Your skills section is one of the most scanned parts of your CV. Recruiters use it to check quickly whether you have the tools and abilities the job requires, and applicant tracking systems use it to match you to searches.
Hard skills vs soft skills
| Hard skills | Soft skills | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Teachable, measurable abilities | Personal qualities and ways of working |
| Examples | Excel, Python, accounting, welding, Arabic, AutoCAD | Communication, leadership, adaptability, problem solving |
| Where to show them | Skills section + experience bullets | Mostly inside experience bullets with evidence |
| Searched by recruiters? | Very often | Rarely |
How to format a skills section
- List 8–15 skills that genuinely match the job.
- Group them into categories if you have many (Technical, Tools, Languages, Certifications).
- Use the exact names from job adverts (e.g. "Microsoft Power BI").
- Add proficiency only where it is meaningful — especially for languages (Native, Fluent, Intermediate).
- Avoid skill bars and star ratings: they are unclear and many ATS cannot read them.
Put this into practice
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Soft skills employers value — and how to prove them
| Soft skill | Evidence on a CV |
|---|---|
| Communication | Presented monthly results to the leadership team of 10. |
| Leadership | Supervised 6 cashiers and created the weekly rota. |
| Problem solving | Identified a billing error affecting 200 accounts and fixed the root cause. |
| Adaptability | Moved a team of 15 to remote working within one week during an office closure. |
| Teamwork | Worked with design and engineering to launch a feature used by 50,000 customers. |
| Time management | Balanced full-time study with 20 hours a week of part-time work. |
Skills lists for popular jobs
| Job | Key skills |
|---|---|
| Software engineer | JavaScript/TypeScript, React, Node.js, SQL, Git, REST APIs, testing, cloud (AWS/Azure) |
| Nurse | Patient assessment, medication administration, IV therapy, wound care, EHR, BLS/ACLS |
| Teacher | Lesson planning, differentiation, classroom management, assessment, safeguarding, EdTech |
| Accountant | Financial reporting, reconciliations, IFRS/GAAP, tax, Excel, SAP/QuickBooks/Xero |
| Data analyst | SQL, Excel, Python, Power BI/Tableau, statistics, data cleaning, dashboarding |
| Graphic designer | Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, typography, branding, layout |
| Sales executive | Prospecting, negotiation, CRM (Salesforce/HubSpot), pipeline management, closing |
| Customer service | Complaint resolution, CRM/ticketing tools, active listening, upselling, multilingual support |
| Driver | Valid licence category, route planning, vehicle checks, safe driving record, GPS navigation |
| Chef | Menu development, food safety (HACCP), stock control, cost control, kitchen team leadership |
Browse all 60+ CV examples by job for detailed skills and sample bullet points.
Frequently asked questions
How many skills should I put on my CV?+
Usually 8–15. Enough to cover the key requirements of the job without becoming a long, unfocused list.
Should I include basic skills like Microsoft Word?+
Only if the job advert asks for them or you are applying for an entry-level administrative role. Otherwise, use the space for more advanced skills.
Should I list languages?+
Yes — languages are valuable in almost every job. Include your proficiency level for each.
BuildCVFast Editorial Team
This guide is written and reviewed by the BuildCVFast editorial team using current hiring practices, published employer guidance and official government sources where relevant. We update our guides regularly. Read our editorial policy or send us a correction.