How to Highlight Skills on Your Résumé

Introduction

• Briefly introduce the importance of showcasing skills effectively on a résumé, especially in today’s competitive job market.
• Mention that well-highlighted skills can make a résumé more attractive to hiring managers.

Identify the Most Relevant Skills for the Role

• Explain how to review job descriptions to identify key skills that match your background.
• Highlight the importance of choosing skills directly relevant to the job, rather than listing all skills.

Choose the Right Format for the Skills Section

• Outline various ways to present skills, including a dedicated “Skills” section, bulleted lists, or integrated with experience.
• Suggest using a skills summary or combination format for roles that require a variety of abilities.

Quantify Your Skills When Possible

• Emphasize the value of quantifying skills, as numbers help showcase impact.
• Example: “Increased social media engagement by 30% through targeted content strategies.”

Use Industry-Specific Keywords

• Discuss how using keywords aligned with the job and industry can help with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and make skills more visible.
• Explain that tailoring keywords for each job can significantly boost relevance.

Showcase Transferable Skills for Career Changers

• Offer tips on how to highlight transferable skills that bridge different roles or industries.
• Example: “Project management skills can translate across fields, such as organizing tasks and managing timelines.”

Demonstrate Skills Through Accomplishments

• Suggest including specific achievements that demonstrate skills in action.
• Example: “Developed a client onboarding process that improved customer satisfaction scores by 20%.”

Highlight Both Hard and Soft Skills

• Differentiate hard (technical) and soft skills, and discuss why balancing both is essential.
• List examples of soft skills that are frequently valued, like communication, teamwork, and adaptability.

Keep Skills Section Concise and Relevant

• Advise limiting the skills section to 8-10 highly relevant skills to avoid overwhelming the reader.
• Explain the benefit of quality over quantity in presenting skills.

Conclusion

• Recap the importance of showcasing skills in a way that aligns with the role and industry.
• Encourage using expert advice if needed, such as consulting CV Designer , for tailored résumé assistance.