Best Skills to Put on Your Resume in 2025

Your resume is your first impression – and the skills you highlight can make all the difference in whether you land an interview or not. 

Employers and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) systems scan your resume to look for candidates with relevant soft skills (like communication and adaptability) and hard skills (like data analysis or proficiency with industry-specific tools). 

To have a successful job application and be called for an interview, you’ll need to tailor your resume to match job-specific requirements and highlight the skills they want to see. 

Here’s how to showcase the right skills and get noticed…

Listen to: Best Skills to Put on Your Resume in 2025

Why Skills Can Make or Break Your Resume

Your resume’s skills section should provide a strong, well-rounded representation of your qualifications and strengths to catch a hiring manager’s attention.  

“It’s not only having the skills to work with clients and do management or development,” says Tim Harrison, Assistant Education Manager. “It’s also about realizing, ‘Oh, gosh, now I need skills in relationship building, in giving presentations—I’ve got to have skills.’”  

Understanding all facets of the skills you bring to the table is key, which is why the most effective resumes feature a strategic mix of both soft and hard skills. 

These skills can help bridge employment gaps, build confidence, and demonstrate your ability to perform. When chosen and showcased effectively, these skills can get you noticed by highlighting your value and set you apart from the competition.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are technical abilities gained through education, training, or hands-on experience. For instance, if you earned your diploma to become a web developer or a mobile app developer, you’d want to add hard skills you’ve learnt like iOS or Android development. These measurable skills prove your expertise and ability to handle specific tasks, and they apply to every position within every industry.

Soft Skills

Soft skills reflect how you interact in the workplace. They’re the transferrable skills that you develop over time, such as communication, time management, and problem-solving. While hard skills are your technical knowledge, soft skills demonstrate to a potential employer that you can actually apply that technical knowledge in a collaborative and professional work environment.

Soft Skills That Will Matter Most to Employers

Certain soft skills are must-haves that you can’t afford to omit from your resume. Employers prioritize candidates with strong interpersonal skills, as they directly impact collaboration, problem-solving, and workplace efficiency. Top soft skills to include in your resume are communication, adaptability, and organization – they’re all essential for managing tasks effectively and navigating diverse work environments. Highlighting these abilities on your resume can position you as a well-rounded and valuable team member.

Communication Skills

Effective communication helps express ideas, foster collaboration, and prevent misunderstandings. Demonstrate this skill with examples like: 

• “Wrote clear and concise reports, reducing errors in company processes by 30%.” 
• “Led cross-departmental strategy meetings to optimize hospital operations and improve patient experience.” 
• “Managed and monitored vendor performance on a $500K contract, ensuring timely delivery, compliance with terms, and optimal supply chain efficiency.” 
• “Simplified technical concepts for stakeholders.” 

Strong communication skills are essential in any workplace. They influence everything from team collaboration to decision-making. By showcasing specific examples like these, you highlight your ability to convey ideas clearly, promote efficiency, and drive results – qualities that employers highly value. 

Adaptability

Adaptability shows you can handle change, learn new skills quickly, and adjust to new responsibilities. Showcase adaptability with examples such as: 

• “Redesigned event layouts when a venue change was required, keeping the event on schedule.” 
• “Took on contract review tasks to support the legal team in meeting tight compliance deadlines.” 
• “Juggled financial audits, vendor negotiations, and client consultations to keep multiple projects on track.”
• “Switched between patient care, administrative tasks, and emergency response in a busy hospital setting.” 

Demonstrating your adaptability proves you can think on your feet and take on new challenges all while being productive in different or evolving situations. These examples highlight your ability to stay flexible, problem solve under pressure and transition between tasks – key traits that employers are looking for. 

Organization

Organizational skills help manage deadlines and structure tasks efficiently. Careers for people who love organization are plentiful with employers across industries finding this ability incredibly valuable. Highlight them with examples like: 

• “Reorganized electronic medical records (EMR) filing, reducing retrieval time by 50%.” 
• “Developed an organized ticketing system, prioritizing IT support requests and reducing resolution time by 40%.” 
• “Organized large volumes of legal documents, improving research efficiency by 45% for lawyers.” 
• “Redesigned warehouse inventory layout, reducing order fulfillment times by 35% and increasing shipping efficiency.” 

As Tim Harrison, Assistant Education Manager at Sundance College, explains, “It goes without saying that any career, regardless, can benefit from strong organizational skills”. Showing off your organizational skills demonstrates your ability to manage tasks efficiently and improve processes – qualities employers love. 

More In-Demand Soft Skills to Highlight in Your Resume

Here are a few additional soft skills to consider adding to your resume: 

Time Management

Employers value candidates who can manage their workload efficiently without feeling overwhelmed. On your resume, mention instances where you successfully juggled multiple responsibilities, met tight deadlines, or implemented strategies to improve productivity. For example, if you have experience working in healthcare, from an internship or practicum placement, you can include, “prioritized patient care tasks, reducing wait times by 30% while maintaining high-quality service”.  

Empathy

The importance of empathy can’t be understated. Illustrate this skill by emphasizing experiences where you have resolved conflicts, provided excellent customer support, or mentored others. For instance, an addictions and community health professional’s resume should include examples like, “implemented a structured follow-up system, maintaining regular check-ins while respecting clients’ autonomy and personal recovery pace”. 

Attention to Detail

From handling data, writing reports, to working in a fast-paced environment, strong attention to detail can set you apart. To illustrate this skill effectively, include bullet points demonstrating how your precision improved outcomes. For anyone that’s a legal professional, attention to detail is a key skill to include on a resume. Here’s an example that brings this skill to the forefront: “double-checked references in legal research, ensuring citations were accurate and cases were well-supported”. 

Leadership

Leadership skills aren’t just for managers. Leadership is about taking initiative, motivating others, and guiding teams toward success. Even when applying for entry-level roles, employers look for candidates who can step up when needed and drive positive change. On your resume, emphasize moments where you led projects, mentored colleagues, or influenced positive outcomes.  

For example, let’s say you’re a digital marketer that helped to coordinate content planning meetings between designers and copywriters to make sure content stayed consistent and on-brand while being executed in a timely manner. Point out how your ability to take initiative and facilitate collaboration helped improve workflows, improve campaign efficiency, or enhance brand messaging. 

Top Hard Skills to Strengthen Your Resume

Hard skills encompass the technical expertise and industry-specific knowledge that validate your credentials. They show you’re more than just a team player – you’re a skilled problem solver. Check out these three vital hard skills and see which ones apply to you.

In-Demand Tech Skills

You might not realize it, but proficiency with workplace technology is a valuable hard skill that transfers across industries. Whether you’re in healthcare, business, or another field, these in-demand tech skills are a great addition to your resume. See how you can leverage these hard skills to your advantage down below.  

Digital Communication & Collaboration 

Almost all workplaces use digital communication tools for collaboration, especially in hybrid or remote settings. Employers want candidates who can navigate online meetings and messaging apps effortlessly. You can present these skills well on a resume with examples such as: 

• “Proficient in Microsoft Teams for remote communication and collaboration.” 
• “Used Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive) to coordinate multi-department projects.” 

Cybersecurity Awareness & Online Safety 

With the rise in cyber threats, businesses want employees who can prevent security breaches by following best practices. If you’re applying to anything involving email, data handling, or online transactions, you don’t want to overlook this skill. Consider the following examples to add onto your resume: 

• “Trained in cybersecurity best practices, including phishing detection and password management.” 
• “Implemented a two-factor authentication system, enhancing data security across financial platforms.” 

Cloud Storage & File Management 

Cloud-based tools (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive) are now standard in workplaces. Employers look for people who can store, organize, and share files securely, notably in any office job. Check out a few examples you can add to your resume: 

• “Managed shared documents in Google Drive and OneDrive, ensuring version control and secure access for teams.” 
• “Used Dropbox to organize and distribute marketing materials across departments.” 

Basic Data & Spreadsheet Skills 

Many jobs require handling and analyzing data, even at a basic level. Employers want candidates comfortable with using Google Sheets or Excel. From healthcare and hospitality to legal and logistics, these skills are essential across various industries for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing data. 

Here are a few examples you can incorporate into your resume to showcase this skill:  

• Created Excel templates for legal billing, reducing invoice processing errors and improving tracking of billable hours. 
• Developed event planning schedules in Excel, reducing vendor miscommunications and improving coordination. 
• Designed inventory management spreadsheets, reducing stock shortages and improving order accuracy by 35%. 
• Tracked medical inventory levels in Google Sheets, preventing shortages and reducing waste by 25%. 

Even in non-technical roles, illustrating your ability to navigate modern tools can set you apart and heighten your employability across industries. 

Project Management Skills

Project management skills are valuable in any industry where coordinating tasks, meeting deadlines, and promising smooth execution are essential.  

Here are a few examples of how to demonstrate your project management skills effectively on your resume: 

• Coordinated vendor logistics for a major conference, ensuring 100% on-time delivery of all event materials. 
• Managed a website redesign project, improving user experience and increasing traffic by 50%. 
• Led the development of a new mobile application, delivering the project on time and increasing customer adoption by 50%. 

Employers look for professionals who can prioritize tasks, allocate resources wisely, and adapt to challenges – making project management skills a crucial asset in any role. 

Industry-Specific Tools

Mastering industry-specific tools can be the game-changer that propels your career forward. These are specialized software, applications, or systems designed to meet the unique demands of your field. Here’s how to present the most common industry-specific tools on your resume:  

• If you have hospitality experience…
  “Used hospitality management software to streamline front desk operations, reducing guest check-in times by 40%.” 
• If you’ve done accounting…
  “Generated invoices and managed accounts receivable in QuickBooks, reducing overdue payments by 25%.” 
• If you’re familiar with healthcare systems…
  “Managed EHR records, improving data accuracy and efficiency.” 

Blended Skills Sets: Combining Hard and Soft Skills

A strong career requires both technical expertise and interpersonal abilities. Critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills bridge this gap. 

Here are a few examples from varying industries:  

Critical Thinking in Digital Marketing 

Successful digital marketing isn’t just about creativity—it demands critical thinking. By leveraging attention to detail (soft skill) to analyze consumer behavior and trends, alongside data analysis techniques like SEO (hard skill), marketers can measure engagement and optimize campaigns for maximum impact. 

Decision-Making in Business Management  

Great business leaders don’t just make decisions—they make the right ones. Strong decision-making in business management blends strong communication skills (soft skill) with financial planning and project management (hard skill) to analyze data, develop effective strategies, and drive sustainable company growth. 

Problem-Solving in Supply Chain Management 

Problem-solving is essential in supply chain management to keep operations efficient and resilient. Effective problem-solving in supply chain management combines adaptability (soft skill) to handle disruptions and optimize logistics with structured methodologies (hard skill) to analyze inefficiencies, reduce costs, and enhance overall performance. 

These skills blend logic, adaptability, and structured methods, showcasing your ability to think strategically and drive results. 

How to Choose the Right Skills to Include in Your Resume

“Those who find success quickly and find the job that they ultimately are really thriving in are the ones who put the effort in, organizationally speaking, from the very beginning.” 

Tim Harrison, Assistant Education Manager at Sundance College, emphasizes the importance of taking the time to carefully select your best skills.  

Employers want to see what makes you stand out, so it’s crucial to tailor your resume for each position by highlighting the skills most relevant to the job. A dedicated skills section makes this easy – helping you align with employer expectations while improving your chances with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). 

Not sure which skills to include? Here’s how to narrow them down.  

Study the Job Description

Before adding skills to your resume, carefully analyze the job posting. Employers often list specific qualifications, software, or competencies they expect from candidates. Look for recurring keywords and key phrases, as these indicate the most valued skills for the role. For example, let’s say you’re applying for a logistics coordinator role. If the job requires “carrier selection” and “freight rate negotiation,” but you only list “transportation management,” you might get overlooked. That’s why you must match your skills to what the employer is actively seeking.

Avoid Overloading Your Resume

It’s tempting to list every skill you have, but a cluttered resume can be overwhelming. Stick to the most relevant hard and soft skills that align with the job. Prioritize those that demonstrate your ability to succeed in the role rather than general competencies. Too many skills, especially unrelated ones, can dilute your strengths. Keep it focused, impactful, and easy for hiring managers to scan.

Optimize for ATS Systems

Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes before a human ever sees them. These systems scan for specific keywords, so using the exact phrasing from the job description is essential. If a posting requires “litigation case management,” don’t just say “court case handling experience.” Also, avoid excessive formatting, as ATS programs may misinterpret fancy designs or graphics. A well-optimized resume increases your chances of making it to the next stage.

Where to List Your Skills on Your Resume

Now you’ve identified the right skills for your resume. Present them with a dedicated skills section and weave them into your work experience to show real impact. Now, let’s explore how you can strategically place your skills to strengthen your resume.

Dedicated Skills Section

A skills section provides a quick snapshot of your most important abilities. Place this section near the top of your resume if your skills are a major selling point, especially in technical or specialized fields. Use bullet points to keep it clear and scannable. Additionally, it’s best to group similar skills together. For example, if you want to land a position as a digital marketer, you’ll want to arrange your skills like this: 

“Marketing Tools: SEO, PPC, Content Marketing.”

Incorporate Skills into Work Experience

While listing skills are important, showing how you applied them is even more effective. If you have a hospitality background, you don’t want to just state, “customer service,” on your resume. Instead, you want to expand on that by saying, “Resolved an average of 50+ customer inquiries daily, maintaining a 95% satisfaction rating.” This gives hiring managers concrete proof of your expertise. Whenever possible, quantify your achievements to highlight the impact of your skills. By integrating skills into your job descriptions, you make them more compelling and memorable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Now you know what skills to add into your resume. Next, you need to be mindful of how to keep your resume sharp, credible, and ready to impress. Steer clear of these common mistakes:  

Adding Outdated or Irrelevant Skills 
Listing outdated skills can make you seem behind the times. Prioritize current, job-relevant skills over generic ones like “Typing 70 WPM” or “Fax Machine Operation.” Keep your resume modern and aligned with industry trends. 

Inflating Your Experience 
Exaggerating your skills can backfire if tested in an interview. Be honest about your proficiency—label skills as “Proficient” or “Expert” if needed. Employers value authenticity, and dishonesty can damage your credibility. 

Using Vague Claims Without Examples 
Generic statements like “strong leader” mean little without proof. Instead, use specific examples: “Managed a team of 10, increasing efficiency by 25%.” Concrete achievements make your resume more compelling. 

A well-crafted skills section can make a huge difference in how your resume is received. By choosing relevant skills, organizing them effectively, and avoiding common mistakes, you’ll present yourself as a strong candidate. 

Need a little guidance during your job hunt? At Sundance College, our career services team supports students in understanding how to write a resume, interview preparation, and job placement. 

Every single one of our diploma programs also includes an added Career Management course, to make sure you’re in the best position possible to enter the industry of your choice. 

With this expertise and support, you can build a well-structured resume that complements your hard skills while also highlighting your soft skills.