The skills section of your CV is a critical element that demonstrates to recruiters that you have the right abilities and traits for the role. Whether you’re entering the job market or looking to transition into a new position, effectively presenting your skills can make all the difference.
Structuring Your Skills Section
The placement of your skills section depends on your experience level and the nature of the role you’re applying for:
- New to the workforce or lacking experience? Place your skills section immediately after your personal statement to emphasize your strengths early on.
- For most roles: Your skills section should follow your employment history to provide a balanced overview of your qualifications.
- Highly technical positions: Consider highlighting your skills upfront to showcase your technical expertise right away.
Skills typically fall into two main categories: hard skills and soft skills.
- Hard skills are job-specific abilities such as coding, graphic design, or data analysis. These are measurable and often require formal training or experience.
- Soft skills reflect your personal qualities and how you work with others. These include communication, teamwork, and leadership, which are essential in almost every job.
Tailoring Your Skills to the Job
To make your CV stand out, customize your skills section to match the requirements listed in the job description. Look for phrases like:
- “The ideal candidate will have…”
- “We are seeking someone who can…”
- “To succeed in this role, you should be able to…”
Identify the key skills mentioned and incorporate them into your CV, assuming you possess them.
When tailoring your skills to a job description, go beyond simply matching the listed skills. Pay attention to the specific language the employer uses to describe their ideal candidate. For example, if they mention “strong leadership abilities” instead of just “leadership,” reflect this in your CV by highlighting relevant experiences where you demonstrated strong leadership qualities. Also, quantify your skills wherever possible—use metrics or examples to give potential employers a clearer idea of your effectiveness in previous roles.
Where to Position Your Skills Section
You have a few options for presenting your skills on your CV:
- Integrate them throughout: Weave your skills into your employment history, qualifications, education, and even hobbies sections to create a seamless narrative.
- Create a dedicated skills section: Highlight your abilities in a standalone section to ensure they’re easy to spot.
- Use both approaches: Combine the strategies above for maximum impact.
Your dedicated skills section can be placed either below your personal statement or after your employment history, depending on what best suits your profile.
Here’s a typical layout of a CV:
- Personal Information
- Personal Statement
- Employment History / Work Experience
- Dedicated Skills Section (optional)
- Achievements Section (optional)
- Qualifications
- Education
- Hobbies and Interests
Pro Tip: Don’t add references directly on your CV. Instead, mention that they’re available upon request.
Formatting Your Skills Section
When formatting your skills section:
- Use a clear subheading: Titles like “Skills” or “Skills Summary” work well.
- Opt for bullet points: This makes it easier for recruiters to scan and quickly identify your strengths.
If you lack professional experience, it’s wise to place your skills section immediately after your personal statement. Additionally, ensure that key skills from the job description are reiterated in both your personal statement and work experience sections to reinforce their importance.
Formatting Tips for Subheadings
You can make your subheadings stand out by:
- Using ALL CAPS
- Increasing the font size
- Bold or italicizing the text
For a complete guide on how to structure your CV effectively, including tips for formatting and subheading styles, check out How to format a CV.
How to Identify the Right Skills for Your CV
It can be challenging to articulate your skills effectively. Start by conducting research to pinpoint the relevant skills:
- Identify required skills: Carefully review the job description to understand what skills are crucial for the role.
- Research the role: Use Google to search for the job title alongside the word “skills” or review similar job ads to find common requirements.
- Assess your own skills: Look at your current job title and research the associated skills, revisit your performance reviews, and analyze any training materials from courses you’ve taken.
Once you’ve identified the skills required for the job, compare them with your own abilities. Any overlap should be highlighted in your skills section. Aim to include around 5-10 relevant skills.
When possible, enhance your CV by providing STAR examples—specific situations where you applied these skills. This approach can be more impactful than simply listing abilities.
Example Skills to Include on Your CV
Soft Skills
Soft skills showcase your work ethic and how you collaborate with others. Here are some key examples:
- Time Management: Demonstrates your ability to meet deadlines and stay organized, ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and on time.
- Problem-Solving: Shows that you can tackle challenges head-on and think critically to find solutions.
- Communication: Essential in almost every job, communication skills reflect your ability to engage effectively with clients, colleagues, and management.
- Initiative: Highlights your proactive nature and ability to make decisions independently when necessary.
- Attention to Detail: Illustrates your thoroughness and precision in your work, leading to fewer errors and higher-quality results.
- Leadership: Even if you’re not in a managerial position, leadership skills are valuable in motivating and guiding team members toward success.
Hard Skills
Hard skills represent your technical proficiency and industry-specific knowledge. Some examples include:
- Technical Skills: These can range from proficiency in Microsoft Office to expertise in using industry-specific software or machinery.
- Presentation Skills: A subset of communication skills, these demonstrate your ability to convey ideas confidently and clearly to an audience.
- Computer Skills: In today’s digital age, proficiency with computers is crucial in almost every role. Include skills like typing, data entry, or software proficiency.
- Analytical Skills: Reflect your ability to analyze data, trends, or processes to provide insights and recommendations.
- Research Skills: Show your capacity to investigate topics, gather information, and deliver valuable insights to your team.
By curating the right mix of skills on your CV and tailoring them to the job description, you’ll increase your chances of landing an interview. Remember, your skills are a reflection of what you bring to the table—use this section to showcase your strengths confidently.
