Skills to Put on a Resume in 2026 (With Examples)

The skills section is where resumes either pass the ATS filter or get buried. Most candidates either list too little (missing key keywords) or too much (padding with meaningless filler). Neither works.

This guide covers exactly what to include, how to organize it, and what to leave off — with examples across industries so you can build a skills section that actually does its job.

Why the Skills Section Matters

When your résumé enters an applicant tracking system, it gets parsed for keywords before a human ever reads it. ATS software compares your listed skills against the job description's requirements. If the match rate is low, your résumé may be filtered out before it reaches a recruiter's queue.

Even when a human reviews your résumé, the skills section is usually the first thing they scan after your most recent job title. Recruiters spend a few seconds on a first pass — a clean, relevant skills section makes you easy to evaluate quickly.

The skills section also reinforces your summary and work experience. Listing a skill at the top creates a mental frame that makes the recruiter look for that skill throughout the rest of your résumé. It's both a keyword tool and a positioning tool.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that can be demonstrated and measured. Examples: Python, Google Analytics, project management software, financial modeling, copywriting, welding, fluency in a second language.

Soft skills are interpersonal and behavioral attributes that affect how you work. Examples: communication, adaptability, problem-solving, leadership, time management.

You need both. Hard skills get you through ATS; soft skills influence the hiring decision at the interview stage. The key is listing soft skills with enough context that they don't read as empty filler — but more on that below.

How to Choose the Right Skills

Pull Directly From the Job Description

This is the most important step. Open the job posting, highlight every skill, tool, and qualification mentioned, and cross-reference against what you actually have. Those matches go in your skills section, in the same language the job description uses.

If the job says "Excel proficiency" and you list "Microsoft Excel," you may not get the keyword match. Precision matters.

Match the Level of the Role

A senior analyst and a junior analyst use different tools at different depths. Don't list skills you'd struggle to defend in an interview. And don't undersell yourself by omitting skills you use daily just because you're not an expert.

Don't List the Obvious

Listing "Microsoft Word" for most professional roles is the résumé equivalent of writing "can use a telephone" on a job application. Unless the job posting specifically calls for it — or the role requires advanced Word skills like mail merge, macros, or complex formatting — leave it off. Same goes for "email" and "internet research."

For more on building an ATS-ready résumé from scratch, see our ATS resume tips for 2026.

Top Skills by Category

Tech and Software

Hard skills in technology are highly searchable and often determine whether your résumé makes it through ATS.

• Programming and data: Python, SQL, R, JavaScript, Java, Tableau, Power BI, Excel (advanced), Google Sheets
• Cloud and infrastructure: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce, Snowflake
• Design and product: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Sketch, Canva (for non-design roles only)
• Productivity and project tools: Jira, Asana, Monday.com, Notion, Airtable, Slack, Confluence

Marketing

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization), SEM, Google Analytics (GA4), Google Search Console
• Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram), Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, TikTok Ads
• HubSpot, Marketo, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign
• Content strategy, copywriting, A/B testing, email marketing, CRO (conversion rate optimization)

Operations and Admin

• Project management (specify methodology if relevant: Agile, Scrum, PMP)
• Process improvement, workflow automation, vendor management
• Scheduling, calendar management, data entry, CRM management
• Budget tracking, invoicing, procurement, contract administration

Soft Skills That Actually Hold Weight

Vague soft skills are resume dead weight. These are the soft skills that carry credibility — but only when they're contextualized elsewhere in your résumé:

• Communication — Relevant when your role involves cross-functional collaboration, client-facing work, or presenting to leadership
• Problem-solving — Strongest when paired with examples of complex or ambiguous situations you navigated
• Adaptability — Valuable for fast-moving environments; reinforced by a history of role changes or evolving responsibilities
• Leadership — List this only if you've managed people, led projects, or been formally recognized for it

For a deeper look at distinguishing hard from soft skills on your résumé, see our hard skills vs. soft skills guide.

How to Format the Skills Section

Option 1: Dedicated skills section. A single block near the top (after your summary, before your experience) listing skills in a clean, scannable format — either a two-column layout or a comma-separated list grouped by category.

Option 2: Skills woven throughout. Some candidates list core skills in the summary and then reinforce them inside work experience bullet points. This works well for senior roles where your depth needs context.

Best practice for most applicants: Use a dedicated skills section for ATS readability, then reinforce those skills with concrete examples in your experience section.

Group by category when you have enough skills to warrant it:

Technical: Python, SQL, Tableau, Excel
Marketing: SEO, Google Analytics, HubSpot, Meta Ads
Tools: Salesforce, Jira, Slack, Notion

This structure is faster for a recruiter to scan and easier for ATS to parse than a long, ungrouped list.

Skills to Leave Off

Some skills actively hurt your résumé by making you look out of touch or like you're padding.

• Typing speed — Unless you're applying for a data entry or transcription role, this is not a differentiator
• "Microsoft Word" — Implied for virtually every office role; listing it signals you're running low on real skills
• "Team player," "hard worker," "detail-oriented" — These are empty phrases that every applicant uses. If you can't demonstrate it with a specific example, don't list it
• Outdated software — If a tool is two major versions old and the industry has moved on, remove it
• Skills you'd be uncomfortable discussing in an interview — Don't list anything you can't speak to confidently

FAQ

Q: How many skills should I list on a resume? A: Between 8 and 15 is the practical range for most roles. Fewer than 8 and you may miss ATS keywords; more than 15 and you risk looking like you're padding or listing things you can't back up.

Q: Should I list skill levels (beginner, intermediate, expert)? A: Generally no — unless the job description specifically asks for it or you're in a field where certification or proficiency levels are standard (like language fluency). Self-assessed levels are subjective and rarely add value.

Q: Can I list the same skill in both the skills section and in my work experience? A: Yes, and you should. Listing a skill at the top and demonstrating it in a bullet point is exactly how ATS keyword matching and recruiter conviction work together.

Q: What if I'm changing careers and my skills don't match the job description well? A: Focus on transferable skills that map to the new role, and frame them in the language of the target industry. Your skills section needs to speak to the job you want, not the job you had.

Q: Do soft skills help with ATS? A: Rarely. ATS systems primarily match hard skills and tools. Soft skills belong on the résumé for human readers — but they won't carry your keyword score. Prioritize hard skills for ATS, soft skills for the interview stage.

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