Your education, work experience and interests and hobbies will all have equipped you with certain technical and non-technical skills – also known as ‘hard’ and ‘transferrable’ skills. When applying for jobs, it’s important to identify what skills you have and how these match up with the skills employers look for when hiring.
Transferable skills
1. Communication
Your ability to communicate, written and verbally, with others. Good communication can involve being polite, friendly and open-minded, as well as being clear and concise when leading a conversation or giving instructions.
2. Adaptability and resilience
These are two of the main skills employers look for because they demonstrate that you can stay focused and consistent during busy periods or when there are setbacks to a project or task. They also show you can respond to and manage change or difficult situations effectively.
3. Teamwork
This is all about being collaborative, open to new and different ways of working and supporting your colleagues. Good teamwork involves working with others towards a shared goal and being accountable for the role you play in a team (making sure the tasks you are assigned are delivered on time and to a high standard).
4. Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm can show itself in a few different ways. For example, being up to date with the latest news and trends from the industry you’re working in, or having a passion for the aims and objectives of the business you are applying to. Enthusiasm could also mean being open to constructive criticism and using feedback to improve your work, or a willingness to take on new opportunities and develop your skills.
5. Creativity
Another key skill that employers look for, creativity can also take different forms. It could involve trying out new and innovative ways of working, thinking outside the box when approaching a task, or through being a problem solver in situations where others may struggle to find a way around an issue.
6. Interpersonal
Similar to communication, interpersonal skills go one step further. Remember that communication goes both ways – having good interpersonal skills is all about active listening, empathising and understanding other people’s needs, as well as being able to express and regulate your emotions to ensure they don’t negatively impact on your work or relationships with others.
7. Research and planning
This involves gathering information from different sources, and analysing and interpreting this information to pull together a plan of action that is organised, logical and based on evidence.
8. Leadership
Some roles may require you to be a leader in certain situations. The transferable skills mentioned above, such as teamwork, communication and interpersonal skills, are all part of this – but leadership is also about problem solving, critical thinking and decision making.
9. Public speaking
Giving presentations, pitching to clients, running training sessions, leading team meetings – all of these scenarios require an element of public speaking so it can sometimes be one of the skills employers look for when hiring.
10. Managing and checking your own work
Giving presentations, pitching to clients, running training sessions, leading team meetings – all of these scenarios require an element of public speaking so it can sometimes be one of the skills employers look for when hiring.
Hard skills
When applying for a job, you’ll need to think about the hard skills the employer is looking for. These are the technical skills needed in order to carry out the main duties of a role.
11. Knowledge and experience of specific software, programmes or technology
Examples of this include how to use the Adobe Creative Suite, knowledge of computer programming languages, experience of project management methodology, or being able to use medical equipment or machinery.
12. Language skills
It could be a requirement, or an advantage, to be able to speak more than one language.
13. Driving license
Holding a full license can be essential or advantageous in some roles.
14. Data analysis
Experience in collecting, cleaning and transforming data, being able to analyse, interpret and present findings, and knowing how to remain GDPR compliant, is essential for certain jobs.
How to demonstrate key skills on your CV
When you effectively showcase the skills employers are looking for on your CV, you increase your chances of making it to the next round of the application process – putting you one step closer to landing that job.
Show, don’t tell
It’s better to demonstrate your skillset through your previous, practical experience – whether they were gained through work experience (paid and unpaid), education, extra-curricular activities, or hobbies and interests. For example, maybe the ‘Education’ section of your CV provides an opportunity for you to talk about the teamwork, leadership and communication skills you developed during group project work?
Consider a skills-based CV
If you’re at an early stage of your career, you could add a ‘Skills’ section to your CV. This way, you can list skills like this:
- Creativity – I am involved in photography and video-creation in my spare time
- Managing my own work – effectively managing my time between my studies, my part-time job in retail, and my role as Welfare Officer at my university’s Students’ Union
- Leadership – undertook Team Leader role during recent university project*, achieving overall result of 78%
*Include the project or module name if you have the space on your CV.
Be direct
Grab an employer’s attention by using short, direct sentences that explain your skills and how you gained them clearly and concisely.
We would recommend using bullet points rather than long paragraphs. Don’t forget that you can elaborate on what’s in your CV in your cover letter or during the interview. The main aim of a CV is to make it easy for an employer to identify that you have the skills they’re looking for.
Get support from AI – but don’t depend on it
AI can support you with showcasing the skills employers are looking for by reading through your CV and making recommendations. However, AI shouldn’t be used to create your CV from scratch.
The problem with using AI to create a CV is that you’re at risk of submitting a CV that looks and sounds like all the other applicants who also used AI to create their CV.
If you do use AI to help craft your CV, remove any personal details before uploading it and double check any changes it suggests, as AI has been known to add skills and experience to a CV that the person doesn’t actually have. Above all, ensure that it still reads like something you would write – a CV is a personal document and it needs to give an accurate impression of who you are.
Looking for more help with writing a CV? Take a look at our articles on applying for a job to get helpful advice from our expert team.
This article was written by Becky Marrow.
Last updated on 27 November 2025
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