How to Use This List
Treat these as a starting point, not a checklist. The job description you are applying to always wins: list the skills it asks for that you genuinely have, in the order it asks for them. Then make sure each one also appears in an experience bullet, because a skill that is only listed, never demonstrated, is the weakest kind of evidence to a recruiter.
Project, Product and Analysis Roles
Project managers are screened for planning, risk and budget control, stakeholder management and delivery methods such as Agile or Waterfall. Product managers need product strategy, roadmapping, discovery and metrics; product owners need backlog ownership, user stories, acceptance criteria and sprint planning. Business analysts are expected to show requirements gathering, process mapping, gap analysis and UAT. Data analysts need SQL, a scripting language such as Python, dashboard tools such as Tableau or Power BI, and evidence that their analysis changed a decision.
Cloud and Technical Roles
Cloud architects are screened for migration and landing-zone design, network and identity architecture, security, high availability and cost optimisation, plus hands-on tooling such as Kubernetes, Terraform and CI/CD. Name the specific cloud providers you have used; generic cloud experience is not read as a particular platform. Software engineers are screened for the languages and frameworks the posting names, system design, testing and the scale of what they built.
Sales and Account Roles
Sales executives are expected to show prospecting, pipeline building, negotiation and closing against a quota. Sales managers add forecasting, territory planning and coaching a team to target. Account managers are judged on retention, renewals, upselling and relationship management. In all three, a CRM and hard revenue or quota numbers carry the most weight. Sales representatives are judged on activity and quota attainment in their segment; business development managers on new markets, partnerships and new-logo revenue.
Marketing and Brand Roles
Marketing managers are screened for strategy, campaign management, lead generation and analytics. Digital marketing specialists need channel skills such as SEO, paid search, social, email and conversion tracking. Brand managers are expected to show positioning, consumer insight, market research and launch planning. Marketing coordinators are screened for campaign execution across channels and tools; social media managers for platform strategy, content, community management and reporting.
Healthcare Roles
Registered nurses are screened for clinical assessment, medication administration, care planning, patient education and infection control. Pharmacists need dispensing, prescription review, patient counselling and drug-interaction checks. Medical assistants are expected to show patient intake, vital signs, EHR documentation and front-desk support. Licences and certifications should always be written out by their exact name. Nurse practitioners add advanced assessment, diagnosis and prescribing within their state’s scope of practice; certified nursing assistants need direct patient care, vital signs, mobility assistance and accurate reporting to the nurse.
Engineering and Construction Roles
Civil engineers are screened for site supervision, drawings review, quantity surveying, quality control and safety compliance. Site engineers need daily site execution, subcontractor coordination, method statements and inspections. Structural engineers are expected to show structural analysis, concrete and steel design, load calculations and the design software they use. Mechanical engineers need CAD, analysis and design for manufacture; electrical engineers need their specialty, whether power, controls or electronics, and the codes and tools that go with it.
Education Roles
Teachers are screened for lesson planning, classroom management, differentiated instruction, assessment and safeguarding. Special education teachers also need IEP development, accommodations, progress monitoring and behavior support. Teaching assistants are expected to show small-group and one-to-one support, classroom routines and early reading. University lecturers need teaching, curriculum design, research and student supervision; school administrators need school operations, compliance, staff coordination and family communication.
Finance and Accounting Roles
Accountants are screened for month-end close, reconciliations, financial reporting and audit support. Bookkeepers need accounts payable and receivable, bank reconciliations, VAT or sales-tax records and the accounting software they use. Auditors are expected to show risk-based planning, controls testing and findings that led to change. Financial analysts need forecasting, financial modeling and variance analysis; banking roles need client service, KYC, risk controls and banking systems.
HR and Recruiting Roles
HR generalists are screened for employee relations, onboarding, HRIS administration, policy and HR reporting. HR managers also need team leadership, workforce planning, change management and people metrics such as attrition. Payroll specialists are expected to show payroll processing, reconciliation, statutory compliance and accuracy. Recruiters need sourcing, interviewing, applicant tracking systems and hiring metrics; talent acquisition managers add workforce planning, recruiting strategy and team leadership.
Hard Skills, Soft Skills and Where Each Goes
Put hard skills, tools and certifications in a dedicated Skills section so they are easy to scan. Leave soft skills such as communication or leadership out of that list and show them in your experience bullets instead, for example by describing a team you led or a stakeholder group you aligned. A soft skill stated without an example adds little.
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