The 12 Most Important Skills to Include on Your CV

Crafting a winning resume is essential to secure an invitation to an interview. However, this task is not always easy. The rules of resume writing have been transformed by the emergence of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which are used by most companies to screen applications before they are ever seen by a human.

Nowadays, your CV or resume needs to be a concise, powerful leaflet that tells a recruiter exactly what you have achieved and what you can do for their company. There is no longer any place for vague sentences or irrelevant information. Skills are especially critical, as they often serve as the keywords that help your resume climb to the top of the candidate list.

But which skills should you include? To stand out, your CV must reflect not only your professional background but also your transferable skills—also known as soft skills. Here are the 12 most important skills that every resume should include.

1. Communication Skills

   Communication is a critical skill for all internal and external business processes. Whether you lead a team or are part of one, you need to communicate effectively to perform your duties. Clients, colleagues, and third parties all rely on your ability to listen, understand, explain, and persuade. On your CV, don't just state that you have "good communication skills"; provide evidence, such as experience in public speaking, writing reports, or managing client relationships.

2. Problem-Solving Skills

   Recruiters look for strong candidates who can take ownership of a situation and manage tricky issues on their own. Problem-solving is not only about your ability to fix what has already gone wrong; it’s also about being proactive and mitigating issues before they arise. People who can approach issues from various angles and with alternative ways of thinking are key assets within any organisation.

3. Teamwork

   No matter what industry you work in, teamwork is one of the most essential skills to highlight. You will regularly be required to manage projects with colleagues and work collaboratively to achieve shared goals. Positive teamwork fosters a strong community spirit and increases employee satisfaction. To get inspired, you can even look up examples of teamwork quotes to spark motivation.

4. Emotional Intelligence

   This skill will look great on any resume, but you should only add it if you can back it up with examples. Emotional intelligence means you are capable of controlling your own emotions as well as understanding the emotions of others. This is a great asset in project-based or team-oriented roles, where managing relationships and navigating social dynamics is key to success.

5. Adaptability and Flexibility

   With the evolution of new technologies and working methods, you have to know how to adapt quickly. Today, everything changes much faster in the working environment than it used to. A project you are working on might take a new turn overnight, and in this case, you have no choice but to be responsive. Adaptability is an increasingly vital skill. Versatility—the ability to multitask and work on various projects at the same time—is also highly appreciated by companies as it allows managers to assign different tasks to the same person, saving resources.

6. Organisation and Time Management

   Whatever job you do, you need to be organised. The ability to organise your projects and effectively manage your time is crucial for meeting deadlines and maintaining efficiency. Almost every role you have performed before required some form of project management; think of your previous duties through this lens and highlight examples of how you planned and executed tasks successfully.

7. Attention to Detail

   Being attentive is not only about detecting errors in documents; it’s also about following instructions carefully, which is especially important if the work of others depends on your contribution. Paying attention is a duty, while being attentive to detail is a skill that can help fix potential mistakes and avoid future troubles. This demonstrates a high level of professionalism and care in your work.

8. Computer and Digital Literacy

   Even if your dream job does not specifically require you to be familiar with certain types of software, you will definitely be working with some digital tools. Mentioning your knowledge of common software suites like Microsoft Office or Google Workspace is a baseline expectation. If you have experience with industry-specific software, such as Salesforce for sales roles or Photoshop for creative roles, be sure to highlight it. This shows you are tech-savvy and a forward-thinking candidate.

9. Data Analysis

   You are not required to be a big data guru to put this skill on your resume. Most jobs will require you to work with certain metrics and analyse them to make informed decisions. If you can do so, why not include data analysis in your skillset? If you have a formal qualification like a data analytics degree, then it is a great advantage, but even demonstrating experience with tools like Google Analytics or simply using spreadsheets to track performance can be a valuable addition.

10. Negotiation Skills

    If you are a confident negotiator, this skill must go on your resume. Negotiation is more than just communication; it’s the ability to establish rapport, broker deals, and build trusting relationships. The ability to persuade others and find mutually beneficial solutions is highly valued in almost every role, from sales and management to project coordination.

11. Writing and Language Skills

    Many jobs require employees to be good at writing. In any workplace, you will have to communicate with colleagues, write business letters, compile reports, and more. If you know any foreign languages, add them to your skills list. This can set you apart from your competitors, especially if the language is relevant to the company’s customer base or international operations.

12. Work Ethic and Initiative

    Being honest and trustworthy is a desirable quality in any employee. A strong work ethic includes integrity, responsibility, discipline, and professionalism. Furthermore, autonomy is a much-appreciated asset. If you can work independently without constant supervision, you save time and money for the company. Highlighting your curiosity and ability to take the initiative—such as training on a new software before it was required—will surely catch a recruiter’s eye.

Further Reading from Skills You Need

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The Skills You Need Guide to Jobs and Careers: Getting a Job

Develop the skills you need to get that job.

This eBook is essential reading for potential job-seekers. It covers the entire process from identifying your skills through the mechanics of applying for a job and writing a CV or resume, to attending interviews.

Conclusion

Building a successful resume that gets you an interview requires you to assess your abilities from several perspectives. Some skills are very field-specific, while others are so generic that you may not even think to include them. Often, it is these transferable soft skills that make your resume stand out from the crowd because they are not always obvious to other candidates.

We encourage you to list as many skills as you can and then filter them based on their relevance to the job you are applying for. Skills you find easy or not a big deal, others may consider a significant advantage.