Every resume guide tells you to list your "hard skills" and "soft skills," but few explain what separates them or how many of each you actually need. Get the mix wrong and you either look unqualified (all soft skills, no proof you can do the job) or robotic (all hard skills, no sense of how you work with people).
This guide gives you both halves. First, a clear definition of hard skills versus soft skills. Then a hard skills list of 100+ examples organised by industry, a standalone soft skills list you can use on any resume, and the exact method for proving each type so it doesn't read like a keyword dump.
If you want the full picture on formatting and section placement rather than which specific skills to choose, our resume skills section guide covers that separately. This post is about what to put in the section.
Hard Skills vs Soft Skills: The Difference
A hard skill is a teachable, measurable ability you gain through training, education, or repeated practice. It can usually be tested, certified, or demonstrated directly: you either know SQL or you don't, you either hold a first aid certificate or you don't.
A soft skill is a behavioural trait that shapes how you work with other people and handle change. It's harder to test directly, which is exactly why it needs to be shown through outcomes rather than claimed outright.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Teachable, measurable technical abilities | Interpersonal and behavioural traits |
| Examples | Excel, Python, CPR certification, bookkeeping | Communication, adaptability, leadership |
| How it's learned | Courses, certifications, on-the-job training | Life experience, practice, feedback |
| How it's verified | Tests, certificates, technical interviews, portfolios | Behavioural interview questions, references |
| Where it belongs | Dedicated skills section, technical bullet points | Woven into experience bullets and summary |
| ATS relevance | Very high, exact keyword matches are scanned for | Lower, but some ATS tools do scan for named traits |
Indeed's guide to hard skills vs soft skills puts it simply: hard skills are technical knowledge gained through training, and soft skills are the behavioural traits, like communication and time management, that determine how you apply that knowledge. Both are necessary. Neither works alone.
A surgeon with flawless soft skills but no clinical training is unemployable. A brilliant engineer who can't communicate with a team slows every project down. Recruiters aren't choosing between the two categories, they're checking whether you have a credible amount of both.
How Many Hard Skills and Soft Skills to List
There's no single magic number, but a workable rule holds across most industries: 8 to 15 total skills, weighted roughly 60 to 70% hard skills and 30 to 40% soft skills.
A few adjustments to that baseline:
- Technical roles (engineering, data, IT) skew harder. You can push closer to 80% hard skills, since your tools and languages are what get you shortlisted by an applicant tracking system in the first place. Our ATS-friendly resume guide explains how that keyword matching actually works.
- People-facing roles (sales, teaching, customer success) need more balance. A 50/50 split is common because interpersonal ability is the job.
- Senior and leadership roles need more soft skills, but shown as outcomes, not adjectives. "Led a team of 12" is a soft skill claim backed by a hard number.
- Never list soft skills alone with nothing to verify them. NACE's employer surveys consistently find problem-solving, teamwork, and communication near the top of what employers screen for on a resume, but naming the trait is only step one. Step two is proving it, which we cover below.
Recruiters scan a resume in seconds before deciding whether to read further. TheLadders' eye-tracking research found the average initial screen lasts 7.4 seconds, most of it spent on job titles, dates, and keywords. A bloated skills section with 25 vague entries wastes that window. A tight, specific list of 10 to 12 does the job better.
90+ Hard Skills List by Industry
Below is a hard skills list organised by field. Each entry shows how to phrase the skill on your resume, not just the raw keyword. Only list skills you can genuinely speak to in an interview; a hard skill you can't demonstrate under questioning is worse than no skill at all.
Technology & IT
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| Python | "Python (Django, FastAPI, pandas)" |
| SQL & database management | "PostgreSQL, query optimisation, schema design" |
| Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) | "AWS (EC2, Lambda, S3), infrastructure provisioning" |
| Git & version control | "Git, GitHub Actions, code review workflows" |
| Docker & Kubernetes | "Containerisation, Kubernetes, Helm charts" |
| CI/CD pipelines | "Automated build and deployment pipelines" |
| JavaScript / TypeScript | "TypeScript, React, Node.js" |
| API design | "RESTful and GraphQL API design, OpenAPI specs" |
| Network security | "Firewall configuration, VPN management, intrusion detection" |
| Data analysis | "SQL, Python, dashboard reporting" |
| Machine learning | "Scikit-learn, model evaluation, feature engineering" |
| AI tools and prompt engineering | "LLM integration, prompt design, AI workflow automation" |
Artificial intelligence literacy is now a hard skill in its own right, and it's spreading well beyond engineering roles. If you're unsure how to phrase this for a non-technical job, our guide to AI skills for your resume breaks down exactly what to include and how to word it credibly.
Healthcare
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| Electronic health records (EHR) | "Epic EHR (certified), patient charting" |
| Patient assessment | "Comprehensive assessment, triage protocols" |
| Medication administration | "IV therapy, medication administration, dosage calculation" |
| BLS / ACLS certification | "BLS, ACLS, PALS certified" |
| Clinical documentation | "Clinical documentation, ICD-10 coding" |
| Infection control | "PPE compliance, sterilisation protocols" |
| Medical terminology | "Anatomical and clinical terminology" |
| Phlebotomy | "Venipuncture, specimen collection and handling" |
| Telehealth platforms | "Virtual consultation software, remote monitoring" |
| Medical billing and coding | "CPT and ICD-10 coding, claims processing" |
Finance & Accounting
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| Financial modelling | "Three-statement modelling, DCF valuation" |
| Advanced Excel | "Pivot tables, Power Query, VBA macros" |
| Bookkeeping | "Accounts payable/receivable, reconciliation" |
| Financial reporting (IFRS/GAAP) | "Quarterly reporting, IFRS compliance" |
| Budgeting and forecasting | "Annual budgeting, rolling forecasts, variance analysis" |
| Tax preparation | "Corporation tax compliance, R&D tax credits" |
| Risk analysis | "Credit risk modelling, stress testing" |
| Audit procedures | "Internal audit, controls testing" |
| ERP systems (SAP, Oracle) | "SAP FICO, ERP implementation" |
| Bloomberg Terminal | "Market data analysis, fixed income analytics" |
Marketing & Digital
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| SEO & SEM | "Technical SEO audits, keyword strategy" |
| Google Analytics 4 | "GA4 event tracking, funnel analysis" |
| Email marketing platforms | "Klaviyo, segmentation, A/B testing" |
| Paid social advertising | "Meta Ads Manager, audience targeting" |
| Marketing automation | "HubSpot workflows, lead scoring" |
| Content strategy | "Editorial calendar, SEO content planning" |
| CRM software | "Salesforce, HubSpot CRM" |
| Data visualisation | "Looker Studio, Tableau dashboards" |
| Copywriting | "Direct response copy, landing page testing" |
| Conversion rate optimisation | "A/B testing, heatmap analysis" |
Sales & Business Development
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot) | "Pipeline management, forecasting dashboards" |
| Pipeline forecasting | "Deal-stage forecasting, quota attainment tracking" |
| Sales enablement tools | "Gong, Outreach, LinkedIn Sales Navigator" |
| Contract negotiation | "Enterprise contract negotiation, pricing strategy" |
| Territory planning | "Account segmentation, territory mapping" |
| Revenue operations | "Attribution modelling, funnel analysis" |
| Cold outreach systems | "Outbound sequencing, prospecting cadence design" |
| Product demonstrations | "Technical product demos, ROI presentations" |
Education & Training
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| Curriculum design | "Standards-aligned curriculum, learning objectives" |
| Learning management systems | "Canvas, Google Classroom, course creation" |
| Assessment design | "Rubric development, formative and summative testing" |
| Instructional design | "ADDIE model, e-learning development" |
| Special education support | "IEP implementation, adaptive learning plans" |
| EdTech integration | "Interactive tools, blended learning" |
| Grant writing | "Funding proposals, budget justification" |
| Data-driven instruction | "Progress monitoring, outcome analysis" |
Engineering & Manufacturing
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| CAD software (AutoCAD, SolidWorks) | "3D modelling, technical drawings" |
| Finite element analysis | "ANSYS, structural load simulation" |
| Six Sigma / quality control | "Six Sigma (Green Belt), ISO 9001 compliance" |
| PLC programming | "Siemens, Allen-Bradley automation" |
| MATLAB / Simulink | "Algorithm development, control systems" |
| Lean manufacturing | "Value stream mapping, waste reduction" |
| Regulatory compliance | "FDA 21 CFR Part 820, CE marking" |
| BIM (Building Information Modelling) | "Revit, clash detection, coordination" |
Creative & Design
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| Figma | "Design systems, prototyping, auto-layout" |
| Adobe Creative Suite | "Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign" |
| User research | "Usability testing, persona development" |
| Motion design | "After Effects, micro-interactions" |
| Wireframing and prototyping | "Low-fi wireframes, interactive flows" |
| Accessibility (WCAG) | "WCAG 2.2 compliance, screen reader testing" |
| Brand identity design | "Logo systems, visual guidelines" |
| 3D rendering | "Blender, product visualisation" |
Administrative & Operations
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 (advanced) | "Excel formulas, SharePoint, Teams administration" |
| Project management tools | "Asana, Monday.com, resource tracking" |
| Travel and calendar management | "Executive calendar management, international travel logistics" |
| Document management | "SharePoint, retention policy compliance" |
| Data entry and quality audits | "CRM data entry, accuracy audits" |
| Supply chain coordination | "Vendor management, procurement" |
| Process documentation | "SOP development, workflow automation" |
| HR systems | "BambooHR, onboarding coordination" |
Customer Service & Hospitality
| Hard Skill | Example on a Resume |
|---|---|
| Helpdesk software | "Zendesk, SLA compliance, ticket routing" |
| Point-of-sale systems | "Square POS, inventory reconciliation" |
| Multilingual communication | "Fluent English and Spanish" |
| Booking and reservation systems | "Opera PMS, reservation management" |
| Food safety certification | "Level 2 food hygiene, HACCP compliance" |
| Live chat and social support | "Omnichannel response, CSAT scoring" |
| Conflict de-escalation | "Complaint resolution, customer retention" |
| Event coordination | "Vendor coordination, guest experience management" |
That's 90-plus hard skills across ten fields, and combined with the soft skills list below, over 100 examples in total. It still isn't exhaustive. Use it as a starting point, then match the exact phrasing to the job description you're applying for. Our guide to tailoring your resume to a job description covers how to pull the right terms out of a posting.
Soft Skills List: 19 Examples and How to Prove Them
A soft skill named without evidence is just an adjective. Recruiters have read "team player" and "hard worker" thousands of times, and LinkedIn's Skills on the Rise report shows the market rewarding specific, demonstrated capabilities like stakeholder management and cross-functional coordination far more than generic trait words.
The fix is simple: pair every soft skill with a result. Below is a soft skills list with a weak version and a strong version for each one.
| Soft Skill | Weak Version | Strong Version |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | "Good communicator" | "Delivered executive-level updates to 5 stakeholder groups" |
| Leadership | "Leadership skills" | "Led a team of 12, mentored 3 into promotion" |
| Problem-solving | "Problem solver" | "Root-caused a production incident, cut recurrence by 40%" |
| Time management | "Good at time management" | "Managed 15+ concurrent projects with overlapping deadlines" |
| Adaptability | "Adaptable" | "Moved the team from Waterfall to Agile in 3 months" |
| Collaboration | "Team player" | "Coordinated launch across engineering, design, and marketing" |
| Attention to detail | "Detail-oriented" | "Maintained 99.7% accuracy across financial reporting" |
| Critical thinking | "Critical thinker" | "Built the competitive analysis behind a market entry decision" |
| Creativity | "Creative" | "Redesigned onboarding content, lifting engagement 45%" |
| Emotional intelligence | "Emotionally intelligent" | "Mediated a client dispute that saved a £120k account" |
| Organisation | "Organised" | "Owned scheduling and resourcing across 4 concurrent projects" |
| Initiative | "Self-starter" | "Built an automation that saved the team 10 hours a week" |
| Resilience | "Resilient" | "Held team output steady through a company restructure" |
| Negotiation | "Strong negotiator" | "Closed 3 enterprise renewals at above list price" |
| Conflict resolution | "Handles conflict well" | "De-escalated repeat complaints, cutting churn by 15%" |
| Cultural awareness | "Culturally aware" | "Managed a team across 4 time zones and 3 languages" |
| Stakeholder management | "Manages stakeholders" | "Aligned 6 department heads on a shared launch date" |
| Delegation | "Delegates well" | "Split a 3-week project across 4 people, delivered early" |
| Persuasion | "Persuasive" | "Pitched the budget increase that funded a new product line" |
The rule that makes this work: soft skills belong in your experience bullets, not just your skills list. If a soft skill only exists as a word in a list, an interviewer has nothing to ask you about. Our resume bullet point examples guide has more before-and-after rewrites if you want to practise this on your own experience section.
How to Evidence Hard Skills vs Soft Skills
The two categories need different proof, and mixing up the approach is one of the most common resume mistakes.
Hard skills are evidenced by naming the tool, the certification, or the specific method. "Financial modelling" is vague. "Three-statement financial modelling in Excel, used to build a £2M budget forecast" is checkable. If you hold a certification, put the name and level in the skills section itself: "AWS Certified Solutions Architect," not just "cloud computing." If you don't have a formal credential, name the specific tool or technique instead of the general category. For certifications specifically, our guide on how to list certifications on a resume covers formatting and placement.
Soft skills are evidenced by outcomes inside your experience bullets, not by adjectives in your skills section. Instead of writing "strong communicator" as a skill, write a bullet that shows communication doing something: "Presented monthly performance reviews to senior leadership, translating technical metrics into business impact." The skill is implied by the result, which is far more convincing than the claim. Our guide to quantifying achievements on a resume has more on turning vague soft-skill claims into numbers.
Where JobSprout's AI assistant tends to help most is exactly at this seam: turning "responsible for team leadership" into a specific bullet with a number attached, and flagging when a hard skill in your skills list has no supporting evidence anywhere else in the document.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a hard skill and a soft skill?
A hard skill is a teachable, measurable technical ability, like a programming language, a certification, or a piece of software you've mastered. A soft skill is a behavioural trait, like communication or adaptability, that shapes how you apply your hard skills in a team or under pressure.
How many hard skills should I put on my resume?
Most resumes work well with 8 to 15 total skills, split roughly 60 to 70% hard skills and 30 to 40% soft skills. Technical roles can lean harder toward hard skills, while people-facing roles benefit from a closer balance.
Can a skill be both hard and soft?
Some skills sit in between. Project management, for example, has a hard component (Gantt charts, Scrum certification, specific software) and a soft component (coordinating people and managing conflict). When a skill straddles both, list the tool or method as the hard skill and demonstrate the behavioural side through your experience bullets.
Should hard skills and soft skills be listed separately?
You can group them under separate subheadings if your skills section is long, but it isn't required. What matters more is that every hard skill is paired with a specific tool or certification, and every soft skill is backed by evidence elsewhere in the resume rather than left to stand alone.
What are the most in-demand hard skills right now?
AI and prompt engineering literacy, cloud computing, data analysis, and cybersecurity fundamentals rank consistently high across current hiring data. See our dedicated AI skills for your resume guide for how to phrase AI-related hard skills specifically.
Do soft skills matter for technical roles?
Yes. Even highly technical roles require communication, collaboration, and problem-solving to function inside a team. The difference is proportion, not presence: a software engineer's resume might run 75% hard skills and 25% soft skills, rather than an even split.
Putting It Together
A resume that gets shortlisted has hard skills the ATS can match against the job description, and soft skills the human reader can actually believe. Here's the short version:
- List 8 to 15 total skills, weighted 60 to 70% hard and 30 to 40% soft.
- Name the specific tool, method, or certification for every hard skill, not the general category.
- Never leave a soft skill unsupported. Pair it with an outcome in your experience section.
- Match the exact wording of the job description wherever your genuine experience allows it.
For the full master list of skills organised across every major industry, see our guide to 150+ skills to put on a resume. And if you want help turning any of the examples above into resume-ready bullets, JobSprout's builder can suggest stronger phrasing and check your skills section against a real job posting before you apply.
