Sometimes referred to as hard skills. Technical skills are specialized knowledge, abilities, and/or techniques required to perform specific tasks.
• Usually require special training, education, or certification.
• Use specific tools and programs.
• Usually more tangible or visible/demonstrable than soft skills.
Technical skills help you stand out! Employers value and need your skills because it not only helps them achieve results, but it saves them money [on training] to fill a skills gap and increases customer satisfaction.
Technical acumen can help you achieve higher pay, provide more opportunities - especially if you are certified- for jobs or promotions, and could lead to training or leadership positions.
When you have these skills, you need to practice speaking about them and presenting them with confidence and real examples with positive results. Show your skills and value. Demonstrate your specialty.
Use this sample list of technical skills to help you identify what technical skills you have.
- Operating systems (iOS, XOS, Windows, Linux)
- Programming Languages (Coding - HTML, CSS, Java, JavaScript, Python)
- Development: Software Development (Debugging, writing languages, APIs, cloud computing); Web Development - (Frontend Dev, Backend Dev); Full Stack Developer - generalist; dev both client and server software (front and back); Get certified
- Content Management Systems - CMS (Wix, WordPress, Squarespace, Drupal, Joomla, TYPO3, Magento, GIT/Github)
- Project Management (Monday.com, Asana, MS Teams, MS Planner, Slack, Trello); Get certified: PMP, Agile Cert. Practitioner - ACP, Cert. Associate in Proj. Mgmt - CAPM
- Productivity Software (O365, Google Workplace, Apple Work, Zoho) *okay to specify programs, especially Excel
- Technical Writing - ability to write SOPs for technology or operating manuals
- Artificial Intelligence (LLM)
- Cybersecurity (Security+, CISM, CEH) - Vulnerability scanning tools: Nexpose, Qualys, Tenable Nessus, Burp Suite; SIEM tools: Splunk LogRhythm, QRadar, Sentinel, LogPoint, McAfee, ArcSight, SolarWinds; NexGen firewalls: Fortinet, Forcepoint, Palo Alto, Juniper, Cisco, SonicWall; Get certified
- Social Media (LinkedIn, Sprout Social, Google Analytics, CMS, Adobe Photoshop)
- Cloud computing (AWS, MS Azure, Google Cloud Platform, IMB Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Vultr)
- Accounting Software (QuickBooks, Paychex, Gusto, Sage); Get certified
- Design Software (Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop Coreldraw, Atlassian, GitLab Pajamas, Canva, Sketch, Ceros, Creatopy)
- Customer Relationship Management Systems - CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, ZenDesk, Microsoft Dynamics, Freshworks, Deskera, Monday.com, Zoho CRM, Creatio, Oracle Netsuite, Pipedrive, Bitrix24, Keap)
- Video software (Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Premiere Elements, Cyberlink, Wondershare Filmorea, DaVinci Resolve, Apple Final Cut Pro, VideoProc, Movavi, Clipify, Corel Video Studio Ultimate)
- Search Engine Optimization - SEO (Google Search Console, Ahrefs, SEMRush, KWFinder, Moz Pro, Ubersuggest)
- Google Analytics
- Marketing CRM (ProofHub, Todoist, HubSpot, LinkedIn, Salesmate, Hootsuite, Mailchimp, Whatagraph, Creatopy, Pixpa, Crowdfire, NapoleanCat, Buffer
- Math
- Research/Research tools
On your resume, identify the most relevant skills required for the role you are applying for then...
Make your resume "achievement focused".
- Always describe how you used your skills to positively impact the business/company.
- Keep it short and concise on your resume. You can expand on your proficiency or the example(s) in a cover letter or during an interview.
- Quantify, use numbers, to show or explain the achievement.
- Time, money, more clients, speed, productivity, etc.