{"id":199,"date":"2026-06-13T05:04:35","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T05:04:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T03:53:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T03:53:46","slug":"resume-skills-section-what-to-include","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/","title":{"rendered":"The Skills Section: What to Include and What to Cut"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The skills section on most resumes is either too generic to be useful or stuffed with buzzwords that mean nothing. Here is how to build a skills section that actually helps you get through ATS screening and impresses the human readers who follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#What_belongs_in_a_skills_section\" >What belongs in a skills section<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#How_to_organize_the_skills_section\" >How to organize the skills section<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#Tailor_the_skills_section_for_each_application\" >Tailor the skills section for each application<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#Proficiency_levels_when_to_include_them\" >Proficiency levels: when to include them<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#Where_the_skills_section_belongs_on_your_resume\" >Where the skills section belongs on your resume<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#What_not_to_include_in_your_skills_section\" >What not to include in your skills section<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#Read_next\" >Read next<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" >Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#How_long_does_a_recruiter_spend_looking_at_a_resume\" >How long does a recruiter spend looking at a resume?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#What_do_recruiters_look_for_first_on_a_resume\" >What do recruiters look for first on a resume?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#Should_I_include_a_summary_at_the_top_of_my_resume\" >Should I include a summary at the top of my resume?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#How_many_bullet_points_should_each_job_have\" >How many bullet points should each job have?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/resume-skills-section-what-to-include\/#Get_your_free_resume_review_from_a_real_recruiter\" >Get your free resume review from a real recruiter<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_belongs_in_a_skills_section\"><\/span>What belongs in a skills section<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your skills section should contain concrete, specific, and verifiable capabilities. Technical tools, software platforms, programming languages, certifications, methodologies, and domain expertise are the kinds of items that belong here. Soft skills like &#8216;communication&#8217; and &#8216;leadership&#8217; are expected of everyone and should be demonstrated through your bullet points instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every skill you list should pass the interview test: if a recruiter or hiring manager asked you to elaborate on this skill, could you talk about it confidently for two minutes? If not, remove it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Include the specific version or context where relevant. &#8216;Salesforce&#8217; is vague. &#8216;Salesforce CRM, Sales Cloud, and reporting dashboards&#8217; is specific. &#8216;Python&#8217; is vague. &#8216;Python for data analysis with pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn&#8217; is specific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_organize_the_skills_section\"><\/span>How to organize the skills section<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organize skills into logical groupings: programming languages, frameworks, databases, cloud platforms, analytics tools, project management methodologies, and so on. Unorganized skill lists that mix technologies, soft skills, and industry terms together are harder to scan and suggest a lack of clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Put your strongest and most relevant skills first within each category. If you are applying for a Python-heavy data engineering role, your Python entry should appear before your SQL entry, even if both are strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Limit each category to five to eight items. A skills section with forty unorganized items tells the recruiter you do not know what is important. One with fifteen to twenty carefully selected items tells them you have prioritized thoughtfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tailor_the_skills_section_for_each_application\"><\/span>Tailor the skills section for each application<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your skills section should change for every application. Add skills from the job description that you genuinely have. Move the most relevant skills to the top of their category. Remove skills that are irrelevant to this specific role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ATS systems use your skills section as a primary source for keyword matching. A skills section that closely mirrors the technical requirements of the job posting gives you the best chance of ranking well in the initial screening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not add skills you do not have to pass keyword screening. This backfires in technical interviews and creates a trust problem when it is discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Proficiency_levels_when_to_include_them\"><\/span>Proficiency levels: when to include them<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some candidates add proficiency labels like &#8216;Proficient,&#8217; &#8216;Familiar,&#8217; or &#8216;Advanced&#8217; to their skills. This can be useful when your level of expertise varies significantly across your skills list, but it requires honest self-assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Avoid the visual proficiency scales that show a bar chart or dots indicating skill level. These are not parseable by ATS systems, and human reviewers often find them more decorative than informative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are early in your career and want to signal that you are still developing in certain areas, honesty about proficiency is better than omission. &#8216;Familiar with machine learning concepts through coursework and personal projects&#8217; is more credible than listing &#8216;Machine Learning&#8217; alongside skills you have used professionally for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_the_skills_section_belongs_on_your_resume\"><\/span>Where the skills section belongs on your resume<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For technology roles and other roles where technical skills are a primary qualification, the skills section often belongs near the top of the resume, immediately after your summary. This allows technical screeners to quickly confirm you have the required stack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For roles where experience and accomplishments are the primary criteria, the skills section can appear after your work experience. The skills reinforce what your bullet points have already demonstrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some candidates divide their skills into &#8216;Technical Skills&#8217; and &#8216;Core Competencies&#8217; sections. This works well when you have a significant number of both types and want to prevent them from competing for attention in a single section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_not_to_include_in_your_skills_section\"><\/span>What not to include in your skills section<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remove Microsoft Office from your skills section unless you are applying for a role where Office proficiency is genuinely a requirement. Most professional roles assume basic Office skills, and listing it wastes space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Avoid listing soft skills like &#8216;teamwork,&#8217; &#8216;time management,&#8217; and &#8216;attention to detail&#8217; in your skills section. These belong in your bullet points through specific examples, not in a list that every candidate on the planet has.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remove any skills you listed more than five years ago that you have not used since and would not want to be tested on. An outdated skill on your resume invites questions you cannot comfortably answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Read_next\"><\/span>Read next<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><ul class=\"wp-block-list atr-read-next\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/volunteer-work-on-resume\/\">Should You Include Volunteer Work on Your Resume<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/should-you-include-photo-on-resume\/\">Should You Include a Photo on Your Resume<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/accountant-resume-guide-2\/\">Accountant Resume Guide: Skills, Credentials, and Results<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_a_recruiter_spend_looking_at_a_resume\"><\/span>How long does a recruiter spend looking at a resume?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recruiters typically spend 6-10 seconds on an initial scan. They look for job title relevance, company names, and whether the most recent role is at the right level for the position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_recruiters_look_for_first_on_a_resume\"><\/span>What do recruiters look for first on a resume?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most recruiters look first at your most recent job title and company, then check dates for gaps or progression, then assess whether the experience level matches what they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_include_a_summary_at_the_top_of_my_resume\"><\/span>Should I include a summary at the top of my resume?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, for experienced candidates. A 2-3 sentence summary that speaks directly to your target role helps recruiters understand your value instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_bullet_points_should_each_job_have\"><\/span>How many bullet points should each job have?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3-5 bullets for recent roles, 1-2 for older ones. Each bullet should describe an accomplishment or outcome, not just a task or responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_your_free_resume_review_from_a_real_recruiter\"><\/span>Get your free resume review from a real recruiter<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At AskTheRecruiter.com, every review is done by a human recruiter with real hiring experience. You get honest, specific feedback on what to fix, not a generic score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No automated tools, no templates. Just a recruiter reading your resume and telling you what needs to change. Most candidates hear back within 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-red-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"\/get-your-resume-reviewed\/\">Get My Free Resume Review<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"atr-schema-jsonld\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How long does a recruiter spend looking at a resume?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Recruiters typically spend 6-10 seconds on an initial scan. 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Here is how to fix it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":209,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[28,27,16],"class_list":["post-199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resume-writing","tag-ats","tag-recruiter-tips","tag-resume-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9004,"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199\/revisions\/9004"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asktherecruiter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}