The Most Popular Resume Skills Worldwide: Zety’s 2024 Study
Create Your Resume NowThe world is constantly changing, and so are the skills recruiters and managers want to see when opening their inboxes. But whether you’re applying for a job in the USA, Brazil, Poland, or France, there are some skills that are more frequently used on resumes than others.
Since more and more employees need reskilling, you might want to update your resume with the skills that are really popular in the country you work in. Let me show you what they are in our 7 main markets.
Most Popular Resume Skills from the Last Year (per Market)
Every job market in the world is different. These differences can be spotted in people’s approach towards skills added to their resumes.
We’ve analyzed nearly 17 million resumes created with Zety Resume Builder last year. The most popular skills were used tens of thousands of times, and job seekers used over 130,000 different skills. Below you’ll find lists of those used the most in our 7 markets. Each subchapter will show you not only the ten most popular skills but also the average number of skills added to resumes in each country.
Most Popular Resume Skills from the Last Year (USA)
Let’s start with the skills that are the most popular in North America. How many skills do Americans add to their resumes on average?
Here’s a list of skills that have been added to resumes most frequently between August 2023 and August 2024 in Zety’s builder in the US:
1. Teamwork and Collaboration: used 51,309 times on resumes
2. Problem-Solving: used 47,827 times on resumes
3. Project Management: used 32,197 times on resumes
4. Excellent Communication: used 32,071 times on resumes
5. Strategic Planning: used 31,988 times on resumes
6. Multitasking Abilities: used 31,076 times on resumes
7. Attention to Detail: used 29,906 times on resumes
8. Decision-Making: used 29,311 times on resumes
9. Time Management: used 26,891 times on resumes
10. Customer Service: used 26,708 times on resumes
Most Popular Resume Skills from the Last Year (Brazil)
Moving on, we’ve got Brazil. Let’s see what it looks like in numbers, starting with the average number of skills added to resumes.
Here’s a list of skills that have been added to resumes most frequently between August 2023 and August 2024 in Zety’s builder in Brazil:
1. Communication: used 8,162 times on resumes
2. Teamwork: used 6,644 times on resumes
3. Organizational Skills: used 5,961 times on resumes
4. Ability to Learn: used 5,333 times on resumes
5. Proactive Attitude: used 4,008 times on resumes
6. MS Office: used 3,668 times on resumes
7. Problem-Solving: used 3,354 times on resumes
8. Responsibility: used 2,566 times on resumes
9. Versatility: used 2,148 times on resumes
10. Leadership: used 2,046 times on resumes
Most Popular Resume Skills from the Last Year (Poland)
Let’s visit Europe, starting with Poland and with their average resume skills number.
Here’s a list of skills that have been added to resumes most frequently between August 2023 and August 2024 in Zety’s builder in Poland:
1. Teamwork: used 30,911 times on resumes
2. Communication: used 27,176 times on resumes
3. Driving License (Category B): used 22,559 times on resumes
4. Computer Skills: used 14,077 times on resumes
5. Creativity and Ingenuity: used 19,493 times on resumes
6. Quick Learning Ability: used 11,664 times on resumes
7. Diligence and Commitment: used 10,717 times on resumes
8. Accuracy and Attention to Detail: used 6,905 times on resumes
9. Independence: used 6,116 times on resumes
10. Excellent Organizational Skills: used 5,183 times on resumes
Most Popular Resume Skills from the Last Year (Germany)
Time to see what skills are the most popular in Germany. But first, let’s see the average number of skills added to German resumes.
Here’s a list of skills that have been added to resumes most frequently between August 2023 and August 2024 in Zety’s builder in Germany:
1. Teamwork: used 18,205 times on resumes
2. Quick Comprehension: used 12,972 times on resumes
3. Communication Skills: used 11,826 times on resumes
4. Strong Work Ethic and Commitment: used 10,568 times on resumes
5. Driving License: used 9,078 times on resumes
6. Independence: used 7,210 times on resumes
7. Experience with MS Office Suite: used 6,634 times on resumes
8. Responsibility and Resilience: used 5,706 times on resumes
9. Efficient Time and Task Management: used 4,694 times on resumes
10. Diligence and Accountability: used 3,901 times on resumes
Most Popular Resume Skills from the Last Year (France)
Take a look at skills used in France and the average number you can find on resumes there.
Here’s a list of skills that have been added to resumes most frequently between August 2023 and August 2024 in Zety’s builder in France:
1. Team Spirit: used 7,676 times on resumes
2. Autonomy: used 6,620 times on resumes
3. Communication Skills: used 6,043 times on resumes
4. Motivation and Dedication: used 5,912 times on resumes
5. Excellent Organizational Skills: used 4,949 times on resumes
6. Ability to Learn: used 3,824 times on resumes
7. Driving License: used 3,715 times on resumes
8. Attention to Detail: used 3,593 times on resumes
9. Proficiency in MS Office Suite: used 2,902 times on resumes
10. Responsibility and Stress Management: used 1,937 times on resumes
Most Popular Resume Skills from the Last Year (Spain)
Here’s an average number of skills added to Spanish resumes:
Here’s a list of skills that have been added to resumes most frequently between August 2023 and August 2024 in Zety’s builder in Spain:
1. Teamwork: used 7,236 times on resumes
2. Ability to Learn: used 4,691 times on resumes
3. Customer Service: used 2,263 times on resumes
4. Responsibility: used 2,009 times on resumes
5. Punctuality and Commitment: used 1,979 times on resumes
6. Communication Skills: used 1,976 times on resumes
7. Empathy: used 1,945 times on resumes
8. Problem-Solving: used 1,912 times on resumes
9. Creativity: used 1,886 times on resumes
10. Flexibility and Adaptability: used 1,823 times on resumes
Most Popular Resume Skills from the Last Year (Italy)
Let’s finish with Italy. Here’s how many skills Italians add to their resumes on average:
Here’s a list of skills that have been added to resumes most frequently between August 2023 and August 2024 in Zety’s builder in Italy:
1. Communication and Interpersonal Skills: used 525 times on resumes
2. Analytical Thinking and Problem-Solving Ability: used 327 times on resumes
3. Precision and Attention to Detail: used 190 times on resumes
4. Adaptability and Flexibility: used 176 times on resumes
5. Teamwork Orientation: used 173 times on resumes
6. IT Skills: used 163 times on resumes
7. Driving License: used 161 times on resumes
8. Customer Orientation: used 157 times on resumes
9. Autonomy: used 154 times on resumes
10. Strong Motivation and Proactive Attitude: used 146 times on resumes
Summary
Comparing 7 different markets, you can see significant differences in both the average numbers of added skills and what these skills are. But there are also some great similarities.
Despite specific skills being named differently, you can easily see that the vast majority of them are soft skills that repeat themselves throughout all the lists. For instance, teamwork ranks very high in every market. The same goes for communication. That proves that interpersonal skills, cooperation, and effective communication are precious in the modern workplace. Another important trait is managing your time, multitasking, solving problems, and organizing your work efficiently, all of which employers value. I’m glad to point out that organizational skills are also represented in every list above.
But why are the hard skills not among the most popular ones? The only two common examples are computer skills and driving licenses. That’s because hard skills are often tailored to a specific job offer. When you apply for a particular position that requires certain hard skills, you should always include them on your resume.
Zety users put much more emphasis on showing soft skills. And no wonder why. They apply to a wide range of professions and, according to recent studies, are what recruiters prioritize in the recruitment process. After all, you can train an employee in hard skills, but soft ones are harder to learn.
Your hard skills might require an occasional update, but your soft skills are universally useful. Make sure to show them on your resume.
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Before you go, visit my previous study on the most popular professions from these 7 markets: Who Wrote The Most Resumes? Zety’s Job Title Study 2024.
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Our editorial team has reviewed this article to ensure it aligns with Zety’s guidelines. We are committed to providing reliable, tailored career advice, which brings over a million readers to our site each year. Our team conducts original research to stay updated with the job market and is proud to be cited by top universities and media outlets worldwide.
Sources
- Kate Whiting, These are the top 10 job skills of tomorrow – and how long it takes to learn them
- Springboard’s Workforce Skills Gap Trends 2024: Survey Report
- Bilal Amin, Importance of teamwork in business
- Mihaela Laura Bratu, Lucian-Ionel Cioca, Is organizational skill a will or a way to a successful lifestyle and workstyle?