Skills for Resume Writing That Get You Noticed

Personal Development

Updated on: May 13, 2025

Skills for Resume Writing That Get You Noticed

Ramit Sethi

Host of Netflix's "How to Get Rich", NYT Bestselling Author & host of the hit I Will Teach You To Be Rich Podcast. For over 20 years, Ramit has been sharing proven strategies to help people like you take control of their money and live a Rich Life.

Adding the right skills to your resume helps employers see your value right away. Both hard skills (specific abilities you've learned) and soft skills (personal traits) matter in your resume when applying for jobs.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills (and Why Both Matter)

Hard skills are the teachable, measurable abilities: things like software proficiency, data analysis, or knowing how to speak another language. They’re often backed by certifications or training programs and tend to show up in job descriptions as must-haves. If a role needs someone who can use Excel or edit photos, that’s a hard skill.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are how you approach work. Think communication, time management, or staying calm when priorities change. These aren’t always spelled out in the job ad, but they’re often what separates a decent hire from someone people actually want to work with.

Employers look for both types. Hard skills prove you can do the job. Soft skills show you’ll do it well—with others, on deadline, and without burning out the team.

Top 10 Hard Skills Anyone Can Put on Their Resume

You don’t need a fancy degree or certification to list hard skills on your resume. These are everyday, practical abilities you can build on your own that employers genuinely value.

Microsoft Office or Google Workspace proficiency

If you can write a clean document, organize a spreadsheet, and build a decent slideshow, you already have this skill. Most employers expect basic comfort with Word, Excel, Google Docs, and Google Sheets, and you can learn the rest with free tutorials.

Resume example: “Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel (formulas + tables), and Google Workspace tools.”

Basic data analysis and reporting

This isn’t just for data scientists. If you can turn a messy spreadsheet into a pie chart or summary, you’re ahead of the game. Employers love people who can find trends and translate them into insights—especially in sales (tracking performance), marketing (measuring campaign results), and operations (improving efficiency).

Skill example: You track your monthly expenses, put them in a spreadsheet, and create a pie chart of where your money goes.

Resume example: “Skilled in organizing data and creating reports using Excel and Google Sheets.”

Email management and communication tools

Every job involves email. If you know how to stay on top of your inbox, write clearly, and use platforms like Gmail, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, or Slack to keep organized, you’re already showing professionalism.

Skill example: You set up folders, use filters to organize incoming messages, and know how to write polite, clear emails.

Resume example: “Managed 100+ weekly emails and used filters, folders, and calendar invites to stay organized.”

Social media platform knowledge

If you’ve ever run a social account with intention—posting regularly, using hashtags, responding to comments—that’s a skill. It matters in marketing, customer service, and any role that interacts with the public.

Skill example: You run an Instagram page for your hobby and know how to use hashtags and post at the correct times.

Resume example: “Familiar with Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook tools for posting, engagement, and comment management.”

Scheduling and calendar management

Being able to juggle meetings, deadlines, and availability is huge. If you’ve used Google Calendar, Outlook, or even a shared spreadsheet to coordinate schedules, you’ve already got it.

Skill example: You planned a group trip and coordinated everyone’s schedules using a shared calendar.

Resume example: “Scheduled weekly team calls across time zones using Google Calendar and Zoom.”

Document organization and filing systems

If you’ve ever built a folder system in Google Drive that made sense to other people (and helped them find what they needed), you’re ahead of many. Organized files make teams faster and less frustrated. Anyone can learn this by watching file management tips on YouTube or exploring folder systems.

Skill example: You sort project files into folders by date or topic in Google Drive or Dropbox.

Resume example: “Created cloud folder systems for easy access to team documents and archives.”

Research and information gathering

Whether it’s comparing flights or digging into customer reviews, knowing how to find accurate information quickly, check if it’s legit, and summarize it clearly is powerful. In any job that requires thinking through options (like customer support, writing, and sales), this is gold.

Skill example: You researched the best places to stay on a budget trip and compared reviews, maps, and prices.

Resume example: “Skilled at finding reliable sources and compiling research for planning, writing, and decision-making.”

Basic photo and image editing

You don’t need to be a designer. If you’ve cropped, resized, or built simple visuals in Canva or another tool, that’s enough for many marketing or admin tasks where visual content helps teams stand out.

Skill example: You made a flyer for a local event or edited photos for a social media post.

Resume example: “Created simple graphics using Canva and edited product photos for use in marketing emails.”

Creating clear presentations

If you’ve ever made a slide deck with bullet points, charts, and a clean design on programs like PowerPoint, you’ve got this skill. It shows up everywhere—from training new hires to pitching clients.

Skill example: You made a class presentation or a pitch deck for a side project using bullet points, visuals, and charts.

Resume example: “Designed and delivered presentations using Google Slides for reports and training sessions.”

Database management basics

Database management tools help teams keep track of contacts, projects, and data. If you can enter, organize, and update info in tools like Airtable, Notion, or a CRM, that’s a major plus. Free tools like Airtable have tutorials that teach the basics in under an hour.

Skill example: You created a list of contacts with names, emails, and notes, and kept it updated in Airtable.

Resume example: “Maintained customer contact database using Airtable and updated project trackers weekly.”

Top 10 Soft Skills Everyone Has (but Few Think to Include)

Soft skills don’t come with certificates, but they’re just as important as technical know-how. The good news is you probably already use many of these:

Clear written communication

Can you write an email that makes sense the first time someone reads it? That matters. Employers rely on people who can explain things without needing back-and-forth clarification. You can improve this skill with tools like Grammarly or by asking someone to review your writing.

Skill example: You send a team update that explains deadlines and next steps in just a few short sentences.

Resume example: “Known for writing clear, professional emails and project summaries.”

Active listening and following instructions

Listening well saves time, avoids mistakes, and shows you’re engaged. If you take notes, ask smart follow-ups, and get things right the first time, say so.

Skill example: You listen closely during a training, take notes, and complete the task without reminders.

Resume example: “Strong listening skills; follows instructions with accuracy and attention.”

Meeting deadlines and reliability

Getting things done on time—without reminders—is one of the most appreciated traits in any job. It signals you’re dependable. This skill is easy to develop with a calendar, checklist, or task manager app to stay organized.

Skill example: You always submit your work on time, even when juggling multiple tasks.

Resume example: “Consistently completed assignments on time and followed through on commitments.”

Attention to detail

Small errors can turn into big problems. If you’re the person who catches typos or fixes formatting before submitting anything, that’s worth highlighting.

Skill example: You catch a typo in a team report before it’s sent to a client.

Resume example: “Detail-oriented; spotted and corrected formatting errors in project documentation.”

Handling feedback constructively

If you can hear critique, improve, and keep moving forward, you’re showing emotional maturity and growth mindset—two things every team values.

Skill example: Your boss gives tips on improving your writing. You try them, and your next draft is stronger.

Resume example: “Open to feedback; improved presentation skills after coaching and practice.”

Working independently

If you don’t need someone checking in every hour to make progress, that’s a big advantage. Self-directed workers are essential, especially in remote or fast-paced environments.

Skill example: You’re assigned a task, create a plan, and finish it without needing help at every step.

Resume example: “Self-directed and able to complete tasks with minimal supervision.”

Basic problem-solving

If something goes wrong and your instinct is to troubleshoot calmly, that’s a major soft skill. Every workplace has hiccups, and quick problem-solvers save the day.

Skill example: A delivery goes to the wrong address, so you quickly call to reroute it without delay.

Resume example: “Solved order tracking issues by updating customer records and reworking the process.”

Learning new systems quickly

When tools change (and they always do), you need to adapt. If you’ve taught yourself how to use new platforms without formal training, mention it.

Skill example: Your team switches to a new app, and you learn it in 30 minutes and start using it the same day.

Resume example: “Quick to learn new tools; picked up 3 new systems during company rollout.”

Collaborating with different personalities

If you can work smoothly with all types of people—loud, quiet, intense, laid-back—you’ve got people skills. Effective communication and conversational skills are critical in team settings.

Skill example: You work on a group project with someone who is super chatty and someone who is super quiet, and you keep things on track.

Resume example: “Worked with diverse teams and adjusted communication style to fit different coworkers.”

Adapting to changing priorities

Plans shift. If you can roll with that without panicking or missing a beat, you’re showing flexibility and calm under pressure.

Skill example: A meeting is rescheduled, so you adjust your calendar and shift your task list without falling behind.

Resume example: “Handled shifting deadlines and changes in workflow during product launch season.”

Example Skills Based on Specific Jobs

Some roles come with their own set of expected skills. These aren’t just for advanced professionals; if you’ve done similar tasks in school, volunteer work, side hustles, or past jobs, chances are you already have a few. Here are some roles and the skills that often go with them:

Marketing manager:

Marketing roles juggle creativity and numbers. You’ll need planning skills, content creation, and a handle on analytics to show you can move strategy forward.