Skills in a CV - which are good to mention?

Are you unsure of which skills in a resume you should include - and which ones you should avoid? Being able to include relevant skills gives you as a job seeker a great advantage. Aim to be selective and specific when choosing which skills you want to highlight. Feel free to read through which are the most requested soft skills to have on your CV. Skills in a CV.

Skills in a resume should be those that are relevant to the job.

The company wants to know what makes you a strong candidate for the job, not everything you have done throughout your working life. Nor are they interested in skills or abilities that are not related to the job you are looking for. The person reviewing your resume mainly cares about what you can offer the company. This means that they are looking for someone who meets the criteria they have in their job advertisement.

Skills you should avoid mentioning in your resume

Outdated skills or competences

Maybe you were a fan of a software program that stopped being used several years ago? Many technical solutions have become obsolete and knowing how to use them is not an asset. Mentioning such skills or abilities in a CV can make you seem outdated and that you are not keeping up with developments. Which is a disadvantage.

Skills that are not relevant to the job you are looking for

Omit the skills in a resume that are in no way related to the job you are looking for. If you are applying for several very different jobs, it is good to consider the possibility of creating different CVs for each category of job that you are applying for. This will help you avoid including skills that are not relevant to certain positions.

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Skills that are good to add to your resume

Although there are skills in a resume that you should avoid, there are a number of skills you should include. Be sure to focus on the skills that show why you are qualified for the jobs you are looking for. You can include your skills by processing them in the job descriptions you write for the positions you have held before. You can also include them in your CV's profile text, if you have one.

Try decoding the job ad

You can find a lot of information regarding what the employer is looking for by trying to decode the job advertisement. Look for words they use frequently both in the ad for the job you are looking for as well as on their website. By learning what the company is looking for, it will also be easier for you to tailor your application.

Match your skills with the job advertisement

Now that you have a better idea of ‹‹what the employer is looking for, it's time for you to match your qualifications for the job by adding the right skills to a resume. Make a list of the skills you will find in the job advertisement. Then list the skills, experiences and competencies you have. Then check what matches between you. You want to invest in including the skills that most closely match what the employer is looking for.

The words you use may serve as keywords to help your resume be selected by an ATS program. It is a recruitment program that some employers use. If you match the position through your skills, there is a greater chance that the company will discover you in the recruitment process via your keyword optimization.

Be as specific as possible

Do not print too broad and general skills, especially if you are looking for a technical position. Avoid writing things such as computer skills or IT savvy. Instead, include programming languages, hardware, software, and other skills that you are good at and that qualify you for the job.