Skills Section
A section of your resume that lists your professional skills, typically grouped into hard skills (technical tools, software, languages) and soft skills. It's a key ATS keyword target and a fast-scan section for recruiters.
The skills section consolidates your competencies into a scannable list, making it easy for both ATS and human reviewers to quickly assess fit. **Hard skills** are technical and specific: programming languages, software tools, certifications, design tools, data platforms. These are the highest-value items for ATS matching. **Soft skills** are interpersonal and behavioral: communication, leadership, problem-solving. These are largely viewed skeptically by recruiters when listed as bare claims — 'excellent communicator' means nothing without evidence. Show soft skills through your bullet points instead. **Formatting options:** - Simple comma-separated list under a single 'Skills' header - Grouped by category ('Technical: Python, SQL, Tableau | Tools: Salesforce, HubSpot | Languages: Spanish (fluent)') - Rated with proficiency levels (Beginner / Proficient / Expert) — useful for foreign languages; skip ratings for software unless the tool explicitly requires it **Placement:** For experienced candidates: after work experience. For new grads or career changers: consider placing above work experience to lead with relevant skills. **What to omit:** Microsoft Office (unless specifically required), generic soft skills without evidence, and skills you learned years ago and couldn't perform today.
Why it matters
The skills section is one of the first places ATS systems extract structured data. A skills section that mirrors the language in the job description dramatically improves your match score. For technical roles, it's often reviewed as carefully as work experience.
Candidate tip
Compare your skills section side-by-side with the requirements in the job description and add any tools or skills you have but haven't listed — especially exact tool names like specific CRM platforms or analytics software.
Put this into practice with the candidate.so Resume Builder.
Learn more →Related terms
Hard Skills
Resume & CVSpecific, teachable, and measurable abilities — technical tools, software, languages, certifications, and domain knowledge. Hard skills are what you learned; soft skills are how you work. ATS systems primarily filter on hard skills.
Soft Skills
Resume & CVInterpersonal and behavioral skills — communication, leadership, problem-solving, adaptability. They're difficult to quantify and widely claimed, so listing them as bare assertions on a resume is largely ineffective. Show them through accomplishment bullets instead.
Resume Keywords
Resume & CVSpecific words and phrases from job descriptions that ATS systems and recruiters search for. Including the right keywords in your resume is the primary way to pass automated screening and signal relevance to human reviewers.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
Resume & CVSoftware employers use to receive, parse, rank, and filter job applications before a human ever reads them. Most companies with more than 50 employees use an ATS, meaning your resume must survive automated screening before reaching a hiring manager.
Transferable Skills
Resume & CVAbilities and competencies that apply across industries, roles, and contexts. Career changers lead with transferable skills to bridge the gap between past experience and a new field. They include both hard skills (Excel, writing) and soft skills (project management, stakeholder communication).