What are Hard Skills? 100+ Examples for a Resume

Yes, listing hard skills on a resume can make a difference. Employers choose candidates with in-demand skills and say goodbye to those lacking skill sets.

But it’s not just about adding bullet points with one-word skill descriptions to a resume. First, you must know which skills the hiring manager wants. Second, you must know how to list them.

Ready to learn how to create hard skills for a resume?

In this guide:

• What are hard skills?
• Top 20 hard skills examples for various job types.
• Tops for selecting hard skills for a resume.
• How to add hard skills to various resume sections.

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Check these articles for more information about skills that matter on a resume:

• Communication Skills on a Resume
• Conceptual Skills: What Are They & Why They Matter
• Conflict Management Skills: Examples for a Resume
• Critical Thinking Skills: How to List Them on a Resume
• Leadership Skills: Examples for a Resume
• Management Skills on a Resume
• Technical Skills for All Professions
• Time Management Skills You Need to Succeed
• What Are Creative-Thinking Skills?
• What Are Interpersonal Skills? (+ Examples)

You can also check our 200+ resume examples for various professions.

Hard Skills for a Resume: Sample

What Are Hard Skills?

Hard skills are job-specific abilities that you can gain through education, professional development, courses, or on-the-job training. Hard skills may refer to theoretical knowledge and practical abilities needed to use various tools or equipment. 

Listing hard skills on a resume is very important. However, they’re not the only qualities employers want to see. In fact, the best skills for a resume include both hard and soft skills, so make sure to add both categories.

But let’s focus on hard skills now. Do you know which are the most desirable?

Best Hard Skills for Resumes in 2024

• Accounting skills
• Administration skills
• Analytical skills
• Business skills
• Computer skills
• Customer service hard skills
• Design skills
• Digital skills
• Engineering skills
• Language skills
• Management skills
• Marketing skills
• Microsoft Office skills
• Nursing skills
• Presentation skills
• Project management skills
• Research skills
• Technical skills
• Writing skills

You can find more about each of these categories in the mini-chapters below:

Accounting skills

Maybe you’re one of those people who run away when they hear the word accounting. But the truth is, accounting skills are useful in many professions. 

The most popular accounting hard skills for resumes include:

• Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable
• Accounting software
• Asset management
• Billing
• Budgeting skills
• Contract management
• Data analysis
• Financial reporting
• Forecasting
• Payroll
• Tax preparation

Administration skills

No matter if you’re applying for a job as an administrative assistant, secretary, personal assistant, or receptionist—you must show off some administrative hard skills on your resume. 

Administrative hard skills include:

• Accounting fundamentals
• Calendar management
• Data entry
• Database management
• Editing and proofreading
• Email platforms, such as Gmail, Outlook
• Google Docs
• Inventory and supply management
• Microsoft Word & Excel
• Phone etiquette

Analytical skills

Data analysis is among the most sought-after skills of the 21st century. It’s also one of the skills prioritized for upskilling efforts at many companies. Why? Because the ability to understand and process information is required in many professions, not just the ones closely related to finance.

Analytical hard skills include:

• Data Engineering
• Data visualization
• Data mining
• Database management
• Forecasting
• Machine learning
• Microsoft Excel
• Python
• R
• SQL

Business skills

Want to succeed in the world of business? You need more than just confidence. The hard skills you need depend on the specific industry, but there’s also certain knowledge that’s universally useful.

The top business hard skills include:

• Account management
• Accounting fundamentals
• Business Analytics
• Business management
• Customer service
• Financial management
• Marketing skills
• Microsoft Excel
• Project management
• Risk management
• Sales

Computer skills

All professions need computer skills to some degree. Even if you absolutely despise modern technology, you still should be able to use it at a basic level.

Computer hard skills examples include:

• Cloud management
• Coding skills
• CMS
• CSS
• Databases
• G-Suite
• Hardware knowledge
• HTML
• Image editing
• IT skills
• Microsoft Office
• Social Media Management
• Video editing
• WordPress

Customer service hard skills

At first glance, it might seem that customer service agents need mostly interpersonal skills. However, their jobs also require certain hard skills. When writing a customer service resume, make sure your list of skills matches the job requirements.

Here’s a list of customer service hard skills:

• Cash handling
• Customer information management
• Data entry
• Email and phone etiquette
• Helpdesk skills
• Industry knowledge
• Inbound and outbound calls
• POS (point of sale) systems
• Product-specific knowledge
• Sales

Design skills

There is a wide range of design skills, as they vary depending on the industry. A graphic designer will have a different set of skills than a product designer.

Examples of design hard skills include:

• Design thinking
• UI design
• UX research
• Information Architecture
• Adobe software
• Figma
• Front-end foundations
• Photo Editing
• Graphic design
• Visual identity
• Design for Manufacturing
• DTP

Digital Skills

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for digital skills remains high. Most jobs in the modern world require some knowledge of digital tools, sometimes as basic as email and sharing files via cloud services, but often more complex.

Digital hard skills examples are:

• Agile project management
• Big data
• Cloud computing
• Collaboration tools
• Community management
• Cybersecurity
• Data visualization
• Digital Marketing
• Project management tools
• Programming
• SEO
• Zoom

Engineering skills

There’s a good chance that engineering skills will never come out of fashion. However, they are very industry-specific. For example, a software engineer needs a different skill set than a construction engineer.

Some examples of hard engineering skills include: 

• Data analysis
• Debugging
• Inventory management
• Programming
• Project management
• Prototyping
• Robotics
• Quality control
• Technical documentation
• Troubleshooting

Language skills 

Oh, yes—language skills are hard skills. Of course, if you want to become a fluent speaker of another language, you should also possess certain interpersonal skills, such as effective communication or active listening.

Examples of specific language skills include:

• Writing for business purposes
• Speaking at a communicative level
• Listening in a real-life setting
• Translating
• Interpreting

Management skills

Management skills are like a bottomless pit. They encompass not only hard skills but also a wide range of people skills, such as leadership abilities, critical thinking, and conflict resolution. They can be very industry-specific, too. For example, a hotel manager needs in-depth knowledge of hospitality and tourism on top of everything else.

Examples of management hard skills include:

• Accounting
• Budgeting
• Business development
• Human resources knowledge
• Finance
• Reporting
• Technical skills
• Project management
• Office management
• Spreadsheets

Marketing skills

Marketing skills are changing with the times. Nowadays, it’s impossible to work in marketing without having a bunch of technical skills. Creative-thinking skills are still highly desirable in this field, but they must go hand-in-hand with other abilities.

Here are examples of hard skills for marketing specialists:

• SEO/SEM
• Content creation and management
• Social media marketing
• Data analysis
• Email marketing and automation
• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Influencer marketing
• Pay-per-Click advertising
• Brand management
• Marketing research

Microsoft Office skills

Are there any office workers that don’t use Microsoft Office? You might prefer alternative software such as G-Suite or LibreOffice, but you still need to know how to use fine old Excel and Word.

Microsoft Office hard skills examples are:

• Calendar management
• Creating spreadsheets
• Creating slideshows
• Data analysis
• Editing documents
• Pivot tables
• Preparing documents for printing
• Running macros
• Text formatting
• Using templates

Nursing skills

Every year, over 200,000 new nursing jobs appear on the market. This means that nursing skills will continue to stay in demand. And I’m not talking just about soft skills such as empathy, patience, and adaptability.

Nursing hard skills include:

• BLS
• CPR
• Emergency care
• Hospice care
• IV therapy and infusions
• Medication management
• Patient assessment
• Patient Education
• Patient safety
• Tech skills

Presentation skills

You might be surprised, but being good at presenting is not just about being outspoken. You also need a bunch of hard skills to create a powerful presentation.

Examples of presentation hard skills are:

• Data analysis
• Graphic design
• Image editing
• Reporting
• Research
• Visual communication

Project management skills

Project management skills are highly sought after in the modern job market. Individuals who want to become experts in this line of work must first gain some foundational knowledge through professional development courses or on-the-job training.

Here are some examples of project management hard skills:

• Agile project management
• Project lifecycle management
• Scheduling
• Reporting
• KPIs
• Performance tracking
• Budgeting
• Strategic planning
• Project workflow creation
• Project management software

Research skills

Before applying for research jobs, make sure you’ve developed the hard skills necessary to succeed in such a position.

Research hard skills include:

• Designing research studies
• Conducting statistical analysis
• Data collection
• Data preparation
• Writing reports
• Designing questionnaires
• Interviewing
• Moderating focus groups

Technical skills

Technical skills vary greatly between professions. This means that a car mechanic has a completely different set of skills than an architect, a plumber, or a financial director.

Common technical hard skills include:

• Programming
• Operating systems
• Technical writing
• Engineering
• Driving vehicles
• Operating machinery
• Mastery of industry-related software
• Social media marketing
• Data mining
• Working with spreadsheets

Writing skills

Writing skills don’t refer only to the ability to hold a pen correctly. They’re valuable abilities that can be used for different purposes in the workplace.

Examples of writing hard skills include:

• Content writing
• Proofreading and editing
• Persuasive writing
• Storytelling
• Business writing
• Creative writing
• Academic writing
• Copywriting
• Journalism
• Social media posts

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How to List Hard Skills on a Resume?

Is your first instinct to copy and paste some of the skills mentioned above onto your resume?

Well, hold your horses. That’s not the most effective way to mention hard skills in a resume. Why? Because they’ll be just empty words with nothing to prove them.

It’s much better to mention hard skills alongside career achievements or other accomplishments. This way, a potential employer will better understand your qualifications.

Here’s how to do it well:

1. Show off hard skills in your resume profile

You can impress recruiters straight away by offering a glimpse into your hard skills in the resume profile. Your resume summary or career objective is perfect for showing off the skills that match the job requirements.

Here’s an example of a resume profile that highlights hard skills:

Hard Skills for Resumes: Example of a Resume Summary

Motivated data analyst specializing in machine learning algorithms, big data processing, and natural language processing. Eager to apply natural language processing methods to verify user content for the GoTrails application. Reduced the number of insensitive comments by 25% through the creation of a predictive model verifying the authenticity of user reviews in 2021.

2. Add hard skills for resumes to the work experience section

It’s not a secret that your work history matters most to hiring managers. They want to see work achievements and duties that match the job requirements. So adding hard skills for your profession is a must in this resume section.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Start each bullet point with a resume action verb to show your confidence.
• Add hard skills examples to each bullet to show what kind of knowledge, methodology, or tools you use to fulfill your duties.
• Provide descriptions of achievements that you’ve accomplished using your hard skills.

See the example below:

Hard Skills for Resume Work Experience Section

Work Experience

Data Analyst

Climb Up, Baltimore, MD

August 2017–present

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities:

• Reduced software expenses for the company by 26% by consolidating four data systems into one.
• Increased customer retention by 11% through customer behavior analysis prepared for the marketing department.
• Used machine learning tools to create predictive models for estimating the risk of maintenance issues.
• Applied Agile methodology to coordinate the work of four junior data analysts.

Key Achievement: 

• Reduced the number of toxic comments by 25% by creating a review authentication model using natural language processing.

Junior Data Scientist

Book It Now, Baltimore, MD

July 2015–July 2017

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities:

• Performed market trend analysis for the sales and purchasing teams, resulting in an 11% increase in sales.
• Applied machine learning formulas to build a predictive customer satisfaction model with 93% accuracy. 
• Applied data visualization techniques and used Tableau and Excel to generate reports for various departments.

Key Achievement: 

• Built an AI-based detection system recognizing 81% of credit card fraud attempts.

3. Mention examples of hard skills in the education section

The amount of detail in the education section of a resume depends on your level of experience. If you’re writing an entry-level resume, this section is a great spot to provide examples of the hard skills you’ve gained while studying. You can do it by mentioning relevant coursework, your thesis, academic achievements, or extracurricular activities.

Resume Hard Skills Examples: Education Section

M.P.S. in Data Science

University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD

September 2015–June 2017

• GPA: 3.89
• Relevant coursework: Data Analysis and Machine Learning, Data Management, Platforms for Big Data Processing
• Final project: Identifying cyber hate on Instagram using data science methods.

4. Curate a hard skill list for your resume

This is the obvious place to mention hard skills for a resume. However, remember that hard skills aren’t the only ones you should include in a resume—throw in a few soft skills, too, to show you’re not a machine.

Here’s the best way to tackle the skill list:

• Check the job requirements outlined in the job ad.
• Compare them with the skills you’ve mastered.
• Make a list of 4–6 hard skills and 2–3 soft skills, and optionally, add 1–2 types of software you often use for work.

It’s one of the ways to make a targeted resume, which has a better chance of succeeding.

 

5. Highlight hard skills in additional sections

The extra resume sections aren’t just to fill the empty space on the page. Use them to provide examples of hard skills you’ve mastered. The best way to do that is to add certifications to a resume. These provide proof for hiring managers that you’re an expert.

What else can you add?

Choose from:

• Volunteer experiences on a resume
• Language proficiency
• Memberships and associations
• Personal interests on a resume
• Publications
• Conferences

Be specific when describing these activities—provide dates, facts, and accomplishments. Mention the professional knowledge you used to succeed.

Expert Hint: There’s more you can do to show off your hard skills. Write a cover letter and provide proof of your qualifications for the job. It will improve your chances of landing the position.

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Key Points

Here’s a reminder of the main points from this article:

• Hard or professional skills are abilities gained through education, training, professional development, or on-the-job training.
• Hard skills needed to perform a job well differ between industries and professions.
• Including hard skills on a resume is a great way to make a targeted resume.

Got any questions about hard skills? Would you like to share advice on listing hard skills on a resume with other readers? Let me know in the comments section, and thanks for reading!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.