How to List Skills on a Resume (With Examples)

Updated 2026-07-09 · Applio

List skills in a dedicated section using the exact terms from the job description, prioritizing hard skills and tools. Keep it concise, group related skills, and prove your most important soft skills through accomplishments in your experience section rather than just naming them.

Where should the skills section go?

Place a dedicated skills section near the top of your resume if your abilities are the main selling point, such as in technical, IT, or trade roles. For most professionals, a compact skills section works well just below the summary or after the experience section.

Keep it scannable. A simple grouped list is easier to read and easier for an applicant tracking system to parse than a graphic with skill "rating bars," which many systems cannot read at all.

What is the difference between hard and soft skills?

Hard skills are teachable, measurable abilities such as Python, financial modeling, SEO, Salesforce, or a second language. These are what ATS keyword searches usually target, so list them explicitly.

Soft skills are interpersonal and behavioral traits like communication, leadership, and adaptability. They matter, but they are more convincing when demonstrated. Instead of only listing "leadership," show it with a bullet like "Led a cross-functional team of six to launch a product two weeks ahead of schedule."

How do you choose which skills to include?

Start with the job description. The skills an employer repeats are the ones your resume should mirror, using their exact wording.

Prioritize hard skills and tools the role explicitly requires.
Include the exact keyword and, where natural, the acronym and full term (for example, "SEO (Search Engine Optimization)").
Group related skills under clear labels like Technical, Languages, or Certifications.
Only list skills you can honestly discuss in an interview.
Drop generic filler like "Microsoft Word" unless the job specifically calls for it.

How many skills should you list?

Aim for roughly 8 to 12 targeted skills rather than an exhaustive dump. A long, unfocused list dilutes your strongest qualifications and signals that you have not tailored the resume.

Tailor this list for every application. A skill that is central to one job may be irrelevant to the next, and swapping in the right keywords is one of the highest-impact edits you can make.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use skill rating bars or star ratings?

It is best to avoid them. Rating graphics are subjective, take up space, and often cannot be read by applicant tracking systems. Plain text grouped by category is more reliable.

Do soft skills belong in the skills section?

You can list a few key soft skills, but they carry more weight when proven through achievements in your experience section. Lead with hard skills, which are what most keyword searches target.

Should my skills match the job description exactly?

Yes, mirror the employer's exact wording for skills you genuinely have. Matching their terminology improves your keyword relevance for the ATS and makes your fit obvious to recruiters.