In today’s job market, recruiters are increasingly focused on the most critical aspect when hiring: resume skills.

According to LinkedIn, 75 percent of recruiters say that hiring for a candidate’s skills will be their priority in the coming year.

In this guide, you will learn exactly which skills employers want the most and how to list them on your resume. You’ll also discover job-specific skills to help tailor your resume and stand out to recruiters.

The top 10 resume skills employers want the most

Jobscan analyzed more than 10 million job descriptions and 17 million resumes to find the skills that employers want the most. (See full Skills Report).

According to our analysis, here are the top 10 skills employers look for:

1. Communication skills

From our database, 44 percent of job listings sought candidates with communication skills.

Communication is not just about speaking and writing. It’s also about listening, building relationships, and understanding non-verbal cues.

Good communication skills help employees understand their role and the tasks they need to perform. This leads to a more productive and harmonious workplace, helping the business grow and succeed.

Read more: The Top 5 Communication Skills To Include On Your Resume 

2. Leadership skills

Another top skill that 31 percent of jobs require is leadership.

Leadership is the ability to inspire and guide a team toward achieving a common goal. It involves creating a vision, making decisions, and making sure people work together efficiently.

Leadership skills are in high demand because they can determine how successful a company is. This is why leadership is considered a high-income skill.

Read more: Leadership Skills You Need to Include On Your Resume

3. Engineering skills

Engineering is the application of scientific principles to build structures, machines, devices, and systems.

The demand for software engineers, in particular, is on the rise, with a projected job growth of 25% over the next decade. In fact, our data shows that 24 percent of jobs need engineering skills.

Engineering is crucial for many businesses as it helps them come up with new products to sell. It also helps them maintain those products and stay ahead of the competition. 

4. Marketing skills

The next skill required in 23% of job listings is marketing.

Marketing helps companies spread the word about what they have for sale. It also researches customers to find out what they want. A lot of marketing today is digital and involves social media, website optimization, and email.

Marketing is crucial for a business. It builds brand loyalty, drives revenue, and ensures the company’s growth in competitive markets.

5. Sales skills

Among 21 percent of job postings, sales skills are of top priority.

Sales is the ability to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service. 

It’s no wonder that sales is a leading skill. It drives revenue, supports growth, and enables a company to pay its workers. Without sales, a business can’t keep going. 

6. Professional skills

The term “professional” isn’t a skill in the traditional sense. It refers to a set of behaviors such as punctuality, ethical behavior, accountability, and showing respect for others in the workplace.

Our data revealed that 11 percent of jobs required professional skills. Professionalism is important because it fosters trust and promotes a positive work environment.

7. Customer service skills

Customer service is the ability to deal with customers by providing help, answering queries, and resolving issues. It directly impacts customer loyalty, brand reputation, and overall profitability.

How important is customer service?  According to a survey, 61% of customers said they would stop using a brand after only one bad experience. Additionally, among the 10 million job listings we analyzed, 11 percent specifically required candidates to have customer service skills.

Read more: 10 Customer Service Skills You Need on Your Resume in 2023

8. Organizational skills

6 percent of job listings in our database listed organizational skills as a requirement.

Organization is the ability to manage tasks and use resources wisely. It’s about keeping everything in order so you can meet your goals.

Good organizational skills help a company run smoothly and profitably. Over 43 percent of hiring managers look for organizational skills when reviewing the resume skills of job candidates.

Read more: The Top 10 Organizational Skills To Put On Your Resume in 2023

9. Scheduling skills

Scheduling is about making plans for when things should be done. With effective scheduling, teams can ensure they don’t take on more than they can handle. In fact, 6 percent of jobs consider this a top skill requirement.

Time is crucial in business. Proper scheduling ensures that tasks are completed on time. This is essential for maintaining good relationships with clients and stakeholders.

Read more: 7 Time Management Skills You Should Include on Your Resume

10. MS Office skills

For 5 percent of job openings, MS Office skills are in high demand.

MS Office is productivity software that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook. It’s used by over a million companies worldwide.

MS Office is essential for businesses. It facilitates document processing, data management, and communication.

Hard skills vs. soft skills

Before we list the most important skills for specific job titles, let’s talk about the two main types of skills – hard and soft

an infographic showing the difference between hard skills and soft skills

What are hard skills?

Hard skills are specific abilities or knowledge you can learn through education or training. They include things like financial analysis, medical coding, JavaScript, content creation, and database management.

Hard skills often involve specialization in a particular area. This allows individuals to become experts in their field. 

What are soft skills?

Soft skills are the qualities and traits that enable you to interact effectively with other people. That’s why they’re often referred to as “people skills.” 

Soft skills include things like problem-solving, time management, emotional intelligence, and adaptability. 

Don’t overlook your soft skills! They’re not always easy to measure but are highly valued in the workplace as they foster a positive and collaborative work culture.

Soft skills are also transferable

Soft skills are also valuable because they’re transferable. Transferable skills can be used in any role or industry. 

No matter where you work, having transferable skills will help you do your job better and get along with the people around you. If you’re thinking about changing careers, your transferable skills can help you get a new job.

Resume skills for specific job titles

After analyzing more than 10 million job descriptions, Jobscan has discovered the ten hard and soft skills that specific jobs require the most. 

These skills are sorted by the percentage of job descriptions that list each skill. On your resume, try to highlight these skills if you can.

The top 10 account manager skills

An account manager builds and maintains long-term relationships with clients. They coordinate the delivery of services or products and make sure their clients’ needs are always met.

Sales72%
Marketing45%
Account Management 37%
Strategy28%
Technical23%
Customer Service22%
Analytical21%
Presentation19%
Excel19%
Operations18%

Check the full report: Account Manager Skills

The top 10 administrative assistant skills

An administrative assistant provides support to an office or team by handling tasks such as scheduling, correspondence, and filing.

Administrative Support79%
Correspondence40%
Excel38%
Filing34%
Microsoft Office30%
Scheduling29%
Customer Service25%
Travel Arrangements24%
General Administrative23%
Operations18%

Check the full report: Administrative Assistant Skills

The top 10 business analyst skills

A business analyst helps a company figure out what it needs and suggests ways to fix problems.

Analytical45%
Technical40%
Business Analysis35%
Design32%
Reporting29%
Agile27%
Testing27%
Excel26%
Project Management24%
Acceptance Testing23%

Check the full report: Business Analyst Skills

The top 10 data analyst skills

A data analyst looks at numbers and information to find patterns, helping companies understand their data better so they can make smarter choices.

Data Analysis80%
Analytics54%
Analytical47%
Reporting45%
Python40%
Tableau37%
Statistics33%
Excel33%
Computer Science31%
Technical30%

Check the full report: Data Analyst Skills

The top 10 graphic designer skills

A graphic designer uses computer programs to make illustrations and designs that grab people’s attention in cool and creative ways.

Graphic Design71%
Marketing70%
Photoshop63%
Indesign54%
Adobe53%
Adobe Creative53%
Creative Design49%
Brand45%
Typography38%
Social Media34%

Check the full report: Graphic Design Skills

The top 10 marketing manager skills

A marketing manager plans and directs marketing efforts to promote products or services. They also conduct market research to identify demand and potential markets.

Marketing100%
Strategy70%
Management62%
Sales59%
Brand55%
Budget43%
Product41%
Media41%
Campaigns39%
Communication39%

Check the full report: Marketing Manager Skills

The top 10 nursing skills

A nurse provides patient care, gives medications, and monitors patient health. They also educate patients and their families about health conditions.

Nursing73%
Patient Care30%
Healthcare29%
Policies24%
Documentation19%
Safety18%
Acute Care15%
Research14%
Teaching12%
Administration9%

Check the full report: Nursing skills

The top 10 project manager skills

A project manager plans, organizes, and oversees the completion of specific projects. Their job is to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.

Product Management75%
Engineering58%
Product Roadmap51%
Product Strategy51%
Marketing50%
Design44%
Product Development41%
Sales36%
Agile33%
Research32%

Check the full report: Product Manager Skills

The top 10 teacher skills

A teacher instructs and educates students in a specific subject or skill, fostering their intellectual and personal growth.

Education48%
Teaching44%
Training26%
Coaching14%
Design13%
Research12%
Writing12%
Certification11%
Educational Software10%
Administration10%

Check the full report: Teacher Skills

How to choose skills for your resume

Most job seekers create one resume they use to apply to every job. Bad idea! You’ll get way more job interviews if you tailor each resume to the job you’re applying to.

This is because most companies today use computer software to help them hire employees. This software is called an Applicant Tracking System, or ATS.

When you submit your resume, it doesn’t go to a human being first. Instead, it goes directly into an ATS database.

Hiring managers then type keywords into the database’s search bar.

Keywords can be:

These keywords are usually listed in the job description.

If your resume contains these keywords, it’s more likely that a hiring manager will find it.

To fully optimize your resume, try running it through Jobscan’s resume scanner. It will analyze your resume against the description of the job you’re applying to. After each scan, you’ll receive a Match Report listing the skills you should focus on the most, as well as general tips for improving your resume. 

Here’s what a portion of the skills section of the report looks like:

A match report with resume score and recommended hard skills.

To improve your score, you need to incorporate the highlighted skills and keywords into your resume.

Make sure your resume or cv is ready for ats

How to list your skills on a resume

Here are four different ways to list your resume skills:

  1. Create a simple bullet list resume skills section. The most straightforward way is to make a list immediately following your contact information and summary statement
  2. Create a skills list with expanded bullets. You can add context to your expertise by expounding on every skill you listed. This approach is more impactful than only listing the skills. However, it takes up more room at the top of your resume
  3. List additional skills after each job. You may also consider adding shorter skill lists to each work experience section. 
  4. Break resume skills sections into categories. If you’re applying for a role requiring a broad skill set and your work history lends itself to it, consider categorizing your skills into multiple lists.

Read more: Skills For A Job: What Recruiters Want to See on Your Resume

Key takeaways

Listing your skills in your resume is necessary to prove to recruiters and hiring managers that you have the proven experience, skill set, and abilities to perform the job well and add value to the company.

Here are a few things to remember:

  • Your resume skills can either be hard skills or soft skills.
  • Note the specific skills and keywords that are found in the job description. Try incorporating these skills into your resume to increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters.
  • Companies use ATS, or Applicant Tracking Systems to filter candidates based on what’s found in their resumes, such as skills and job-specific keywords.
  • When applying for multiple jobs, tailor your resume to each job application. Use a resume scanner to speed up the process.

Frequently asked questions

What are examples of soft skills for a resume?

Here are some examples of soft skills:
• Communication skills
• Collaboration
• Emotional intelligence
• Conflict resolution
• Time management

What are examples of hard skills for a resume?

Hard skills vary depending on your job or industry. Examples of hard skills include:
• Programming languages (Python, Java, C++)
• Tech (Virtual reality, blockchain, cloud computing)
• Microsoft Suite (Microsoft excel, Microsoft Word)
• Search engine optimization
• Data analysis
• Project management skills
• Graphic design

What are examples of transferable skills?

Transferable skills are abilities you can “transfer” or use in any job in any field or industry.
For example, if you are a sales agent, you probably have good communication skills. You can then use your communication skills for a job in management, HR, teaching, or public relations.

Why do you need to include skills in your resume?

It is critical that you mention skills in your resume because doing this will:
1. Prove to the employers that you have what it takes to do the job.
2. Paint a picture of your technical skills, proficiency, and what differentiates you from the other job candidates.
3. Allow recruiters to quickly assess if you are qualified for the job and if you align with what the company needs.
4. Help you with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), a software many companies use to streamline the screening process. Recruiters use the ATS to find candidates by searching for specific keywords. These keywords are usually job titles and skills.

What are the most important skills you should have on your resume?

You need to list skills that align with the job description. This includes either hard skills or soft skills that are relevant to the job.

How do you know which resume skills to include?

To identify which skills to include in your resume (and even in your cover letter), you need to carefully read the job description. Then you need to highlight important keywords and skills and incorporate them in your resume.
Want to know which skills to include in your resume? Try Jobscan’s resume scanner for free!

How do you organize skills on a resume?

You can organize your skills in the following ways:
1. Write skills in a bullet list.
2. Use an expanded bullet list where you explain about every skill.
3. List skills under your work experience section.
4. Outline skills under different skill categories.

What skills should you list if you have no work experience?

If you have no work experience, you can draw from any transferable skills you have like communication skills or leadership. You can also use any relevant experience outside of work.
Here are some examples:
• Academic achievements
• School projects
• Volunteer experience
• Internships
• Trainings
• Conferences and workshops

What are the technical skills in a resume?

Technical skills include your ability to use technology and any other software or tool.
Here are some examples:
• Database management (MySQL, Oracle)
• Data analysis (Excel, SQL, Tableau)
• Mobile App (iOS, Android)
• Web development (PHP, CSS, HTML)


Make your resume stand out and get noticed

Upload your resume to see what’s missing and get a free match rate.

View full results and optimize your resume


More Helpful Guides

 

Click to rate this article
[Total: 1 Average: 5]