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10 Best Skills to Put on Your Resume

By Editorial Team

9th June 2025
5 Mins
Media

Gracing the resume with the pertinent skill set attracts the scenario in the competitive market of jobs nowadays. Recruiters, nowadays, look for more than mere experience. The recruiter wants to view what skills you have learned on the job. Including skills on a resume definitely adds to resume success, especially for freshers who might not be having much work experience. Whether you're making your first CV or updating an existing one, these top five key skills need to be included for relevance in a CV to maximise your chances of success.

Key Takeaways

Best skills help in standing out and beating the ATS. Here’s what more you’ll learn from here:

  • Target job-specific skills for resume screening.

  • Choose an apt balance between hard and soft skills.

  • Freshers would better give their strong points in a resume for freshers.

  • Identification of a skill goes the criterion of relevance, and the count is secondary.

  • Adapt your skill list to the job you are applying for.

10 Best Skills to Put on Your Resume

For fresh or entry-level candidates, hard skills-measurable and technical abilities-are always a better option to portray rather than listing generic soft traits. Here's a curated list of 10 actual hard, job-ready skills employers expect to spot on a modern resume:

  1. Data Analysis & Interpretation: Data analysis skills enable one to make informed decisions. Have mastery over tools such as Microsoft Excel, Power BI, or Tableau to sort through information, create dashboards, and align those insights with actionable results.

  1. Project Management Tools: Knowledge in tools such as Trello, Asana, or Jira can prove you are proficient at knotting together the planning, prioritizing, and execution of tasks. You can include projects or internships in which you coordinated timelines or tracked deliverables.

  1. Digital Literacy: Being conversant with MS Office Suite, Google Workspace, or CRM platforms (like Zoho or HubSpot) tells your potential employer that you are tech savvy. Also, mentioning some tasks that you did along with these tools will help. These can include document creation, scheduling, or managing contacts.

  2. Recruitment & ATS Software: Having mentioned a few such goods, tools like Zoho Recruit, Naukri RMS, or LinkedIn Recruiter portray your understanding of candidate sourcing, resume filtering, and applicant tracking.

  1. Advanced Excel Skills: Excel is one of the core tools of the workplace. Explain the use of pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, sorting data, and visualization, along with a few concrete examples such as payroll sheets or candidate databases.

  2. HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems): When maintaining employee data, onboarding, and compliance records, make mention of any exposure to SAP SuccessFactors, BambooHR, or Keka environments.

  3. Payroll & Compliance Knowledge: Basic knowledge of tools such as GreytHR or Saral PayPack, and laws like PF, ESI, and TDS will prove to be an advantage. List any relevant coursework and/or internship experience.

  4. Survey and Feedback Tools: Tools such as Google Forms or SurveyMonkey are employed to gather employee feedback or conduct pre-employment assessments. Please include examples of experience, if applicable.

  5. Document Management Platforms: Working knowledge of Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive indicates a commitment to organized work while juggling resumes, offer letters, or employee records.

  6. Basic Coding or Web Tools: Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, or being familiar with website builders such as WordPress or Wix will give you an edge. Just having a rough idea of how websites operate shows technical adaptability and can nurture your problem-solving abilities. Write in if you've created a personal blog or portfolio, or if you've even helped in some capacity to manage a website in college or during an internship.

Important Role That Soft Skills Play in Making You Well-Rounded

Soft skills add strong points to your profile and complement hard skills, particularly in highlighting strengths in resume for freshers.

  • Showcase adaptability, teamwork, and time management.

  • Mention leadership roles or group projects.

  • Emphasize soft skills through achievements.

  • Use soft skills in both key skills for resume and the experience section.

  • For freshers, key skills in resume for HR fresher are collaboration and learning attitude.

đź’ˇ Pro Tip
Always use real-world examples to support your key skills for resume relevance. Avoid listing skills without showing how you've applied them.

Importance of Technical Proficiency in Today’s Job Market

Technical skills nowadays are essential in mostly all job spheres you may think of, even entry-level jobs. 

  • Tools like Excel, Power BI, or any other industry software come in.

  • Mention certifications on your resumes.

  • Inclusion of coding, data entry, or CMS experience is important.

  • For HR freshers, tell your SAP or HRMS platforms.

  • Combine technical skills with analytical thinking for flair.

Dos and Don’ts of Showcasing Your Skills Effectively

Stand out from the rest by not making common mistakes.

Resume Dos and Don'ts
Resume Writing: Dos and Don'ts

âś… DOS

  • Do tailor skills to match each job description and industry requirement.
  • Do use specific examples to show how you used each skill effectively.
  • Do focus on the most relevant 5 key skills for CV success in your field.
  • Do incorporate both hard and soft skills for balance.
  • Do highlight strengths in resume for freshers through academic or volunteer experience.

❌ DON'TS

  • Don’t list too many skills; stick to the most impactful ones.
  • Don’t use vague terms like "good at computers" without specifics.
  • Don’t include skills you can't confidently demonstrate in an interview.
  • Don’t rely only on soft skills—employers want measurable abilities too.
  • Don’t forget to update your key skills in resume for HR fresher or any role based on market demand.

How to Tailor Your Resume Skills Section for Each Job Application

Tailoring your skills section helps to better match the employer's needs.

  • Carefully read the job posting.

  • Following the wording used in the job listing is suggested.

  • Prioritize the skills mentioned in the job advertisement.

  • Add to your resume skills that comply with specific industry trends.

  • Always update the skills section of your resume by yourself for each new job you apply for.

How to Include Skills in Professional Summary

Your summary should state your core skills to grab the recruiter's attention right away.

  • Start with the number of experiences you have and domain.

  • Mention 2-3 strengths pertinent to a resume for freshers.

  • Include key skills in resume for HR freshers such as recruitment, onboarding, etc.

  • Add to skills in resume that reflect career goals.

Use keywords key skills for resume naturally.

Professional Summary
HR Executive

Result-driven professional with 4+ years of experience in HR operations, recruitment coordination, and onboarding processes. Demonstrated success in reducing onboarding time by 18% through process optimization. Proficient in HRMS tools, employee lifecycle management, and compliance tracking.

Professional Summary
Business Analyst

Result-oriented professional with 5+ years of experience in data modeling, requirement gathering, and process analysis. Proven success in improving reporting accuracy by 25% using visualization tools and structured analysis. Expertise in SQL, stakeholder communication, and business requirement documentation.

How Employers Evaluate Resume Skills

Understanding how hiring managers go about evaluating your skills will go a long way in helping you prepare a resume accordingly.

  • Employers are interested in proof and not just a list.

  • Skills accompanied by achievements are more conspicuous.

  • HR personnel appreciate clarity and relevance to the job.

  • Keywords in a job posting increase ranking on ATS.

  • Customized skills put forth an image of preparedness and interest.

How to Keep Your Resume Skills Current

Resume Skills Update

Stay Ahead with Resume Skills

These days, the speed at which everything changes demands that one stays current with new skills to value building a resume.

Research Trends

Constantly researching industry trends and updates is essential to remain relevant and know what employers seek.

Take Online Courses

Explore free or certified online courses to boost your skills and add valuable credentials to your resume.

Network Effectively

Networking helps you discover in-demand tools, marketable skills, and insider advice on resume trends.

Add Skills Immediately

Update your resume with each new tool or certification to reflect growth and adaptability.

Refine Key Skills

Revisit and refine your top 5 key skills regularly. Relevancy keeps your resume sharp and attractive.

Final Tips

Deciding on which skills to go for and how to best demonstrate them is the beginning of a good resume. For freshers or even experienced ones, knowing how to add strength in the resume by using relevant skills will always give you an edge. Use these tips to pick and optimize key skills for resume and, consequently, make your application stand out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills to include in the resume?

The skills included should fit the job description and trumpet your worth as, say, data analysis, project management, attention to detail, or adaptability. A mixture of hard and soft skills is what will get you noticed.

Should I be listing hard skills on my resume?

How do I list my skills on a resume?

What are hard skills for a CV?

What are the main seven soft skills?

What is meant by personal skills?

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