Crafting a Compelling ‘Skills’ Section on Your Resume
The ‘skills’ section of the resume is actually an often overlooked section of the resume. What’s ironic is that it’s actually one of the most critical parts of the document. Recruiters are often dealing with a sea of resumes, and this is usually the section they view to do a quick gut check if someone is qualified. It serves as a snapshot of your abilities, allowing recruiters to quickly assess whether you have the necessary competencies for the role. It’s also one of the easier places to differentiate yourself from other candidates – you can easily demonstrate the competencies you bring to the table in a clean, bulleted list. In this article, we share our expert tips for the ‘skills’ section of your resume so you can grab a recruiters attention and land that interview.
For example:
- Account Executive: Client relationship management, negotiation, Salesforce CRM
- Partnership Manager: Strategic partnerships, product expertise, cross-functional collaboration
- Marketing Analyst: Data analysis, Market research, Google Analytics
- Project Manager: Strategic planning, communication skills, team leadership
- Data Analyst: Data visualization, SQL, Statistical analysis
These examples illustrate how the skills you choose to highlight should align with the specific role you’re applying for. By including the right skills, you not only immediately grab the recruiter’s attention, but you also make it easier for them to visualize you in the role.
Types of Skills to Showcase
Instead of just writing out a long list of random skill sets (which is sure to make a recruiter pass over your resume), you want to be purposeful with what you include and present the skills in an organized way. To do this, you need to understand the types of skills you can highlight.
1. Functional Skills
Functional skills refer to competencies or abilities that are applicable across various roles and industries. These are often referred to as ‘soft skills’ and refer to things like communication, leadership, or problem-solving.
While it’s perfectly acceptable to just list out these skills in bulleted form, you may want to go an extra step and add a line or two about the skill. Here are some examples of how you would do this:
- Communication: “Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting to executive stakeholders.”
- Leadership: “Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage projects from start to finish.”
- Problem-Solving: “Skilled in identifying process inefficiencies and implementing solutions that reduce costs and increase productivity.”
2. Industry-Specific Skills
Unlike functional skills, these skills refer to competences or abilities that are specific to the industry you are applying to. Highlighting these can demonstrate your deep understanding of your field, which oftentimes sets you apart from more generalist candidates.
For example:
- Healthcare Industry: “Knowledge of HIPAA regulations and experience with Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems.”
- Financial Services: “Proficient in financial modeling and analysis using tools like Bloomberg Terminal.”
- Retail Industry: “Experience in inventory management and merchandising within a high-volume retail environment.”
3. Software Skills
In today’s digital age, software proficiency is often usually a must-have, regardless of the industry to are applying to. For this reason, it’s a good idea to list the specific tools and platforms you’re experienced with and can navigate. This is also usually a great place to differentiate yourself if you can show expertise with specialized software that other candidates may not be familiar with.
For example:
- Salesforce CRM: “Experienced in managing client data and sales pipelines using Salesforce CRM.”
- Tableau: “Proficient in tracking and analyzing website performance metrics using Tableau.”
- Microsoft Excel: “Advanced skills in Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and data visualization.”
4. Company-Specific Skills
If you find yourself applying to a company that offers or uses specific tools, methodologies, or practices, it’s a great idea to mention these as well. Even if you haven’t used the exact tool, showing familiarity with it can give you an edge.
For example:
- Amazon: Awareness of Amazon’s Leadership Principles and your experience in a high-growth, customer-obsessed environment.
- Google: Experience with the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework, a methodology famously embraced by Google during its early years.
- Tesla: Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles and experience in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.
Tailoring Skills to the Job Description
One of the best things you can do when you are writing your resume is make sure that the skills you highlight align to the actual job description. In fact, this is the case with all sections of the resume (like the About You or Work Experience Section), but it’s most important in the Skills section. To do this, start by carefully analyzing the job description and noting any skills or competencies that you mentioned multiple times or appear to be central to the role
This not only shows that you’ve actually read and understood the job description, but also increases the chances of your resume passing through the ATS filters, which we will go into more detail in the following section.
Understanding Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software tools used by many companies to streamline the candidate review process. Essentially, these systems scan resumes for specific keywords and phrases that match the job description, and flag the ones that have the best match. If your resume lacks pertinent skills and keywords, it might never reach a human recruiter, and that’s an issue.
ATS systems typically scan for:
- Keywords: These are those specific skills or qualifications that we’ve been talking about. For example, if the job requires “SQL,” your resume should include this exact term if you possess the skill.
- Experience levels: The ATS might also scan for years of experience in certain roles or with specific tools.
- Certifications: If a certification is listed as a requirement, it’s like that the ATS will scan for it, so you should include it somewhere in the skills section.
To optimize your resume for ATS:
- Use Exact Phrases: Mirror the language used in the job description.
- Avoid Abbreviations: Spell out acronyms the first time you use them
- Keep Formatting Simple: These systems can sometimes struggle with complicated formatting, so try to stick to a straightforward layout. Check out our free resume templates here if you need help.
Aligning Resume Skills with Your LinkedIn Profile
Once you have gone through the exercise of building out your resume section of your resume, you may want to take it one step further and add those to your LinkedIn profile. And if you don’t have a profile, this is your sign to make one! Recruiters will often use LinkedIn to find candidates, and having a profile that matches your resume can reinforce your qualifications and present a cohesive story.
Steps to update your LinkedIn profile:
- Add skills: LinkedIn allows you to list up to 50 skills. Make sure your top skills match those on your resume.
- Add endorsements: Ask your peers and friends within your LinkedIn network to endorse your skills, which can add credibility.
- Practice consistency: Ensure that the skills, job titles, and experiences on your LinkedIn match your resume verbatim. Inconsistencies can raise red flags for recruiters.
Having a well-aligned LinkedIn profile not only helps recruiters find you but also makes a strong impression when they review your online presence before or after receiving your resume.
Addressing Skill Gaps
It’s totally normal to have a skill gap. That said, you should do something about it before you submit a resume. Otherwise, you risk a recruiter throwing out your resume and moving you to the rejection pile.
If you notice that your skills don’t fully align with the job descriptions, don’t panic. There are lots of steps you can take to address gaps.
1. Take Online Courses
You can gain access to courses and skills development materials on sites like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and Udemy. They offer training and education on practically any skill you can imagine. You can complete courses and even earn a certification, which you can then highlight on your resume.
2. Get Hands-On Experience
Sometimes, getting hands-on experience is the best way to learn. It’s also something that recruiters look for. For this reason, be on the lookout for opportunities in your current role to get exposure to the skills you need. For example, if you’re lacking project management experience, volunteer to lead a small project or take on additional responsibilities that give you an opportunity to hone the skill.
3. Seek Out Mentorship and Networking
Another great way to bridge a skill gap is to seek out mentors in your network that possess the skills you want to develop. Networking with these individuals in your field can also possibly open up opportunities down the line.
Additional Expert Tips for the ‘Skills’ Section
- Be honest: It’s important to only list skills that you actually possess. Misrepresenting your abilities can backfire during interviews or worse, on the job.
- Prioritize: List your most relevant and strongest skills first. Recruiters might only scan the first few items.
- Update regularly: As you gain new skills, make sure to update your resume to reflect them!
- Quantify when possible: If you can, quantify your skills. For example: “Increased sales by 20% through effective client relationship management.”
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that the ‘skills’ section of your resume is more than just a bulleted list. It’s an area of your resume that you should spend time crafting, as it has the ability to significantly influence your chances of landing an interview or a job. Be purposeful when you selecting and phrase skills, and make sure that they not only showcase your abilities, but align to the job description of the role. We hope these tips will help you beef up the ‘skills’ section of your resume and bring you one step closer to landing your dream role. Best of luck!
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our related article on Resume Deep Dive: Expert Tips for the “Work Experience” Section and Resume Deep Dive: Expert Tips for the “About Me” Section.
