70+ Essential Computer Skills for Your Resume

70+ Essential Computer Skills for Your Resume 70+ Essential Computer Skills for Your Resume 70+ Essential Computer Skills for Your Resume Job seekers are under increasing pressure to keep up to date with new software and applications. To make sure you dont get left behind, weve compiled everything you need to know about putting computer skills on your resume into one handy guide. Whether youre a technophile or technophobe these HR-approved computer skills for your resume will get you hired. 1. Computer Skills Definition First, what are computer skills? The answer varies across industries. One primary distinction is between software and hardware. Software skills involve using computer programs such as Microsoft Office, whereas hardware refers to the physical devices that need operating. We provide a comprehensive list of computer skills across this piece that includes examples of both. Whether you want to brush up on your resume Excel skills for your first office job or emphasize your technical background and computer science skills weve got you covered. Before we start, check out a computer skills resume example for these four common IT roles: 2. Infographic Computer Skills List Looking for a handy list of computer skills that you can use right now? Refer to the infographic below while you write your resume. If you like this infographic and want to share it, we dont mind just be sure to include a link to our website in the caption. Now that you know the computer skills employers are looking for, its time to be selective and choose which to include on your resume. Space on the page is tight, so its important to understand why each skill is valued and how to describe it. 3. Foundational Computer Skills for a Resume The times, they are a changin and so too are the skills employees use every day in the office. Stay a step ahead of the competition by showing youre familiar with some of todays most commonly used software. G Suite Businesses of all sizes now use Googles products, from Gmail for emailing to Google Docs for collaboration. G Suite has become so commonplace that it now often replaces Microsoft Office. Thankfully, you can get started at home for free. Make sure youre familiar with: Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Gmail, and Forms. Where to learn: G Suite Learning Center Web Tools These are some of the most in-demand resume computer skills of the moment. As companies spend more time focusing on their online presence, you can become indispensable to employers by demonstrating knowledge of: HTML and CSS WordPress and Content Management Systems (CMS) Web metrics and Google Analytics Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Any basic coding (from Java to Python) Where to learn: Skillshare Social Media Many of us use Facebook and Instagram when were avoiding work but knowing how to engage and grow an online following is a key skill that companies want and will pay good money for. Dont be afraid to add social media platforms. If youre social media savvy, these are the platforms to mention: Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Hootsuite Sendible Where to learn: Hootsuite Academy Collaboration Tools More technology often means more freedom, with some companies allowing employees to work from home or anywhere with an internet connection. With the increasing popularity of remote work, teams need to collaborate and communicate digitally. Show that youre ahead of the curve by mentioning your fluency in workflow programs and video conferencing tools on your resume. Flowdock Slack Skype Dropbox Trello Where to learn: Lynda.com 4. Basic Computer Skills One of the most common questions our career advisors are asked is what computer skills should I put on my resume? Whatever job you apply for, some technological know-how will almost definitely be required. When in doubt, focus on the fundamentals. These three basic computer skills are essential for candidates who dont work in IT. You dont have to be an IT expert just include the programs youre familiar with. Email Most people know how to send and receive emails. However, if you understand advanced functions such as encryption and mail merges, make sure you mention them. Where to learn: Study.com has courses on basic and advanced email functions Operating Systems Many candidates forget to note that theyre comfortable using both Microsoft Windows and MacOS. If you jump between the two with ease, say so. This could give you a head start if you need to take a basic computer skills test at the interview. Where to learn: Microsoft Training Center or Apple Training Microsoft Office and iWork Any office-based role role will expect some familiarity with Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as maybe Powerpoint, Outlook, and OneNote. To keep your resume up to date, write that youre comfortable using the latest version of Office 365 and collaborating with SharePoint and OneDrive. Likewise, if the job advertisement mentions it, include the Apple equivalents: Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and iCloud. Where to learn: and Microsoft Certification and Apple Certification 5. Key Software Skills Levels of computer skills for a resume vary by candidate and by industry. We recommend looking at job ads to know which are most in demand for the type of position youre trying to land. Here are the most useful types of computer skills prized across different sectors. Accounting and Enterprise Systems Quickbooks is a popular software package used by small and medium sized businesses for tracking expenses, calculating payroll, and invoicing. If youre a seasoned pro with similar software, put it in a prime location on your resume. Candidates with knowledge of enterprise applications can include any of the following computer skills examples: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Business Continuity Planning (BCP) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Payment processing and e-commerce systems HR management tools Where to learn: Intuit Quickbooks Certification Design and Creative Computer Skills Branding is more important than ever. Companies are always on the lookout for talented candidates who can bring their brands to life and give them the visual edge in the marketplace. Computer skills can help you work from home or anywhere you want. From designing magazine pages to retouching photos, proficiency with software such as Adobe Creative Suite is one of the hottest computer software skills you can put on your resume. Photoshop Lightroom Illustrator InDesign Dreamweaver Premiere Pro Where to learn: Adobe Certification Data Science and Analysis Businesses use data to better understand their customers and gain a market advantage, making these highly valuable skills to display in your resume. Things like data mining, modeling, and management, plus machine learning and examples of statistical software are all solid additions. Heres a short software skills list related to data science: Alteryx Apache RapidMiner MySQL SQLite3 MongoDB JSON SAS Where to learn: Udemy has introductory courses if you dont have a background in data science. Web Development and Programming More and more people are learning to code not just for work, but even as a hobby. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the future is very bright for web developers and software engineers. Add key computer programmer skills such as these to future-proof your computer skills resume: Python Ruby on rails PHP Perl Javascript XML Java Swift Where to learn: Codecademy is perfect for beginners. 6. Core Computer Hardware Skills Adding computer skills to your resume is not all about software remember to include your expertise with physical devices if relevant to the job. Depending on the specific role youre applying for, these could be the most important computer skills to list on your resume: Network configuration Tech support and troubleshooting WAN/LAN and routers Security systems Cloud management 7. How to List Computer Skills on Your Resume First, we recommend using a resume template with two columns. Grouping your information like this makes it easier to read. You can also simply place your skills section at the top of the page for extra emphasis. Both options will catch the hiring managers eye, and help quickly prove youre the skilled candidate the hiring manager is looking for. Check out how these key technical skills are presented on a software engineers resume: Skills Section: Hard Skills vs Soft Skills All the computer skills mentioned this far are prime examples of hard skills. That means they can only be learned through training either by self-study or taking a course. Soft skills, on the other hand, are personality traits employers look for, such as attention to detail and teamwork. To show youre a well-rounded candidate, you should include both hard and soft skills on your resume. This creates a more balanced application, and makes you seem like an actual human rather than a highly-trained robot (or worse, someone with no ability to do the job whatsoever). Heres a mix of hard and soft skills for a marketing assistant. To make things even clearer, our candidate grades their abilities in each. Its not a game changer, but it can be an effective visual trick if used tastefully. Quantify Your Computer Skills Once youve chosen which computer skills to put on your resume, its time to prove you can use them in a way that contributes to the companys bottom line. Write what your computer skills helped you achieve by stating your accomplishments and measuring them, using numbers such as timeframes, percentages, and dollars. This is called quantification, and is key to writing an achievement oriented resume that impresses hiring managers. Not only does quantifying your skills prove you can drive results, but its a perfect invitation to being asked more questions during your interview. Heres an example from an IT specialist resume: Most candidates dont know how to correctly quantify their duties, so youll be ahead of the competition if you do this correctly. Put Computer Skills in Your Introduction Hiring managers can supposedly judge a resume in 6 seconds. When they look at yours, what will they see first? A clear skills section is one way to make a positive first impression. However, it doesnt explain how you applied your computer skills. You can give the hiring manager some additional insight by linking your skills to your achievements in your introduction. Writing a Resume Summary There are several effective ways to begin a resume that showcase your computer skills. We recommend writing a clear resume summary because it gets straight to the point. This format replaces a dull opening statement with concise bullet points. Your key skills are included with proof that you can get results. For example: Design: Create e-commerce websites using 8 programming languages. Optimization: Increased user clicks and customer purchases by over 25%. Leadership: Trained over 50 staff members to use internal functions. Awards: Winner of the CREATE+ Developer of the Year award 2018. A resume summary is simple to write by following this formula: Competency: example of computer skills and duty + result achieved An introduction like this is suitable for all levels of computer skills. Alternative Resume Introductions There are three other commonly used introduction formats that can also help you highlight your most relevant computer skills: Career / Resume Objective perfect for entry-level candidates targeting a basic computer skills resume at their first job Summary of Qualifications a great choice for senior positions where you need to summarize many technical abilities in a small space Professional / Resume Profile the most flexible introduction for computer skills. Use this when youre uploading your resume to job search sites Education and Certifications Were not done yet the final thing to do is add separate sections for your education and certifications. You earned these, so dont be shy. Display them where theyll be noticed. Remember: new graduates should focus on their education, but seasoned professionals should highlight their expertise. For those who have a mix of high level qualifications and on-the-job experience, highlight your education, certifications, and additional skills simultaneously with a creative resume template. 8. Summary (Four Takeaways) By now you should be equipped with all the tools necessary for effectively writing resume computer skills. To recap, follow these steps: Include your most relevant industry skills (or learn ones you dont know) Highlight them in your skills section Quantify your achievements and add computer skills to your introduction Get ready for the interviews to start rolling in To help you get started, we have an extensive library of free resume templates ready to download. Pair one of these with a matching cover letter template and youre off to a flying start. 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