Technical Skills List: Examples for Resumes Employers Want in 2019

Here’s a great list of technical skills for resumes. But—

Make it count.

Your resume technical skills list should shake the hiring manager.

Never copy-paste. That’s bogus, and employers know it.

Instead:

Pack your resume with skills the job wants.

Then prove them like a Geometric theorem.

This guide will show you:

A great list of technical skills for resumes.
Dozens of technical skills examples for every career.
Why resume achievements are better than hard skills lists.
How to list technical skills on resumes to get the interview.

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Definition of Technical Skills: Job-specific abilities that don’t transfer to all jobs.

What are technical skills? What are hard skills? They’re the same thing—abilities that let you do specific job tasks.

Examples are web development, sales closing skills, statistical modeling, information technology skills, and inventory management.

The opposite of technical skills are soft skills like communication and leadership. Those work in any job.

Technical Skills List

“Just the facts!”

For general technological skills, see this list.

Looking for hard skills for a specific career?

We’ll show you more later on.

Now, here’s a list of examples of technical skills in the workplace:

MS Office. Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, Access, OneNote.
Email. Filters, folders, mail merge, rules.
Google Drive. Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides.
Writing. WordPress, SEO, Yoast, journalism, technical writing, ghostwriting.
Spreadsheets. Excel, Google Sheets, OpenOffice, comparative analyses, pivot tables, macros, link to database, vertical lookups.
Social Media. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, posts, giveaways, customer interaction.
Phone skills. Voicemail, forwarding, hold, recording.
Productivity. Trello, Slack, Asana, Todoist, Zapier, Basecamp.
Quickbooks. Invoicing, expense tracking, accounts payable, reports, payroll, employee time tracking, cash flow management.
Graphical. Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat, Free Hand, Corel Draw.
Web. HTML, CSS, Javascript, WordPress, Content Management Systems (CMS).
Enterprise Systems. Payment Processing, Automated Billing Systems, Customer Relationship Management (CRMs like Oracle Netsuite or Salesforce), Business Continuity Planning, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERPs like SAP, Oracle).
Math. Basic math, arithmetic, statistics, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus.
Research. Source checking, intellectual property rights, networking, outreach, advanced Google search.
Computer Skills. MS Office, Google Drive, spreadsheets, email, PowerPoint, databases, social media, web, enterprise systems.
Programming Skills. C#, SQL, Java, C++, HTML, JavaScript, XML, C, Perl, Python, PHP, Objective-C, AJAX, ASP.NET, Ruby.
Troubleshooting. Assessment, system knowledge, analytical skills, testing, calm mindset, problem-solving, logic, collaboration, communication.
Planning. Analysis, brainstorming, decision-making, forecasting, logistics, problem-solving, cost-assessment, requirements-gathering.
Project Management. Task management, prioritization, delegation, task separation, scheduling, risk management, Scrum.
Video Creation. Shooting, framing, writing, editing, compressing, uploading, creating engagement.
Presenting. Public speaking, PowerPoint, Keynote.

Those are great technical skills. But—

How do you show tech skills on a resume?

Check out these hard skills examples:

Job ad wants: (1) Excel skills, (2) social media skills, and (3) SEO skills.

Your resume says:

Created (1) MS Excel pivot tables to identify 500+ new high-traffic, low-competition keywords that pushed us to $250,000+ more annual revenue.
Used strong (2) social media skills to direct 1,000+ targeted tweets and Facebook posts that generated 25,000+ shares and 350,000+ comments.
In 18 months, guided the team’s (3) SEO drive to boost traffic from 1M per month to 4.5M per month.

See that?

You didn’t say, “I have these technical skills.” You said, “I have these tech skills massively, and here’s proof in story form.”

A simple technical skills section on a resume won’t cut it.

Now let me show you job-getting hard skills examples for all the top careers.

Pro Tip: Don’t pick tech skills at random for your resume. Learn what the employer wants. See job-specific technical ability lists below.

Need computer skills to put on resumes? Want to know how to list computer skills on resumes? See our guide: Computer Skills: Best Resume Computer Skills Employers Want in 2018

Top 10+ IT Skills in Demand

Check out the list of basic and advanced IT technical skills companies are looking for right now—

IT Skills

Web. HTML5, CSS, Django, Node.js. Laravel, React.
Programming Skills. C#, Java, C++, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Objective-C, AJAX, ASP.NET, Ruby, Golang.
Blockchain technologies, Bitcoin, Ripple, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, Litecoin.
Cloud and Distributed Computing. Kubernetes, Docker, Azure, AWS.
Machine Learning. TensorFlow, scikit-learn, Google Cloud ML Engine, AML.
Operating Systems. Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux.
Network and Information Security. OSCP, CISSP, Cisco CCNA, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), CompTIA Security+.
Electronic and Electrical Engineering. AutoCAD, MATLAB, Verilog, Simulink, Pspice, Multisim, ETAP.
Virtualization. VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, QEMU, Oracle VM VirtualBox, XEN.
Big Data. Statistical analysis, data mining and modeling, database management.
eCommerce Platforms. Magento, PrestaShop, Joomla, OpenCart, WooCommerce, Shopify.

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Remember not to ignore soft skills. Demand for soft skills has been on the rise since 1980, data shows. Learn how to make most of them by following up with:

Technical Skills Lists for the Top 10 Careers

What hard skills work for your job?

This list gives the top 10 technical abilities for the most popular professions.

Plus—

It lists technical skills examples.

Project Manager Technical Skills

Budgeting
Work Scheduling
Project Evaluation
Technical Reports
Risk Management
Scrum
Agile
Staffing
Record Keeping
Cost Management

Job ad wants: Scrum skills.

Your resume says:

Led 3 Scrum teams to raise revenue from $1.2M to $2.7M in 16 months.
Through guided Scrum meetings, increased Kanban buy-in to 95% of stakeholders, slashing cycle time 35%.

Need more hard skills for project managers? See this project manager resume.

Programmer Technical Skills

Data Structures
Web Development
Coding
Open Source Experience
Machine Learning
Security
Java, SQL, C#, Python, iOS, PHP
Debugging
Problem Solving
Logic

Job ad wants: web development skills.

Your resume says:

Used web-development skills to prototype 35+ new product features yearly.
Raised user experience scores 45% using advanced web dev skills.

Need more programmer tech skills? See our programmer resume.

Data Analyst Technical Skills

Statistical Methods
Programming
Database Design
Excel Power User
SAS Enterprise Miner
SQL
Minitab
Data Analytics
MS Access, Oracle
Data Visualization

Job ad wants: statistical modeling skills.

Your resume says:

Built statistical models for large data sets with Teradata.
Used statistical modeling to slash development costs 18%.

Need more technical skills for data analysts? See our data analyst resume.

Graphic Designer Technical Skills

Photoshop
Illustrator
Acrobat
InDesign
Free Hand
HTML/CSS
Corel Draw
Typography
Sketching
Layout

Job ad wants: Photoshop skills.

Your resume says:

Used Photoshop to create 350+ client designs annually.
Contributed to ecommerce site that received 2017 Shopify Ecommerce Design Award, partly thanks to strong Photoshop skills.

Need more graphic design hard skills? See our graphic designer resume.

Administrative Assistant Technical Skills

Calendar Management
Travel Planning
Event Planning
Writing Emails and Letters
Transcription
Inventory Management
Billing
Salesforce
Research
Order Processing

Job ad wants: inventory management skills.

Your resume says:

Inventory management: Saved $5,000 a year on office supplies by negotiating new deals with current suppliers.
Used strong inventory management skills to cut supply waste by 20%.

Need more office technical skills? See our administrative assistant resume.

Teacher Technical Skills

Classroom Management
Assessment
Curriculum Development
State Standards
Early Childhood and Learning Concepts
Age-Appropriate Activities
Safety and Sanitation Policies
Departmental Planning
Mentoring
Special Education

Job ad wants: state standards skills.

Your resume says:

Raised standardized test scores in Writing 20% and English 30% by injecting creative coursework into our curriculum.
Integrated technology into classroom with iPads, Smart Boards, and computers contributing to 15% rise in adherence to state standards.

Need more teaching technological skills? See our teacher resume.

Nurse Technical Skills

Urgent Care/Emergency Care
Monitoring Vital Signs
Rehabilitation Therapy
NIH Stroke Scale Patient Assessment
Phlebotomy
12-Lead ECG Interpretation and Placements
Wound Care and Dressing
Glucose Checks
Patient Transport
G-Tube Feedings and Care

Job ad wants: phlebotomy skills.

Your resume says:

Used phlebotomy skills to collect, label, and process 1,000+ phlebotomy samples.
Trained 3 nurses in phlebotomy best practices.

Want more nursing technical skills? See our nursing resume.

Sales Technical Skills

Product Knowledge
Social Media
Relationship Building
Presentation
Prospecting
Customer Needs Analysis
Product Demo
Objection Handling
Closing Sales
Lead Qualification

Job ad wants closing sales skills and customer needs analysis.

Your resume says:

Surpassed sales closing goals by 20% in each quarter.
Built real-time customer needs analysis boosting retention 25%.

Need more sales hard skills? See our sales associate resume.

Business Analyst Technical Skills

Benchmarking
Future State Assessment
Business Process Re-engineering
As-is Analysis
Defining Solutions and Scope
Gap Analysis
Role Change
Wireframing, Prototyping, User Stories
Financial Analysis/Modeling
SWOT Analysis

Job ad wants business process re-engineering and as-is analysis skills.

Your resume says:

Used business process re-engineering to develop new customer service process. Slashed refund requests 28% and labor costs $1.5 million.
Conducted as-is analysis for business optimization projects. Raised revenue 12%.

Need more business analyst tech skills? See our business analyst resume.

Engineering Skills for Resumes

CAD
STEM Skills
Prototyping
Design
Project Launch
Troubleshooting
Testing
Workflow Development
Lean Manufacturing
Computer Skills

Job ad wants production design and Lean manufacturing skills.

Your resume says:

Prototyped 10 new products per year. New CAD laser scanner was shortlisted for an A’Design award in 2016.
Applied Lean manufacturing principles to redesign Kanban system. Decreased inventory costs 32%.

Want more technical skills for engineering jobs? See our Engineering Resume Guide.

Pro Tip: Not sure which of those technological skills to use? Scour the job ad. The right technology skills are listed in it.

Need a list of all the resume skills? See our guide: 30+ Best Examples of Skills and Abilities to Put on a Resume

Technical Skills for 10 Other Popular Careers

Want the best technical skills for computer science, IT, marketing, or accounting?

Find job-ready tech skills in these resume guides:

Technical Skills Lists for Every Profession

Didn’t see a list of technical resume skills for your career? See our resume guides: Resume Examples for Every Profession

Next I’ll show how to prove hard skills on a resume.

Pro Tip: Can’t find the right technical ability—even in the job ad? Call and ask, or reach out to a company employee on LinkedIn.

What technical skills in management should you put on a resume? See our guide: Management Skills List + Surprising Expert Advice for Your Job

How to List Technical Skills on a Resume

Catastrophe.

You emailed 200+ resumes and—crickets.

The problem?

You have the right tech skills. But you’re showing them wrong.

To get hired:

Know what technical skills to put on a resume.
Prove them with accomplishments.
Include %, $, and other numbers for scale.

Why Technical Skills Lists Don’t Help (And What to Do Instead)

Most job resumes parrot the same list of technical skills. Hiring managers hate it.

So—

Read the job ad like it’s got the winning lottery number it. (It does!)

The perfect technology skills are right in there.

This One Technical Strengths Hack Can Get You Hired

This trick is tech skills gold.

Show accomplishments like these technical skills examples:

Managed company-wide transition to Windows 10. Upgraded 150+ employees, with 100% HIPAA compliance, 20% under budget.
Hardened system security by enacting IT risk management plan. Adopted password vaults and least privilege protocols. Slashed security risk 48%.

Why’s that magic?

It says you’ve got technical skills. But—

It shows how those hard skills helped the company. It shows how much, with numbers like 150+, 100%, 20%, and 48%.

Those are quantified accomplishments, and they’ll teleport you to the working world.

Pro Tip: As technical abilities can be verified easily, don’t lie on your resume. You will get fired once your fibs are revealed and damage your reputation.

How do you turn technical competencies into resume keywords? See our guide: Resume Keywords To Use: Step-by-Step Guide

Key Takeaway

Here’s a recap of how to list technical skills on a resume:

Use the technical skills list above. Don’t copy-paste from it. Read the job ad and highlight the few tech skills it mentions.
Don’t make a technical ability list. Write bullet points crammed with achievements that prove your technical competency.
Use numbers. Dollar figures, percentages, and other metrics show how effective your technological aptitude is.
For career-specific hard skills examples, see our resume guides for every profession. Each one has a dedicated list of tech skills.

Do you have questions on how to list technological skills on a resume? Not sure how to describe your achievements? Give us a shout in the comments! We’d be happy to reply.