marketing campaigns.
- Design engaging content for various digital platforms.
- Analyze market trends to adjust strategies accordingly.
- Lead and motivate a team to achieve marketing goals.
The bolded keywords represent the professional skills that are likely to attract the attention of the hiring department for this role.
Featuring professional skills from the job listing not only aligns you with the requirements of the role and impresses recruiters, but it also helps your resume stand out to applicant tracking systems (ATS) that filter resumes based on preset keywords.
Highlight professional skills in your skills section
Your skills section is the place to draw attention to your most critical hard and soft skills. List a balanced mix of both types and be specific — if there’s a particular software or methodology you’re proficient in, list it by name.
Step 3Incorporate professional skills throughout your resume
Your skills section isn’t the only place to feature your professional capabilities. Your work history section gives you a chance to show how you put your skills to work and accomplish measurable results.
Consider this example:
Marketing Manager
ABC Company, City, State
January 2020 – March 2024
- Launched digital campaigns that increased brand engagement by 50%.
- Crafted content that enhanced online presence across platforms.
- Conducted market analysis to guide strategy adjustments.
- Led a team that surpassed set marketing targets by 13%.
Your resume profile also provides a space to emphasize a few of your most important abilities right at the start of your resume. These are the first professional skills that employers will notice when they begin reading your resume, so select those that are most relevant to the role and your expertise.
Results-driven marketing manager with over 10 years of experience in executing effective digital marketing campaigns and designing engaging content for various digital platforms. Proven ability to analyze market trends and adjust strategies to optimize performance. Skilled in leading and motivating teams to achieve marketing goals, resulting in a 25% increase in lead generation and a 15% boost in conversion rates year-over-year. Adept at leveraging data-driven insights to drive continuous improvement and innovation in marketing initiatives.
If you’re just beginning your career, consider using a functional resume format to prominently feature your professional skills, even if you lack extensive work experience.
Don’t forget to mention professional skills in your cover letter
Your cover letter is a crucial element of your job application process. It allows you to expand on your resume and express your enthusiasm for the role in more specific and personable terms. Here, you can draw even more attention to your professional skills by discussing how these competencies have allowed you to achieve incredible outcomes.
For help getting started, look for cover letter examples that include strong professional skills. Our Cover Letter Builder can help get you started by providing generated text based on your background and offering professional formatting assistance, making the cover letter-writing process smooth and painless.
How to improve your professional skills
Improving your professional skills can be a great way to help your resume get noticed and show employers that you’re ready for the next stage of your career. Here are some tips to help get you started. Improve your professional skills by:
Identifying areas for improvement: Feedback is an extremely valuable resource. Listen to employers and colleagues and ask for areas that you should focus on in your career. Figuring out which skills have the most room for improvement gives you a great starting point for your professional development.
Learning with enthusiasm: Learning new things and developing abilities can be challenging, but the Wall Street Journal notes that committing yourself to the learning process and devoting 100% of your attention to the task at hand can be a big help when it comes to efficiently developing your skills.
Relying on the professionals: Sometimes, figuring out how to start developing a skill is the hard part. That’s why we recommend taking a structured approach to upskilling using online resources like Coursera and Udemy.
More skills resources
Looking for help understanding, improving or listing a different career skill? Check out our other guides for help making the most out of your resume skills.
Now, let’s explore some key takeaways to help you remember what’s important!
Key takeaways
-
List professional skills on your resume
No matter your industry, career level or focus, your resume should showcase your most vital professional skills in your skills section and throughout the other sections of your resume.
-
Demonstrate soft skills
Strong working habits and interpersonal skills make a big difference in any career. While your technical skills are important, don’t neglect your more subtle skills. Employers want to know that they can rely on you.
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Showcase technical skills
Think about the tools and subject matter knowledge that you use in your day-to-day work. These technical abilities are specific to your career and have been earned through experience and training. Make sure they align with the job description and feature them prominently on your resume.
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Improve your professional skills
Accept feedback from employers and colleagues to help you target the professional skills you should hone in on improving. If you’re not sure where to start, online resources can provide a structured approach to help you get started.
Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.
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