Top Hard Skills to Include in Your CV

Skills are the new professional currency of the 21st century. Presently, recruiters are looking for actual and quantifiable hard skills.

But what are hard skills anyway?

Hard skills are a specific set of competencies required to execute the responsibilities of a specific job. Hard skills are what you need to perform the job.

Curious about what hard skills to include in your CV? Here are few examples to help you.

Technical Skills

Typical technical skills are the ability to use specialized software or equipment.

Examples:

• CAD
• Lean manufacturing
• Multivariate analysis
• Linear regression
• Prototyping
• Workflow development
• STEM skills
• Web: HTML, CSS, Javascript
• Payment processing 
• Automated Billing Systems
• CRM Platforms
• Research
• Troubleshooting

Computer Skills

These are your abilities to use software and hardware: from basic and general, to highly specialized. These skills are a must for every applicant.

Examples:

• MS Office:
• Word
• Excel
• Outlook
• Powerpoint
• OneNote
• Access
• Google Drive
• Spreadsheets
• Email
• Presentations/Slideshows
• Database Management
• Quickbooks
• Social media
• Web
• Typing
• Graphics
• Enterprise systems

Programming skills fall under this category:

• Java
• PHP
• MySQL
• SQL
• C#
• JavaScript
• C++
• Python
• iOS/Swift
• Ruby on Rails

Analytical Skills

These include the skills of gathering data, deciphering it, and presenting it. If you’ve any of the skills, it will go a long way in impressing your recruiters. 

Examples:

• Research
• Forecasting
• Data mining
• Data presentation
• Resource management
• Data engineering
• Database management
• Data and metrics interpreting
• Reporting
• Diagnostics
• Creativity
• Theorizing

Marketing Skills

These are the general knowledge of sales, advertising, and consumer research required for online marketing success.

Examples:

• PPC
• Social media marketing and paid social media advertising
• Writing
• CRO and A/B testing
• Email marketing and automation
• HubSpot, Aritic PinPoint, ONTRAPORT, Infusionsoft
• Funnel management
• UX Design
• Data visualization
• Google Analytics and Google Search Console
• AdWords, Facebook Paid Ads
• Content creation and storytelling
• Omnichannel communication

Presentation Skills

While you need soft skills for an excellent presentation, you also need at least one of the following skills:

• Visual communication
• Slideshows
• Research
• Data analysis
• Reporting
• Persuasion
• Graphic design

Management Skills

• Business knowledge
• Budgeting
• Project management
• Hiring
• Finance
• Office management skills
• Logistics
• New business development
• Negotiating
• Planning

Project Management Skills

These include general managerial expertise as well as proficiency in certain frameworks and software. 

Examples:

• Project scheduling
• Strategic planning
• Project lifecycle management
• Agile software
• Scrum management
• Financial modeling
• Kanban
• Forecasting
• Performance tracking
• Budgeting

Writing skills

The possession of these skills will give your career a boost, especially if it requires some writing level. 

Examples:

• Email writing
• Business writing reports, press releases, content management
• Data visualization
• Creative writing: plotting, worldbuilding, dialogue
• Academic writing
• Storytelling
• Copywriting
• SEO
• Editing
• Journalism
• Proposal writing
• Social media
• Presentation writing

Design skills:

If you’re a skilled designer, any employer will fight to hire you. Design skills are valuable. 

Examples:

• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• InDesign
• UX/UI design
• UX research
• Data visualization
• Color theory
• Acrobat
• HTML/CSS
• Free Hand
• Corel Draw
• Sketching
• Typography
• Print design
• Layout