The Right Way to List Computer Skills on Your Resume
These days, it is difficult to find a job that doesn’t require at least some familiarity with computer technology. As a result, it is vitally important for job candidates to include these types of technical skills on their resumes. In fact, a failure to list relevant computer skills on your resume could negatively impact your odds of landing an interview or a job.
This post is designed to help you better understand which types of computer proficiencies employers may be looking for, and how to list those skills on your resume. Throughout the post, we will also include links to other articles you can reference to make your resume even more enticing to any prospective employer.
Types of computer skills employers value
When compiling your computer skills for a resume, it is important to understand which proficiencies are worthy of inclusion. While some skills like keyboarding may have been less common many decades ago, that is no longer the case. Most employers expect job candidates to have some proficiency with typing, using the internet, and similar generic skills.
At the same time, however, more quantifiable skills should be included. For example, your typing speed and internet research skills can be valuable technical abilities to list in your resume. Other worthy skills may include:
Proficiency with Microsoft software. Be sure to include specific programs like MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.
Digital graphic software proficiencies, using Photoshop, Gimp, Canva, and similar programs
Collaboration software like Google Docs, Slack, and Asana
Proficiency with Search Engine Optimization, email marketing, and online advertising platforms, where relevant
Technical software like Blender or AutoCAD
IT skills like diagnostics or technical support
Coding skills. Be sure to list any specific programming language proficiencies.
Of course, this list only scratches the surface of the broad universe of computer-related technical skills that individual employers might be seeking at any given time. You should carefully review the job description for any open position to determine which relevant skills you need to include.
For more information about computer skills that you can include in your resume, see the 10 Best Skills to Put on Your Resume.
Focus on technical skills that meet the employer’s expectations
It is important to recognize that employers’ needs vary from company to company and position to position. As a result, you may have certain technical skills that are irrelevant to the position you are seeking. It is therefore vital that you focus your resume’s attention on the specific skills that a particular position requires, to ensure that you meet the job’s stated requirements.
As you consider all the skills noted in the job description, think about other technical skills that may be beneficial for the role. If you possess those computer proficiencies, you should include them in your resume as well. As you list them, you should:
Be specific
As noted previously, you should strive to be as specific as possible when listing these skills. That means listing software names, hardware systems, and programming languages.
Define your proficiency in each skill
Rather than use vague and general language, define your proficiencies by describing the way in which you have used a given skill. That helps to add a measure of validity to your list and can help employers better understand your abilities.
Be honest
Honesty is very important in any resume. While you might be tempted to massage your technical skills to meet the job description’s requirements, it is important to stick to the facts. Remember, employers will eventually discover your true level of computer competency, so it is always better to provide an honest assessment of your skills.
Use keywords from the job description
Many companies rely on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to review resumes. In many instances, resumes that fail to get past these systems may never reach human eyes. You can more effectively avoid that fate by making proper use of keywords in your resume.
To do that properly, you should review the job description and select specific words and word combinations used to describe the company’s desired skill set. You can use those keywords in your resume as you describe your computer-related skills.
Use a skills section
For jobs that require specific computer proficiencies, it is important to include a skill section in your resume. By doing so, you can more easily highlight those relevant skills for any recruiter or hiring manager. When creating that section, be sure to arrange skills in a logical order, grouping them according to type. For example:
Type 90 Words/Min
Proficient in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Experienced in using Slack, Google Docs
8 years of experience in SEO
Utilized Google Ads in multiple projects
Image editing using Photoshop Elements
Basic familiarity with HTML
In addition to your skills section, you should also mention some of the most relevant skills in your work experience. To do that, include those skill keywords in your descriptions of the type of results you achieved in those prior job roles.
If those technical skills are a key requirement for the position, it can also be helpful to highlight them in your initial resume summary. That can help to ensure that you capture the hiring manager’s attention right away.
Don’t forget to highlight critical skills in your cover letter too
While you won’t want to make these skills the focus of your cover letter, you may want to consider at least some mention of them. Select the most relevant technical skills and use one or two sentences to describe how you have used those competencies to your previous employers’ benefit in past jobs.
Summary
In this increasingly technology-based world, employers have come to value job candidates who possess the right computer qualifications. By knowing the right way to list computer skills on your resume, you can provide those employers with the incentive they need to consider you for their open positions. So, take the time to carefully consider which skills to include, and use these tips to highlight them in the best way possible.
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Written by
ZipJob Team
The ZipJob team is made up of professional writers and career experts located across the USA and Canada with backgrounds in HR, recruiting, career coaching, job placement, and professional writing.
