Skills to Put on a Resume: Hard and Soft Skills List (2026)

The skills section is the part of a resume or CV that most people rush. They copy a handful of words from an old document, add "good communicator" and "team player", and move on. Yet the skills you choose, and the way you prove them, are often what makes an employer keep reading. I've pulled the guidance below from the UK's National Careers Service and the US CareerOneStop service, plus the plain definitions of hard and soft skills, so you can pick the right skills for each application and back every one of them up.

Hard skills and soft skills: what the difference means for your CV

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities linked to a task, such as using accounting software, writing code or speaking Spanish. They can usually be tested or shown with a qualification. Soft skills are the personal and interpersonal side: communication, teamwork, problem solving, adaptability and how you work with people.

The National Careers Service says employers look for a mix of both. That's the key point. A resume full of software names but no sign of how you work with people looks thin, and one full of personal qualities with no concrete abilities looks vague. Aim for a balance that matches the job.

Example skills to put on a resume, by type

Use these lists as prompts, not as something to paste in whole. Only include skills you can explain and give an example for.

Communication skills

• Writing clear emails, reports and proposals
• Presenting to groups or clients
• Explaining technical ideas in plain English
• Active listening and handling feedback
• Negotiating with suppliers or customers

Problem solving and thinking skills

• Spotting the cause of a recurring problem
• Planning and prioritising work
• Making decisions with incomplete information
• Improving a process so it takes less time
• Research and analysis

People and self-management skills

• Teamwork and collaboration
• Leadership and supervising others
• Customer service
• Time management and meeting deadlines
• Adaptability when plans change

Digital and marketing skills

• Social media management
• Email marketing and newsletters
• Writing for websites and search
• Basic graphic design
• Using AI writing and research tools responsibly

Software and data skills

• Spreadsheets, formulas and pivot tables
• Word processing and presentation software
• CRM and booking systems
• Bookkeeping or accounts software
• Reporting and data visualisation

Languages and specialist skills

• Spoken and written languages, with your level
• Industry licences and certificates
• Trade or technical skills specific to the role
• Health and safety training
• First aid

If you're wondering whether to list AI tools specifically, my guide on putting AI tools on your resume walks through when it helps and how to word it.

How to match your skills to a job advert

The National Careers Service suggests reading the job advert carefully, especially the essential criteria, and highlighting the skills the employer asks for. CareerOneStop gives similar advice: include what the employer says they need, then add a few skills that reflect your other strengths. Here's a simple way to do it:

1. Print or copy the job advert and underline every skill, tool and quality it mentions.
2. Split them into two groups: essential and nice to have.
3. Next to each one, write a short example from your work, study, volunteering or everyday life.
4. Use the employer's own wording where it's accurate for you, so both people and screening software recognise it.
5. Drop skills that aren't relevant to this role, even if they're true. A focused list reads better than a long one.

If the advert is short on detail, the National Careers Service job profiles describe the skills and tasks typical of each role, which gives you a useful starting list.

Where skills belong on a resume or CV

CareerOneStop says skills should run through your whole resume rather than sit in one box. In practice, that means three places:

• Your summary or introduction. A few lines under your name that mention the two or three skills most relevant to the job.
• A skills section. A short, scannable list under a plain heading such as Skills. CareerOneStop suggests grouping skills under a few categories that matter for the role.
• Your work history. Bullet points that show each key skill in action, with a result where you can.

CareerOneStop also points out that showing a key skill in more than one place, for example in your skills list and again in your work history, helps applicant tracking systems pick it up. It also recommends standard headings and warns that tables, text boxes, columns and graphics can be scrambled by that software, so keep the layout simple.

How to prove each skill with an example

Anyone can write "excellent communication skills". CareerOneStop specifically advises against generic phrases like that. The fix is to show the skill instead of naming it. The National Careers Service suggests describing what you did in each role using the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result.

Vague wording	Stronger wording
Good communicator	Wrote the weekly customer newsletter and answered replies personally
Team player	Worked with the warehouse team to cut late deliveries
Organised	Ran the rota for a team of part-time staff across two sites
Good with computers	Built spreadsheet reports that replaced a manual weekly tally
Problem solver	Found the cause of repeated booking errors and fixed the form

Keep each example short and true. If you can't think of an example for a skill, that's a sign to leave it out for now.

Skills for a CV when you have little experience

If this is your first job or you're changing careers, you still have skills. The National Careers Service suggests drawing on projects, placements, volunteering and hobbies. Captaining a sports team, for example, shows leadership and organisation. CareerOneStop's transferable skills guidance suggests listing the tasks you've done and underlining the action words, then comparing that list with the jobs you want.

For more help getting ready, my guide on preparing for an interview with no experience covers how to talk about these skills out loud.

UK CV versus US resume: skills wording to watch

In the UK, the document you send for most jobs is called a CV. In the US, it's usually a resume, and CV tends to mean a longer academic document. The skills advice is much the same on both sides, but a few things differ:

• Spelling: use British spelling for UK roles (organised, analysed) and American spelling for US roles (organized, analyzed).
• Personal details: the National Careers Service advises leaving out details such as age, date of birth, marital status and nationality.
• Headings: UK CVs often open with a personal statement or profile; US resumes often call it a summary.
• References: the National Careers Service suggests writing that references are available on request rather than listing contact details.

Myths about resume skills to ignore

• "The longer the skills list, the better." A short list that matches the job reads far better than a long one.
• "Soft skills don't count." The official guidance says employers look for a mix of hard and soft skills.
• "One CV fits every job." Tailoring to each advert is the advice from both careers services.
• "Fancy layouts get noticed." Screening software can scramble tables and columns, so simple usually works better.
• "You can't list skills from outside work." Volunteering, study and everyday life all count when you can give an example.

Once your skills are sorted, you can speed up the writing itself. My roundup of free AI resume makers covers tools that help you draft bullet points. Whatever you use, keep your own voice and check every claim is true.

Do you make a CV or resume builder? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top skills to put on a resume?

The right skills are the ones the job advert asks for that you can prove. Aim for a mix of hard skills, such as software or languages, and soft skills, such as communication and teamwork.

How many skills should I list on my CV?

Keep the list short and relevant to the role. CareerOneStop suggests grouping skills under a few categories that matter for the job rather than writing a long list.

Should I put soft skills on my resume?

Yes. The National Careers Service says employers look for a mix of hard and soft skills. Show soft skills with a short example in your work history rather than just naming them.

Where do I put skills on a resume?

Mention your key skills in your summary, list them in a short skills section, and show them in action in your work history bullet points.

What's the difference between hard skills and soft skills?

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities linked to a task, such as using software. Soft skills are personal and interpersonal, such as communication, teamwork and problem solving.

Is a CV the same as a resume?

In the UK, CV is the usual word for a job application document. In the US, resume is more common, and CV often means a longer academic document.