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Resume/CV Skills Summary

Disciplines > Job-finding > Resume / CV > Resume/CV Skills Summary

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Here's a simple process for creating a skills summary:

List out (on a separate document) all the jobs you have done.
Against each job, list the skills or abilities you needed to do the work.
Pick out a shortlist of about five skills or abilities:
- That are needed for the job for which you are applying.
- That are important for the job.
- Where you have particular strengths.
- Where you have sound experience.

In writing these into your resume/CV Skills Summary section, use the best possible and specific wording, for example using 'C++ and Perl design and development' rather than just 'programming'.

This is a summary section, so do not over-do this by talking about specific experience.

Example

Fluent French speaker
Understanding French politics and culture
Translation of customer communications

Discussion

Not all resumes/CVs contain Skill Summary sections. They are more common in shorter forms, such as one-page resumes. They may also be used in longer forms where the front page is a summary of what is detailed later.

Having said this, the summary can be very helpful for recruiters who want first to know if you have very particular skills, and is hence useful when you have such a profile. A typical example is in computer programming where specific languages and operating systems may be sought.

Sometimes this section is written up as 'Skills/Qualifications', in which case you can include formal qualifications and other awards.