Top skills to put on your resume in 2025

Biggest career upgrades start with a good resume. Trends vary in every field, however some universal skills are important to bear in mind to promote yourself as a great modern-day employee. Read this article to find out what is worth learning and including in your resume should you start looking for a new dream job.

Value of skills in a resume

Crafting an impactful resume has become both an art and a science. As job markets shift and industries adapt to new technologies and paradigms, the skills you choose to showcase on your resume play a pivotal role in setting you apart. A well-rounded resume not only requires a balance of hard and soft skills but also a keen awareness of universal, timeless abilities and the new trends that help you tackle modern day challenges of your profession.

When employers glance at your resume, they seek more than a mere list of accomplishments; they’re in search of an individual who can seamlessly integrate into their team and contribute meaningfully. In a competitive landscape where relevance of your knowledge and talents is paramount, your skill selection could very well be the key that unlocks your professional aspirations.

Before we begin exploring the skills you must include in a successful resume, start with skill classification and learn to tell between hard and soft skills.

Hard skills VS soft skills

Hard and soft skills are two distinct categories of skills that are always included in the resume and separated from each other. The reason is a different nature of those talents, learning ability, and ways to assess them.

Hard skills, also referred to as professional skills, are obtained through learning and experience, and include tangible abilities that can be objectively assessed. They mainly relate to technical aspects of work and help you perform very certain tasks, depending on the field you are working in. Hard skills include, for example, working with certain software (office suites, design software, social media, etc) or machinery (video camera, sound equipment, artist tools) or performing certain activities (data analysis, mathematics). Such skills are often industry-specific, hence it is important to think carefully what skills to include in your resume when applying to a particular job.

Soft skills include behavioral and emotional aspects of your personality and define how you perform your work individually and as a part of the collective.Those are usually personal talents you have obtained over the course of your life with or have intentionally built to improve your performance. Those skills are rather universal: they are useful in various social situations and valuable across various fields of work. Examples of soft skills include your abilities in communication, leadership, stress resistance, time management, negotiation, problem solving, creativity, and other aspects of performance.

Let’s look at the essential and common skills that are guaranteed to increase your credibility, namely software skills and communication skills.

What computer skills to put on your resume

For many professions, working with software is an essential daily process. Some apps, including office suites and project management systems, are commonplace tools used in many industries and by many job positions. Some are specific for certain professions and industries, but even here they are a must-know examples that every designer and sales manager needs to be acquainted with. Let’s have a look at what software is important to include in your resume.

Office suites (Microsoft Office, Google Docs, ONLYOFFICE, LibreOffice). Word, Excel, and PowerPoint skills are essential for most office-based roles. They are used for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and managing emails.

Job examples: Administrative assistants, office managers, data analysts, marketing managers.

Project Management Software (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello). Project management is crucial for planning, organizing, and tracking tasks and projects.

Job examples: Project managers, team leads, coordinators.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot). Knowing CRM is important for managing customer interactions, sales, and marketing efforts.

Job examples: Sales representatives, customer support specialists, marketing professionals.

Graphic Design Software (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud – Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign). These tools are used for creating visual content such as graphics, illustrations, layouts, product designs, social media content, etc.

Job examples: Graphic designers, marketing professionals, content creators.

Data Analysis and Visualization Tools (e.g., Excel, Tableau, Power BI). Essential for analyzing and presenting data to make informed business decisions.

Job examples: Data analysts, business analysts, financial analysts.

Programming Languages (e.g., Python, Java, JavaScript). Essential for developing software, knowledge of programming languages are very helpful when working with different applications and operating systems, performing technical writing, and automating tasks.

Job examples: Software developers, web developers, data scientists.

CAD Software (e.g., AutoCAD, SolidWorks). Important for designing and drafting in fields like engineering and architecture.

Job examples: Engineers, architects, product designers.

Video Editing Software (e.g., Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro). Such tools are used for editing and producing video content.

Job examples: Video editors, content creators, filmmakers.

Statistical Analysis Software (e.g., R, SAS, SPSS). Those are essential for conducting advanced statistical analyses.

Job examples: Statisticians, data scientists, research analysts.

Customer Support Software (e.g., Zendesk, Freshdesk). Used for managing and tracking customer inquiries and support tickets.

Job examples: Customer support representatives, helpdesk agents.

3D Modeling and Animation Software (e.g., Autodesk Maya, Blender). These apps are used for creating 3D models and animations.

Job examples: 3D artists, animators, game developers.

Digital Marketing Tools (e.g., Google Analytics, SEMrush, Hootsuite). Such apps are essential for analyzing website traffic, managing social media, and conducting digital marketing campaigns.

Job examples: Digital marketers, social media managers, SEO specialists.

Generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Scribe, Jasper). Text generation tools powered by AI can help professionals in various creative fields optimize work quality and efficiency. Some office apps, like ONLYOFFICE Docs, let you use generative AI tools right in the interface.

Job examples: Writers, content creators, designers, sales managers.

8 communication skills that raise your salary

Effective communication skills remain crucial in various professions, facilitating collaboration, understanding, and successful outcomes. The following communication skills are essential for almost every resume, whatever your field is:

1. Verbal communication

Clear verbal communication is vital for conveying information, instructions, and ideas directly.

Essential for professions: Sales representatives, teachers, customer service agents.

Example: Sales representatives need to clearly explain product features and benefits to potential clients, addressing questions and objections.

2. Active listening

Actively listening and comprehending others fosters understanding and effective problem-solving.

Essential for professions: Therapists, consultants, project managers.

Example: Consultants must attentively listen to clients’ needs and concerns before offering tailored solutions.

3. Professional written communication

Clear and concise written communication is essential for documentation, reports, and emails.

Essential for professions: Content writers, researchers, office administrators.

Example: Content writers must craft engaging and informative articles while adhering to guidelines and deadlines.

4. Clean nonverbal communication

Nonverbal cues, such as body language and facial expressions, convey emotions and add depth to interactions.

Essential for professions: Presenters, actors, negotiators.

Example: Negotiators must interpret and utilize nonverbal cues during negotiations to gauge the other party’s stance.

5. Well-developed empathy and emotional Intelligence

Understanding and managing emotions fosters rapport and effective conflict resolution.

Essential for professions: Healthcare professionals, human resources managers, social workers.

Example: Healthcare professionals must demonstrate empathy and emotional intelligence while providing patient care and support.

6. Knowledge in cross-cultural communication

In an increasingly globalized world, understanding diverse cultural norms enhances communication and prevents misunderstandings.

Essential for professions: International business professionals, diplomats, translators.

Example: Diplomats must navigate cultural differences while negotiating international agreements.

7. Digital communication

Proficiency in digital tools, email etiquette, and virtual communication is essential due to the rise of remote work.

Essential for professions: Remote workers, digital marketers, online educators.

Example: Digital marketers need to create engaging online content and respond to social media interactions.

8. Presentation skills

Effective presentations involve structuring content, engaging visuals, and confident delivery.

Essential for professions: Educators, salespeople, public speakers.

Example: Educators must engage students through well-structured lessons and interactive presentations.

When highlighting communication skills on your resume, remember to provide specific examples of how you’ve applied these skills in your previous roles to showcase your effectiveness and relevance to prospective employers.

Resume skills trending this year

With evolving technology and changing business ethics, certain trends take over the field of soft skill training and increasingly define the value of an employee in a modern company. Here are some examples:

1. Virtual communication: Proficiency in video conferencing, online collaboration tools, and remote communication in apps like Zoom, ONLYOFFICE Docs, and Slack are vital with widespread of use of flexible and remote work approaches.
2. Inclusivity: Addressing diverse audiences and ensuring messages are accessible to everyone are mandatory for content creators, public figures, and employees of big international teams.
3. Visual communication: Professionally utilizing infographics, videos, and visual aids for enhanced engagement when dealing with public helps you stay up to date with modern patterns of information perception.
4. Adaptability: In a globalized business world, one must be able to swiftly adjust communication and collaboration styles to suit various platforms and contexts.
5. Authenticity: Sincere and genuine communication is valued to build trust and credibility when everyone is dealing with large volumes of information.
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): Skills in AI fluency, prompt engineering, and algorithm training.
7. Cybersecurity: Skills in network security, penetration testing, and incident response.
8. Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing emotions to build strong relationships.

How to list your skills in a resume

It is important to organize the list of skills in your resume in understandable and logical way, to help your potential employer easily get the right picture of you as a candidate.

First of all, you begin with grouping skills into hard and soft skill categories to build two corresponding parts of your resume: one displays your knowledge and experience, and another describes your performance.

Second, fill these categories with abilities relevant to the desired job position. For example, working as a teacher will unlikely require your experience in Photoshop, while in social media management this will be your big advantage. Ability to operate drones will not be important for an average software engineer, but will boost your chances in video content creation.

Recruiting professionals recommend creating separate resumes with own skill sets for individual job applications or small groups of such, to make your resume always stay on point and give you a better chance of being invited for an interview.

Last but not least, remember that what a person sees first is likely to give them a lasting impression. When compiling the lists of abilities, put the most important and relevant items on top, and keep the niche skills at the bottom.

Build a perfect resume with ONLYOFFICE

Explore ONLYOFFICE Library and find multiple resume templates that you can fill in on the spot or download on your computer without registration or royalties. We created accurate and relevant designs that make sure you don’t miss any important part and give the right impression to your future employer.

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Want to do more? In ONLYOFFICE Docs, you can modify and create your own templates for any personal or work document, export them to DOCX or PDF, and invite colleagues to collaborate with you.