Resume Skills Examples: 200+ Skills for Every Industry (2026)
Table of contents
A skills section gives readers a concise view of relevant tools and abilities. Clear, accurate wording can help someone assess your fit; how employers search or screen applications varies.
Below are skills lists by industry and role, the rules for how many to list and in what order, and the soft-skill problem: which three are worth the space and which are pure filler. Everything is written as the recruiter searches for it, not as it sounds.
Rules first
Five rules that make a skills section work
- 1
Keep the list concise and relevant
There is no ideal count for every role. Include the skills most relevant to the posting that you can demonstrate, and remove duplicates or terms that add little context.
- 2
Put the advert's skills first
Review the job description for relevant tools and abilities. Use familiar terms where they accurately describe your experience, then add other skills that help explain your fit.
- 3
Group into two or three typed lines
A labelled block reads faster than a comma cloud and it shows the reader where each skill lives in your experience: Languages, Tools, Practices.
- 4
Use the string the recruiter types
Where useful, pair an acronym with its full name or a common variant—for example, 'GA4 (Google Analytics 4)'. Include only terms that accurately describe your skills.
- 5
Support soft-skill claims with examples
Include a soft skill when it is relevant, and support it with an example where possible. Generic adjectives are less informative than a specific description of your work.
Weak
Skills: Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, communication, teamwork, hard-working, Excel formulas, pivot tables, data entry, time management, reliable, fast learner, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, customer service, attention to detail, problem solving, multitasking, typing, 60 WPM
Stronger
Analysis: Advanced Excel (Power Query, pivot tables, lookups), SQL Reporting: Power BI, Google Sheets, weekly/monthly management packs Ways of working: Stakeholder reporting, process documentation, data quality control
Why: the rewrite groups, trims and puts the advert's terms in front.
The distinction
Hard skills, soft skills and where they belong
| Hard (technical) skills | Soft (transferable) skills | |
|---|---|---|
| How to describe them | Use specific tools and abilities that are relevant to the role | Support them with examples from your work where possible |
| Where they belong | In the skills section, and again inside bullets where used | In the summary and inside bullets as evidence, not as a list |
| How many to list | Include relevant skills you can demonstrate | Choose a few that are relevant and supported by examples |
| Example | SQL, Power BI, Salesforce, IFRS, SolidWorks, Kubernetes, GA4 | Stakeholder management, conflict resolution, written communication |
| How to make them credible | Name the tool, the version, the scale or the certification | Attach a measurable outcome in the same bullet |
Library
Skills by industry
Technology and software
| Group | Common searched skills |
|---|---|
| Languages | JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, Go, C#, PHP, SQL, Kotlin, Swift |
| Frontend | React, Next.js, Vue, Angular, Tailwind CSS, Redux, accessibility (WCAG), Core Web Vitals |
| Backend & data | Node.js, Django, FastAPI, Spring Boot, REST, GraphQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, Kafka |
| Cloud & DevOps | AWS, Azure, GCP, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD, GitHub Actions, observability, Datadog |
| Practices | System design, code review, unit testing, trunk-based development, on-call, Agile, incident response |
Sales, marketing and customer roles
| Group | Common searched skills |
|---|---|
| Sales | B2B SaaS sales, pipeline management, MEDDIC, discovery calls, negotiation, quota attainment, Salesforce, HubSpot |
| Marketing | SEO, content strategy, Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, Meta Ads, email marketing, marketing automation, conversion rate optimisation, A/B testing |
| Creative | Brand positioning, copywriting, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Canva, video editing, social content strategy |
| Customer success | Account management, renewals, onboarding, QBRs, churn reduction, Zendesk, Intercom, Gainsight |
Finance, accounting and operations
| Group | Common searched skills |
|---|---|
| Accounting | IFRS, GAAP, month-end close, statutory accounts, reconciliations, VAT returns, audit support, ACCA, ACA, CIMA, CPA |
| Analysis | Financial modelling, forecasting, variance analysis, budgeting, Power BI, Excel (Power Query, pivots), NetSuite, SAP, Xero |
| Operations | Process improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, SOP development, inventory management, WMS, supply chain planning, ISO 9001 |
| Project & programme | PRINCE2, Agile, Scrum, stakeholder management, RAID logs, budget ownership, MS Project, Jira, Confluence |
Healthcare, education and public sector
| Group | Common searched skills |
|---|---|
| Clinical | Patient assessment, medication administration, safeguarding, infection control, NMC registration, BLS/ALS, clinical documentation |
| Health admin | EMIS, SystmOne, medical terminology, appointment scheduling, clinical coding (SNOMED CT), GDPR in healthcare |
| Teaching | QTS, curriculum design, differentiation, SEN support, assessment for learning, safeguarding, GCSE and A-level delivery |
| Public sector | Policy analysis, freedom of information, case management, stakeholder engagement, public procurement, DBS checks |
Library
Skills lines for specific roles
Ready-to-adapt skills blocks
Each block leads with what the role is hired for, then the tools, then the practices.
Data Analyst: SQL, Python (pandas), Power BI, Tableau, Excel (Power Query), dbt, data modelling, dashboard design, stakeholder reporting
Analysis tools first, then modelling, then the communication skill that gets analysts hired.
Registered Nurse (Cardiology): patient assessment, cardiac monitoring, medication administration, SBAR handover, infection control, SystmOne, BLS, NMC registered
Registration belongs in the list as well as the headline, because searches filter on it.
Project Manager: Agile and Waterfall delivery, PRINCE2 Practitioner, RAID logs, budget ownership up to £2M, vendor management, Jira, Confluence, stakeholder reporting
Methodologies plus the budget figure — scope signals seniority.
Customer Success Manager: account management, renewals and expansion, onboarding, QBRs, churn analysis, Salesforce, Zendesk, Gainsight, SQL basics
Retention motion plus the stack. 'SQL basics' is honest labelling and still searches well.
Warehouse Supervisor: team leadership (22 staff), WMS (Manhattan), inventory accuracy, health & safety compliance, shift planning, forklift licence (counterbalance), KPIs and reporting
Operational roles should include licences and compliance — those are real screening filters.
Marketing Manager: SEO, content strategy, paid social, Google Ads, GA4, marketing automation (HubSpot), campaign analytics, budget management (£300k), team leadership
Channels, tools, analytics, budget, leadership — the five categories marketing leads screen for.
Teacher of Mathematics: curriculum design (KS3–KS5), assessment for learning, differentiation, SEN support, Google Classroom, data-driven intervention, QTS
Pedagogy first, tool second, qualification last.
Graduate Software Engineer: TypeScript, React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Git, unit testing (Jest), Docker, REST API design, CI/CD (GitHub Actions)
Graduates should list what they have actually shipped with, not every language they have touched.
Formatting
Where to put the section and how to order it
| Your situation | Placement | Order within the section |
|---|---|---|
| Technical role, strong stack | Directly under the summary, above experience | Advert's required tools first, grouped by type |
| Experienced professional, steady history | After the most recent role, before education | Specialism first, tools second, practices last |
| Career changer | Directly under the summary, in the target field's language | New-field skills first, transferable practices second |
| Recent graduate | Under education and projects | Coursework-derived tools first, then practices |
| Manager or director | After experience; the resume leads with outcomes | Leadership scope, then domain expertise, then tools |
- Use one separator consistently — commas inside a group, semicolons or bullets between groups.
- Bold the group labels (Languages, Tools) rather than individual skills; bolding everything emphasises nothing.
- Avoid relying on rating bars or icons alone to communicate a skill level; explain proficiency in text if it is relevant.
- Keep every listed skill interview-safe. If you would not want to be questioned on it, it does not belong on the page.
- Keep essential skills in selectable text and inspect the exported document's reading order.
Do it now
Build your skills block in four steps
- 1
Harvest from the advert
Review the job description for relevant skills, tools and methods. Include only those that accurately describe your experience; there is no fixed number to target.
- 2
Add your strongest real tools
Add other relevant tools and abilities that you can explain or demonstrate. Remove duplicates and anything unrelated to the role.
- 3
Group and label
Group related skills under clear labels and preview the layout so it is easy to scan.
- 4
Prove the top three
Where possible, show important skills in context in your experience or project examples rather than relying only on a list.
Do
- Mirror the advert's exact wording where it is true
- Label groups (Languages, Tools, Practices)
- Label proficiency honestly — 'working knowledge' is respected
- Include certifications and licences as skills where relevant
Don't
- List 40+ skills to look comprehensive
- Fill the list with soft skills and adjectives
- Use rating bars or star graphics
- Include skills you would dread being interviewed on
Related reading: bullet point examples for turning the top three skills into evidence, certification examples for the credentials that back them up, and the software engineer guide for a technical role worked through end to end.
Frequently asked questions
How many skills should go on a resume?
What are the best skills to put on a resume in 2026?
Do soft skills belong on a resume?
Should I list skills I am still learning?
Where should the skills section go?
About this guide
Hiring and applicant-tracking practices vary by employer and platform, so no format, keyword check or tool can guarantee an interview. Treat example details and metrics as models, not verified outcomes; use only facts you can support from your own experience.
Something out of date or wrong? Tell us — we review suggested corrections and update the guide when appropriate. Last reviewed .
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