core skills on resume

Core Competencies on Resume: Examples & Guide

In This Guide:

What are resume core competencies, strengths & achievements: a modern take on core competencies, why resume core competencies are important, how to develop a core competencies section, examples of core competencies for your resume, takeaways: core competencies on resume.

The goal of every resume out there is to give you a better chance of getting the job you want.

But when you are creating a resume, you have two major problems -very limited space and the urge to make the best out of it.

You don’t know what core competencies are, and you have no idea how to use them on your resume?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

In this article, we are going to go through a few very important points:

• What are core competencies?
• Why are core competencies important?
• How to develop a core competencies' section on your resume?
• How to choose core competencies for your resume?

Once we are done, you will have some serious knowledge, as well as some confidence in the matter.

If you are interested not only in this section but the overall impression your resume gives, we can show you How to make your resume stand out .

Don’t worry, we won’t give you just plain theory, we have some examples as well.

So let’s not waste any more time and dive into the topic.

The first step we have to take is understanding what core competencies are.

In simple terms, your core competencies are fundamental skills and abilities that you want to show your potential employer.

They should always be directly related to the position you are applying for, don’t just write anything.

The main goal of this section is to get the attention of the hiring manager.

That’s why it is usually positioned front and center on your resume, right beneath your name and contact information in your Resume Header .

And another thing - make sure you list your core competencies as bullet points, rather than sentences.

While listing relevant skills in a core competency section is perfectly acceptable, employers nowadays look for concrete examples of the impact of your work. A more modern approach would be to have sections on your Strengths & Achievements. Open the editable template below to see an example.

There are two major reasons for including core competencies on your resume, and you shouldn’t ignore any of them.

Each one of them gets you one step closer to getting the job you want.

Winning the battle with ATS

Often when you apply for a job, your resume gets preselected not by a human being, but via software.

The Applicant Tracking System (ATS) scans, searching for keywords on your resume , set by your potential employer.

If it decides you are a good enough match, depending on the keywords you used, it would forward your application to the hiring manager.

But getting through that software is not an easy task.

A great deal of resumes get rejected before a human being gets their hands on them.

But, knowing this, you can make sure you pass the ATS test without too much effort.

Read the position you are applying for carefully and find the perfect balance between your core competencies and what the employer is looking for.

And step 1 is complete.

Catching the hiring manager’s attention

But just getting through the ATS doesn’t get you the job.

Not even close, the fight is just beginning.

As we said earlier, the main goal of the core competencies' section is to catch the attention of the hiring manager.

And at this point, that is crucial.

Even after the ATS preselection, the hiring manager would still have to go through tons of resumes.

What you would want to achieve here is to quickly tell the hiring manager that you are qualified.

This is your opportunity to make a lasting impression and get your shot to get to the interview.

Furthermore, it shows the hiring manager some thoughtfulness on your part, as you value their time and show them what they need to see right away.

So, if you do this right, you should be one step closer to getting your interview.

Is your resume good enough?

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

So, let’s get to the main point.

You already know what core competencies are, but how are you supposed to develop that section for your resume?

There are 4 steps that you need to follow to do this right.

Make a list of your strongest skills and abilities

The first step to developing your core competencies' section is to make a list of all your strongest skills and abilities, relative to the position you are applying for.

The list should include anything that you would include in your Resume skills section , but focus only on the strongest ones.

The list should consist of between 10 and 30 skills or abilities and have a variety of hard and soft skills.

They may be skills you obtained while in school, during your past work experience , or learned by mentors.

Ideally, the list should make you the perfect candidate for the position, when the hiring manager opens your resume.

While making your list, read the job description for any keywords that you might be able to use, and try to make each ability unique and different to demonstrate your diverse skill set.

You need to show that you are a multifaceted and adaptable employee.

Everyone has a different list of core competencies, but some common examples include:

• Strategic planning
• Customer service
• Organizational communication
• Team leadership
• Project management
• Creative thinking
• Risk assessment
• Attention to detail

Change it according to the job position

Secondly, you would want to tailor your core competencies section according to the job position.

Doing so shows your interest in the position and helps you pass the ATS and get to the hiring manager.

What you need to do is take the list you created in the previous step and choose between 10 and 12 skills and abilities that are directly related to the job position specifications.

Featuring no more than 12 items helps you maintain the hiring manager’s attention and increases your chances for an interview.

Your core competencies' section should highlight the skills and abilities required for the specific position. Quality word choice is key.

Keep it short, but not too short

Once you have shortened your list according to the job position, you need to modulate it.

In the core competencies section, you would want to use no more than two words to describe each skill or ability.

Use descriptive language and make sure it is directly related to the job position specifications.

Its good practice to organize your core competencies in bullet points.

Another thing you might want to consider is adding them in a row, instead of a column, in order to use as little space as possible.

Choose the right place

Last, but not least, you need to choose the best place for your core competencies' section on your resume.

As we said earlier, the most popular place to add your section is right below your name and contact information - in the Resume Header .

But there are a few other possibilities that are just as good and may be more fitted to your resume design.

• Below the Resume Objective Section
• Above or below the qualifications section
• Adjacent to the Work Experience Section
• Above the References Section

It may still be a little muddy, so we got you covered by a few example core competencies.

You can use any of them, if they are applicable, or develop your own, using the same principles.

Once again, make sure you make the balance between the skills and abilities you possess, and those which are needed for the job you are applying for.

So, here is our list with both the core competencies and why they would be of value to your potential employer.

• Leadership - shows your skills for assembling, leading and strengthening a team
• Organization and time-management - shows you can keep up with timelines and complete your tasks on deadline
• Communication - shows your ability to work with clients, co-workers and managers
• Problem-solving - shows that you can step on your feet in tough situations and find effective solutions
• Teamwork - shows you work well with others to achieve goals and help each other grow professionally
• Detail-oriented - shows that you pay attention to details to complete tasks effectively
• Responsibility - shows that you can be trusted to complete your tasks on time
• Career-focused - shows that you are focused on your professional growth
• Ambition - shows that you are goal-oriented and make sure your work is the best it can be
• Result-oriented - shows that you always strive to provide the best result possible
• Life-long learner - shows you are always looking for new ways to improve yourself

Another option for highlighting your core competencies, especially if your skillset is really large, is to choose a different resume format, like a Functional Resume Format .

Don’t forget your other options for a resume format either:

• Reverse chronological Resume Format
• Hybrid Resume Format

We are all done.

Now you know what core competencies are and how to use them effectively

You are now ready to get through the ATS and the hiring manager and get straight to your big interview.

Don’t forget - keep it short and to the point, you shouldn’t include information that is not relative to the position you are applying for.

Think about the positioning of your core competencies' section, depending on the resume format you have chosen.

Keep our examples in mind and make your section perfect for the job you seek.

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How to Include Core Competencies in a Resume

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What are core competencies?

Why should you feature core competencies, how to include core competencies in a resume, core competencies examples.

The primary objective of most resumes is to present you as an appealing candidate for a certain job. Highlighting core competencies in a resume is an excellent method for helping you to stand out as a qualified applicant. If you are interested in improving the effectiveness of your resume, you may benefit from featuring core competencies in your job application process. Read on to learn how to include core competencies in your resume.

Core competencies are fundamental skills and abilities that are directly related to the position you are applying for. They can be either hard or soft skills and will vary significantly depending on your industry. Typically, you include core competencies under their own heading and list them as bullet points instead of full sentences. You should choose which core competencies to include based on the individual job you are interested in. For example, if you are applying to be a dental hygienist, your core competencies list might include medical terminology, patient communication techniques and dental technology. 

A core competencies section accomplishes a number of important goals. 

Capturing the reader’s attention 

Featuring core competencies near the top of your resume provides your reader with an eye-catching summary of your relevant skills. Your core competencies list should inform hiring managers or potential employers that you possess the proficiency and experience they are looking for. Creating a core competencies section also allows your readers to see your relevant skills in one place instead of having to sift through your entire work history to find the information they need. 

Passing ATS screenings

The Applicant Tracking System is a software that automatically scans resumes to find certain keywords. Employers use ATS to narrow down the pool of applications that they receive by rejecting resumes that do not feature keywords relevant to a particular position. Including a core competencies section in your resume helps you to prominently feature the skills you want the ATS to flag. To ensure that your resume successfully passes ATS scans, consult the job listing ahead of time and draw keywords directly from the job description.

Summarizing your qualifications

Including a core competencies list on your resume is an efficient way to provide comprehensive proof that you are qualified for a certain job. Ideally, your list should include items that show both practical expertise and knowledge of the industry. When reading your core competencies section, hiring managers and recruiters should find a variety of skills that work together to portray you as a capable and experienced professional. 

Once you have decided to include core competencies in your resume, you need to know to feature them effectively. Here the steps you can follow:

1. Firstly, make a list of skills

The first step in this process is to make a list of all your professional skills, focusing on the ones that pertain to your chosen industry. The list should include a variety of hard and soft skills that you obtained while in school, gained from working previous jobs or learned from mentors. Ideally, the list consists of skills that would make you an effective and valuable asset to a professional team. Everyone has a different list of core competencies, but some common examples include:

• Strategic planning
• Customer service
• Organizational communication
• Team leadership
• Project management
• Creative thinking
• Risk assessment
• Attention to detail

2. Secondly, tailor the list to suit the job

Once you have created a relatively lengthy list, you then need to tailor it to suit the position you are applying for. This involves choosing 10-12 skills that directly relate to the duties associated with the job. To edit your list effectively, you should consult the specific job listing and read the description to see what kind of skills the employer is searching for. It is important to keep your core competencies section relatively short. Featuring less than a dozen items helps you to maintain your reader’s attention and ensures that you only include the most relevant skills. 

3. Next, choose a layout

Next, you should decide how you want your core competencies to appear within your document. There are several layouts you can use to highlight your skills. You can position your list:

• Below the resume objective 
• Above the qualifications section
• Below the qualifications section
• To the side of the qualifications or experience sections

Regardless of which layout you choose, your goal should be to make your core competencies easy to find and appealing to look at. Always use a bulleted list or table that can be understood by both the ATS and by human readers. 

4. Finally, add your core competencies to your resume

Finally, you can add your core competencies to your resume. At this stage, it is important to pay attention to the format and to make sure that all your skills fit on the page without any overlapping or crowding. Use a consistent font and font color that matches or coordinates with the other text in your document. If the section is too long or takes up too much space on the page, you may need to shorten it by removing items or reducing the font size. The last step is carefully proofread your list and eliminate any typos or errors. 

Here are some examples of what core competencies sections can look like: 

Project manager example

Ellen Andrews [email protected] 123-555-7766

Skilled and experienced project manager searching for a position that appreciates creative thinking and provides opportunities for career development.

Core competencies: 

• Strong leadership  
• Organization and scheduling  
• Written and organizational communication 
• Negotiation 
• Risk assessment and management 
• Decision making 
• Strategic planning 
• Team coordination 
• Critical thinking 
• Microsoft Office

Nursing student example

Jared DeWitt [email protected] 332-445-6677

Enthusiastic and accomplished nursing student looking to intern with a reputable medical facility in the greater St. Louis area. 

• Patient care and communication
• Professionalism and discretion
• Adherence to safety protocols
• Commitment to excellence
• Nursing information systems

Elementary school teacher example

Reagan Garcia [email protected] 339-000-5544

Energetic and competent school teacher with four years of experience looking for a long-term position with a charter or private institution.

Core competencies include:  

• Classroom management 
• Parent discussion 
• Interpersonal communication 
• Lesson design and planning 
• Discipline and guidance 
• Identifying students with special needs or challenges 
• Collaboration and teamwork 
• Commitment to ethics and integrity 
• Teaching a variety of class sizes

100 Good Skills to Put on a Resume [Complete Guide]

Jeff Gillis 0 Comments

By Jeff Gillis

Updated 6/4/2022.

When you’re adding skills to a resume, you don’t just want to focus on what you’re good at. Instead, relevancy has to be part of the equation. After all, every job you’re trying to land requires a very specific skill set, one that you need to show that you have.

Choosing the skills to put on a resume when you’re applying to a role isn’t something you should do haphazardly. Instead, you want to use the job description, company mission, and company values as a guide, creating a sense of alignment.

Additionally, it never hurts to have a handy list of skills by your side, making it easier to explore your options. So, if you’re on the hunt for good skills to put on a resume, here’s what you need to know.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

There are two basic types of skillsets that a job seeker can have and include on their resume: hard skills or soft skills.

Hard skills are the skills or abilities for a resume that are easily quantifiable…that can be learned through classroom work, apprenticeships, or other forms of learning. These include things like operating tools, computer programming, speaking foreign languages, or different kinds of technical prowess.

Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify and are often grouped together by what we know as “people skills.” Some examples of soft skills include communication, relationship building, self-awareness, and patience.

Which Skills Are More Important?

The debate rages on about which of these two types of skills is more important.

According to executive consultant and Forbes contributor Naz Beheshti , “…There is an ongoing debate about the relative importance of soft and hard skills that imply a competition between the two. However, they are both necessary and complementary to one another.”

On the one hand, job seekers with proficiency in a specific hard skill may get hired more quickly. Many employers want to hire people that can deliver value with fewer resources (ex., the need for training, etc.), making hard skills their priority.

However, we are also seeing that many hiring managers are choosing to hire candidates with highly developed soft skills.

In the end, as Indeed puts it, “soft skills are necessary to create a positive and functional work environment.” Plus, hiring managers feel that they can always train the candidate in the hard skill that is required to complete the job, but soft skills are often skills that cannot necessarily be taught.

So, what does this mean for you? Mainly that you can’t simply just pick one or the other and cross your fingers. Instead, the best strategy is to take a balanced approach and make sure that your resume contains both hard and soft skills.

How Do You Choose the Skills to List on a Resume?

Here’s the deal; there’s a good chance you know what you’re good at in a professional sense. Often, you can use your experience, duties, training, and education as a guide, giving you a strong foundation. Then, it’s about diving a bit deeper, looking at traits that could help you stand out, and comparing it all to the job description.

By using a simple process, you can make progress faster. Here’s a quick way to get started.

1. Make a List of the Skills You Know You Have

As mentioned above, the easiest way to get a grip on your current skills is to reflect on your academic and professional experiences. Consider the tasks you’ve taken on, the training you’ve completed, and the courses you had in school. In most cases, that’ll give you some solid ideas about your hard skills.

After that, it’s time for soft skills. Here, you want to think of traits or capabilities that help you engage with others and navigate professional relationships. Often, these are reflections of your personality, so use that as a jumping-off point.

2. “Mine” the Job Descriptions for Must-Have Skills

The next step is to take a look at the job description for the position you are applying for and make a list of the required skills it includes. Then, compare it to your capabilities. Are any of the skills on both of the lists you just created? If so, these are must-haves for your resume.

Now, notice if there are any skills on the job description that you don’t have. If there aren’t any, great!

But if there are…don’t panic. There are things you can do, which we’ll dig into shortly.

If you’re dealing with a vague job description, you aren’t stuck either. Here is a link to a ton of job descriptions that can give you an idea of the skills needed.

3. Tailor Your Skills to the Company/Position

As you may have read in our other blog articles, it is always very important to “tailor” your resume to the company and position you want to land. For an in-depth look into how to make that happen, check out our Tailoring Method article. 

If you want a quick overview, the idea is to focus on capabilities the company wants to find. Every job requires a unique skill set, and you want to show you have it. As a result, it is absolutely essential that skills from the job description make an appearance on your resume.

However, you also want to dig deeper. Spend some more time researching the company, including going through all of their various web properties, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

Why? Because they will leave clues about the types of people they hire. That gives you more ideas about the best skills to put on a resume to land a job there, particularly when it comes to soft skills you may not find in a job description.

100 Resume Skills Examples

If you’re struggling with coming up with a list of skills based on your past experience, it can be easier if you have existing resume skills lists to work with. You don’t have to think up every possible skill; you can simply review the list and find the matches.

Here is a list of resume skills examples, divided into hard skills and soft skills, that you can use when applying for a job.

Hard Skills for a Resume

• Advanced Bookkeeping
• Appointment Setting
• Automotive Repair
• Cold Calling
• Computer Programming
• Conversion Testing
• Copywriting
• Customer Engagement
• Customer Service
• Data Analysis
• Digital Marketing
• Electrical Engineering
• Environmental Cleanup
• Forklift Operating
• Graphic Design
• Heavy Machinery Operation
• Installation
• Landscaping
• Mathematics
• Medical Coding
• Paid Online Traffic
• Patient Care
• Photo Editing
• Picking and Packing
• Project Management
• Schedule Management
• Search Engine Optimization
• Server Maintenance
• Social Media
• Spanish Fluency
• Statistical Analysis
• Systems Analysis
• Technical Support
• Telecommunications Systems
• Travel Booking
• Video Editing
• Website Design
• Word Processing

Soft Skills for a Resume

• Accountability
• Active Listening
• Adaptability
• Brainstorming
• Business Etiquette
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Contextualizing
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Emotional Intelligence
• Flexibility
• Goal-Setting
• Handling Pressure
• Influencing
• Insightfulness
• Interpreting
• Negotiation
• Open-Mindedness
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Problem Solving
• Relationship Building
• Reliability
• Resource Management
• Responsibility
• Self-Confidence
• Strategical Thinking
• Strong Work Ethic
• Time Management

What If I Don’t Have the Required Skill?

Whether you need to possess a specific skill depends on the job and the skill in question. Usually, here’s where you have to be honest with yourself. If the skills required are part of the core competencies of doing the job, you may want to reconsider your application.

For example, if a golf course posts a job posting for a golf pro, you probably shouldn’t apply if you’ve never swung a golf club.

However, you will come across situations where what you bring to the table is close. In this case, moving forward might be okay.

You need to be able to demonstrate, using examples from your past, that you are capable of doing the required skill, even if you haven’t specially done it. So, go over your work history with a fine-tooth comb and try to come up with a few examples of you doing something in the right ballpark.

They are going to ask about it in your interview, so don’t think you can just wing it, and everything will be fine.

Also, many job descriptions have “nice-to-have” skills on the list. If you happen to possess them, great. But if not, don’t assume you shouldn’t apply if you have the must-have skills. In the end, those capabilities aren’t outright requirements, so don’t screen yourself out based on them.

How To List Skills on a Resume

There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to deciding where to put (or how to list) the skills on your resume.

According to our friends over at online resume-builder Zety.com , “…skills are so very, very important that they should show up all over your resume. Not just in the resume skills section.” In other words, it is imperative that there are elements of your skills throughout your resume, including your resume objective/summary and experience sections.

In addition, there isn’t one right answer for where to include your skill section because that depends on the industry, company, and position you’re trying to land. For example, for a job where technical competencies are of the utmost importance, it is often beneficial to list the skills closer to the top of the resume, right underneath the resume objective or resume summary statement.

However, if through your research you determine that the hiring manager will put more weight into your experience, you may want to lead with your experience. Then, put the skills section further down your resume.

At the end of the day, the selection of the skills themselves is the most important thing. After all, most hiring managers will easily find your skill section regardless of where it is on your resume.

What About Skills for My Job Application?

When you’re looking for skills to put on a job application, you do have to treat it a little differently than skills for a resume. Usually, you’re working with a finite amount of space on an application, not just in an overall sense but in each applicable section.

Since that’s the case, you need to lean heavily on the job description. Look for any capabilities that are listed as must-haves or that are repeated through the job ad. Then, make sure those skills are featured prominently in several areas, including in work history descriptions and skills areas.

If you have to answer essay questions, discuss those skills there, too, whenever possible. Use any other relevant capability as a supplement, treating it as supporting information instead of the primary point you’re sharing.

However, if an essay question asks about a skill that’s not in the job description, feel free to dig in a bit. It’s a capability that’s clearly on the hiring manager’s mind, so touch on it occasionally to show you shine in that area.

Putting It All Together

If you were wondering, “What are some good skills to put on a resume?” you should now have a solid answer. The most important thing to remember is to select skills that are relevant to the position you are interviewing for and, more important than that, skills that your company puts a tremendous amount of value in.

Once you get your skills straightened out, you should make sure that the rest of your resume is congruent with the skills you just selected, namely, that your experience shows that you both used those skills in a work environment and developed the skill with on-the-job tasks.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Jeff gillis.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Core Competencies For Your Resume (With Examples)

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• How To Delegate

Find a Job You Really Want In

Many successful professionals and companies define their core competencies, which are the qualities that set them apart from their competition. When you’re looking for a job, understanding your core competencies and showing them off is key to getting hired.

In this article, you’ll learn which core competencies you should include on your resume, see examples of how to do this, and learn more about core competencies in general. You’ll also learn how to talk about your core competencies in an interview and how they play out from a business perspective.

Key Takeaways

Core competencies are the skills, traits, and experiences that set you apart as a candidate.

Core competencies such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving are important to include on your resume .

Businesses also use core competencies to show how they stand out from the competition.

Core Competencies to Include on a Resume

How to create a core competencies section for your resume, example core competency resume section, how to answer “what are your core competencies” in an interview, how core competencies work in business.

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While core competencies are traditionally associated with defining a company’s identity, they can also apply to creating a comprehensive applicant profile on a resume .

Core competencies in a resume can impress a hiring manager and lead them to offer an opportunity to interview. They create a summary of the soft skills that make you a notable candidate and paint a picture of who you are.

Consider the following examples of core competencies that could be helpful on your resume:

Communication. Communication is a crucial skill for a company’s employees to have – both between co-workers internally and with customers externally. It’s an essential trait that employers look for in potential hires.

Leadership. Finding candidates with strong leadership skills is very important to employers, whether they’re seeking to fill a management role or not. Even in entry-level applicants , demonstrating leadership skills can show the potential for growth and positive qualities.

Listing leadership as a core competency on your resume lends itself to predicting that you’ll probably be successful in other areas as well. Consider leadership positions you’ve had in the past and examples of leadership skills to see if any of them fit you.

Examples of leadership skills include:

Time-management

Dependability

Flexibility

Goal-oriented. Being goal-oriented is an in-demand trait for employees to have across multiple industries. It means being able to create plans, set expectations, and follow through with meeting an objective. It correlates to a lot of other positive qualities, as well.

Problem-solving. Companies don’t want employees who will freeze or fall apart as soon something goes wrong. They want workers who are skilled at approaching problems with confidence and coming up with creative solutions to overcome them.

Teamwork. You’re always going to have to work with a team in some capacity, and employers value candidates who can show that they know how to function on a team and will add to the larger unit, not drag it down.

Additional core competencies you could put on your resume include:

Time management

Responsibility

Organization

Adaptability

Self-motivation

Collaboration

Commitment to excellence

You can also include industry-specific core competencies on your resume such as SEO, food safety, or curriculum development.

A core competencies section on a resume is a summary of your unique qualifications and skills that replaces your resume’s skills section. Just as a business uses core competencies to generate and maintain customer interest, your resume’s core competencies should get the hiring manager interested in you.

Make a master list of your core competencies. Start with a judgment-free brainstorming session where you jot down every hard and soft skill you have. Think about what you’re often praised for at work or by friends — these are the things that other people consider to be your core competencies.

Read the job description . Looking over the job requirements and the employer’s version of an ideal candidate is immensely helpful for deciding which core competencies to include on your resume. Pay special attention to soft skills that serve to differentiate candidates, like creativity or problem-solving.

Research the company . Companies aren’t shy about their values and mission — it’s usually right on their website’s About Us page . For example, let’s look at Amazon’s mission statement:

Our mission is to continually raise the bar of the customer experience by using the internet and technology to help consumers find, discover and buy anything, and empower businesses and content creators to maximize their success. We aim to be Earth’s most customer centric company.

Even if you’d somehow never heard of Amazon before reading that, you’d know that valuable core competencies for your resume include customer service, maximizing convenience, the ability to leverage technology, and constant improvement.

Include core competencies that overlap. Finally, cross-reference your original master list with your findings from the job description and company research.

Repeat the process for each job application. Hopefully, steps 2 and 3 made it clear that you’ll need to repeat this process for each job you apply for. And it’s not just for the core competency section — each resume you send out should be optimized and tailored for the specific job .

Customer-focused and creative Account Manager with a 6-year background in software and technology products and services. Successfully leveraged market research skills to position ABC Corp. in 5 new regions, increasing annual revenue by 110% in first year of expansion .

Staff Accountant | 2015-2021 123 Corp. Implemented innovative budgetary program to meet interdepartmental needs Devised purchase and distribution schedule that reduced corporate tax burden by 17% YoY Interviewed, hired, and trained a team of 6 junior bookkeepers and accountants

Core Competencies Data Analysis | Problem-Solving | Project Management | Integrity

Core competencies are the qualities, resources, and skills that provide a company or individual with a strategic advantage over their peers.

The concept of core competencies first arose in a 1990 Harvard Business Review article as a management theory to describe the skills and resources that a business uses to create a unique advantage over its competition.

It isn’t some free-floating idea or opinion put on a company by its observers. Core competencies are skills and resources defined by the organization or person and used to their advantage strategically.

The benefits don’t just come naturally from core competencies. You need to take time to define them, discuss a plan of action, and follow through to stand out from the crowd long-term.

Traditionally, core competencies are used to evaluate a company’s capabilities and advantages in the market.

In recent years, this term has expanded to be utilized by job-seekers to demonstrate their employable competencies. Applicants use their resume to highlight their core competencies through skills , traits, and experience, the combination of which makes them a distinctive candidate.

Once you’ve committed to listing several of the most relevant and impressive core competencies on your resume, you must prepare for an interview . The potential employer has become familiar with your tagline, and in the interview, they will put your skills and knowledge to the test with strategic interview questions .

Consider the following tips for giving a satisfying answer if your interviewer ends up asking you, “what are your core competencies?”

Be honest. While you want to be strategic in an interview, you never want to be dishonest. Make sure you’re sincere when discussing what your core competencies are in an interview. The hiring manager will often be able to tell if you’re being disingenuous or telling them what you think they want to hear.

Provide specific examples. One way of strengthening your interview answers is by providing detailed information about an example of a time you used your core competency skills. Think back to a former job or position and the reasons why you believe you demonstrate these abilities.

Express how your core competency will help their company. Tying together your skills with the benefit they can bring to the company you’re interviewing with is an excellent way to impress an interviewer when they’re asking about your core competencies. It reminds them that you’ve considered how these abilities will affect your job performance and displays you as a prepared candidate.

While the use of core competencies between job applicants and businesses may differ, they serve a similar purpose: to illustrate a unique set of skills and experiences to catch people’s attention and puts them ahead of their competition.

Core competencies are effective in demonstrating the unique traits that make a company or candidate noteworthy. They work by reflecting on a combination of evidence-based competencies you have and expressing these to the people considering you or your product.

While developing a core competency for your business may seem like a straightforward way to advance growth, there are both advantages and disadvantages of focusing on this framework.

Advantages of Core Competencies in Business

Usable across many industries. Whether you work in technology or children’s fashion, defining your business’s core competencies can positively impact your success. It can also be useful in highlighting the special features of a particular product.

Difficult for competitors to duplicate. One of the most decisive advantages of leaning towards a core competency model is that it’s difficult for your competitors to duplicate your specific skills and resources.

If your organization can develop an effective competency strategy, your competition won’t be able to copy it. It becomes ingrained in your identity, and customers come to associate these concepts with your brand .

You can see examples of this in companies like Apple, which cornered the market in product innovation. Another strong example is how Netflix became synonymous with easily streaming TV and movies from home.

Builds a long-term advantage over competition. Building a brand strategy around a core competency has the potential to drive long-term competitive advantages.

Many organizations and products see success in the short term when it comes to capturing consumer attention. They experience surges in business for years, even, before their numbers drop down from being replaced by a more strategic brand and fading behind the competition.

Disadvantages of Core Competencies in Business

Market demand can change. When an organization establishes a core competency model, those qualities and aspects of its brand or team become their identifier . It’s the permanent face of the company for the lifespan of their business. The core competence you choose to focus on needs to be able to withstand changes in the market.

Things like technology advancements and consumer perspectives can destroy a business’s positive streak. Take a look at what happened to video-rental stores.

You need to organize your company’s actions around core competency. Deciding to emphasize core competency can incur the difficulty of always needing to consider it before taking action. Doing things that go against your company’s core competency will quickly discourage consumers from doing further business with you.

The possibility of relying on an unstable resource. Many businesses that implement a core competency model will do so by utilizing a combination of their resources, skills, and features. However, resources can become limited when you’re outsourcing.

Examples of Core Competencies in Business

High-quality service or product. When consumers invest their hard-earned money in a product or service, they’re expecting to receive quality. They want the best.

Across various industries, there’s often a leading provider that’s known for this consideration of quality.

Having a reputation for being a business that puts for high-quality products and services can be a powerful core competency to build on because it’s something people are always looking for.

Customer service. Structuring a company around providing top-notch customer service can attract more business. It makes people’s purchasing experience more pleasurable and provides them with confidence that you’ll take care of any issues that arise.

While Amazon is one of the most prominently known companies with this core competency model, many other kinds of companies succeed with a similar structure.

Examples of businesses that focus on customer service include:

Trader Joe’s

Embracing and providing innovation. Innovation is a popular core competency to attempt but a difficult one to succeed in. Choosing to construct a company image around producing innovation requires resources and a staff equipped to deliver creative, new ideas consistently.

One of the companies best known for this rapid innovation competency is Apple. Their customers have come to expect a consistent stream of new, revolutionary products coming out on a prompt schedule, and now, that has become part of their identity.

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

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Core Tips: How To Highlight Core Competencies on a Resume

Learn the difference between skills and core competencies plus tips for creating a core competencies section that matches the job requirements.

a year ago   •   6 min read

Every job requires a specific skill set, and every job seeker has one. But how do you identify your own unique abilities, the skills and qualifications that make you stand out from the crowd, and how do you showcase them effectively on your resume to catch the attention of a recruiter?

In this article, we will help you figure out your own set of resume core competencies, decipher competitive keywords from potential job postings, and optimize your resume so recruiters can instantly see that you're the right candidate for the position.

What are core competencies on a resume?

First thing first, what exactly are core competencies?

Core competencies are the combination of professional and personal skills that make up your unique experience and expertise. In a nutshell, they’re the fundamental professional skills you want to showcase to a potential employer.

Core competencies can include hard skills , qualifications, significant accomplishments, and career highlights, as well as personal and interpersonal skills.

Skills vs core competencies

There is some overlap between skills and core competencies, but in general, core competencies cover a broader range of abilities than your skills. Core competencies include your work history, qualifications, certificates , and education, while your skills section focuses on hard skills .

In other words, your hard skills are part of your core competencies, but your core competencies encompass a wider range of abilities than just your skills.

How to identify core competencies for your resume

Not sure what your core competencies are or what hiring managers are looking for? Here's a step-by-step guide on how to identify your core competencies and match them to the job:

• Consider the job you are applying for. What will you be doing? What skills, qualifications, or experience would you use in the new position?
• Analyze the job posting . How does it describe the role? What must-have qualifications does it list? These are the things you want to showcase on your resume.
• Now, make a list of your own skills and abilities. What are you good at? What makes you a good fit for this role in particular? This can include technical skills, personal qualities, qualifications, or previous experience.
• Strike off anything that isn't relevant to the job you're applying for, such as outdated experience, irrelevant education , or hard skills and qualifications from an unrelated industry.
• You should be left with a short list of core competencies and transferable skills relevant to the job. These are the competencies that you will highlight and expand on in your resume.

For inspiration on what skills to include or to expand on your core competency list, use our skills and keywords finder or scroll down for a list of in-demand core competencies for different roles and industries.

How to tailor your core competencies to each application

To tailor your resume to your current application, scan the job posting or use a keyword finder to identify the required skills for that position. Remember, the key is not to include all your competencies but to focus on those that align with the job requirements.

Once you have a list of relevant competencies, instead of simply listing these skills, provide quantified examples of when you demonstrated these skills in previous roles. Tailor these examples to your proposed industry to show a recruiter the relevance and transferability of the skill. Finally, review your resume using our Targeted Resume Tool to ensure it accurately reflects the required competencies of the job posting.

Here is a detailed diagram of how to deconstruct a job posting to create a list of core competencies you can demonstrate and expand on in your resume.

How and where to list core competencies on your resume

Now that you know what core competencies are, where do they belong?

Depending on what core competencies you want to highlight, you can include them in your resume summary, work experience section, skills list, or qualifications.

Let's look at how to include your core competencies in each section and the best way to demonstrate your skills using impactful and memorable statements.

Including core competencies in your work experience section

The most common place to showcase core competencies is in your work experience section .

Create memorable statements by using bullet points to describe your skills and experience. Structure your statements using the standard power phrase forma t and include powerful action verbs like managed, led, optimized, or developed.

Provide specific examples for each competency and quantify your achievements where possible, using numbers and percentages to give a clear sense of what you accomplished.

For example, to demonstrate marketing and leadership skills , you could write:

• Led a team of 10 to develop a new marketing strategy, resulting in a 30% increase in lead generation within 6 months.

To show web design skills and competency with Adobe XD, you could write:

• Utilized Adobe XD to analyze user experience data, leading to a redesign that increased website engagement by 20% within a three months.

Here’s an example of how to incorporate these bullet points into your work experience section.

Listing core competencies in your skills section

If your core competencies are mainly hard skills, such as programming , technical skills, or languages , include them in your resume skills section .

Remember to include only hard skills in this section, as your work experience and resume summary will demonstrate your soft skills .

Here's an example of a resume skills section demonstrating relevant core competencies:

Highlighting core competencies in your resume summary

If a core competency is integral to the role you are applying for, include it in your resume summary . Your resume summary should be no longer than 2-6 lines, so keep your statements concise and focused, demonstrating specific achievements and accomplishments.

Here's an example of how to include role-specific core competencies in a resume summary:

If you're not sure if your resume adequately highlights your core competencies, upload your resume to the tool below . It'll scan your resume and give you detailed feedback and suggestions on how to improve these sections.

The role of core competencies in ATS

An important aspect to consider when choosing core competencies is their role in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Many modern recruiters use ATS programs to streamline hiring by filtering candidates' resumes based on specific keywords, which are often based on the core competencies of the position.

To ensure your resume passes ATS filters, you need to include these keywords. For example, if the job posting lists "project management" as a core competency, the term project manager should appear on your resume. Use an ATS Resume Scanner to verify your resume's ATS compatibility, and ensure you are including all relevant core competencies.

The best core competencies for a resume in 2024

If you're still trying to narrow down a list of core competencies for your resume, here is a list of competitive skills recruiters are looking for in different roles and industries.

Project management

• Project Management
• Sprint Planning

Marketing and content management

• Social Media Management
• Social Selling
• Retail Management

Customer Service

Digital and remote work.

• Microsoft Teams
• Google Workspace
• Inventory Tracking
• Budget Management
• Material needs analysis
• Language arts
• Writing IPEs
• Special Education
• Customer interaction and engagement
• Social networking
• Process improvement

Another effective method to ensure that you've accurately identified your core competencies is using the tool below to search for the job you're interested in. This can help you determine if you've chosen the appropriate skills to showcase on your resume. This tool analyzes job descriptions and helps you identify critical skills and keywords that might be missing from your resume.

What do I do if I lack a core competency listed in the job description?

If you lack a specific core competency listed in the job description, don't falsely include it on your resume. Instead, focus on the competencies you do possess that are relevant to the role. If you have related skills or experiences, highlight those. Remember, employers are not just looking for a checklist of skills but also your potential to grow and contribute to their organization.

Can I include competencies that I only have a basic understanding of?

Yes, you can include competencies that you have a basic understanding of, but be honest about your level of proficiency. If you are not proficient in a skill , label it as "basic" or "introductory," and try to highlight your most proficient skills first.

Should I update my core competencies as I progress in my career?

Yes. As you gain more experience and skills, it's crucial to regularly update your resume and competencies. Revise your resume every few months, even if you're not actively job hunting, and include new certifications, significant accomplishments, and any new skills you've developed.

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More From Forbes

How to list strengths and skills on your resume in 2024.

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Strategically and concisely place your skills throughout your resume to demonstrate what you're ... [+] capable of in an easy-to-read manner and to save space

One of the most crucial components of a resume is your strengths and skills section.

So many candidates make the mistake of only speaking to what they did in their work experience, but hardly any mention of what skills they developed or demonstrated within their roles. Including these skills can make all the difference between your application landing in the shortlisting pile or not.

But how exactly do you showcase your strengths and skills within your resume?

When deciding what work skills to include in your resume, and how to structure and place them strategically, there are a few conventions you need to follow and bear in mind:

1. Ensure Relevance

There's no use in listing any and every skill you've ever developed since the start of your career. You've likely built dozens of skills—but that doesn't necessarily mean that you need to include all of them. To help you decide which ones need to be excluded in an effort to keep your resume brief and concise, look at the requirements and qualifications listed in the job advert, and tailor your skills section accordingly.

See Shooting Stars From Halley s Comet As Top Meteor Shower Peaks

Ukrolancet drones blitz russian air defenses, fallout review amazon prime video i have some good news, 2. create a skills section.

Create a dedicated section for your skills and strengths. You may title it "Skills" or "Skills Highlights." While it is essential to include examples of your skills all throughout the resume, it's also important to have this separate section so that it stands out to recruiters. Place this section near the top of your resume, after the professional profile, and before you delve into your work experience.

3. Group By Category

For ease of reading and scannability purposes, you may find it more effective to categorize your strengths and skills under relevant headings, particularly if you have quite a few. For example, you can say, "Technical Skills: Adobe Photoshop, Figma, Canva, MS Office," etc. Or, if you are bilingual or multilingual, you can save space on your resume (depending on layout of course) by grouping your skills and proficiency levels under languages.

4. Balance Soft And Hard Skills

If you work in an industry that tends to have a firm reliance and emphasis on "hard," technical skills, such as the technology industry, or manufacturing, it's pretty easy to overlook soft skills, also known as power skills.

However, according to CompTIA , the professional certification body for IT certifications, soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, organization, and project management, are needed more than you realize for—yes you read right—even largely technical jobs.

For instance, communication is necessary so that you can effectively liaise with project and product managers, and other non-technical stakeholders, so it's important to showcase instances of your communication skills in action, on your resume.

5. Update Periodically

We tend to forget how amazing we are as humans. The business and rush of life can frequently overwhelm us, and we get so lost in doing work, that we forget to take note of what we've actually achieved. If you've been suddenly laid off and are scrambling to find what strengths, achievements, and skills to list on your resume, chances are, you've been a victim of this very habit.

So, every now and then, review your resume and give it a refresh. Do this exercise every time you complete a certification or training course, learn a new skill at work, or achieve something remarkable in your professional life. This ensures your resume is always up to date, so that you're never caught out, forgetting what strengths and skills you actually possess.

Every time you learn a new skill or gain a certification, update your resume—you never know when it ... [+] will be needed

Ultimately, your skills section should complement the rest of your resume—and where you lack space, you can strategically include your skills throughout other sections as well. This will help to paint a comprehensive picture of your suitability for the role.

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10 Most In-Demand Soft Skills to Put on Your Resume

L ong gone are the days when listing hard skills was the best (and oftentimes only) way to get your foot in the door at a prestigious company. While technical knowledge and training will always be important, soft skills (or essentially personality traits) are becoming increasingly important to highlight on your resume. And it makes sense, as more companies prioritize work culture and, therefore, the personalities of those they’re hiring.

But which soft skills are the ones that standout the most on a resume? Using data from Indeed.com, CashNetUSA scoured job ads for 46 predetermined soft skills to find the ones that appeared the most on high-paid jobs that surpassed the 75th percentile of wages in America’s most populated cities as well as each state. These are the soft skills that came out on top.

10. Resilience

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 34.29%

Resilience is a soft skill that highlights your ability to handle stress and challenges that come up at work. 

A good example of how to add this to your resume could be, “Showed resilience when leading a team after budget cuts by still delivering work on time and within scope.”

* Data comes from a January 2024 report released by CashNetUSA .

9. Financial Management

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 38.24%

If you’ve ever been in charge of a budget of any size, you can say that you have financial management skills. 

For instance, something like “oversaw the financial management of the freelance budget” could work if you hired contractors for a specific project.

8. Innovation

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 39.24%

Sure, this one makes our eyes roll a bit, too, but in today’s fast-paced world, innovation is key. No one wants an employee that stays stagnant or, worse, digs their heels in at the slight mention of change. 

You know who’s not stagnant? Someone who “excelled at brainstorming and ideation in the innovation process for [fill in project name].” You get it.

7. Emotional Intelligence

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 43.11%

We’re actually pleasantly surprised with this one. After all, we didn’t think corporations necessarily had it in them to care about this.

Jokes aside, having emotional intelligence is something that makes a good team member and an even better manager. After all, it’s hard to resolve team conflicts without it. The more a company emphasizes a “harmonious work environment,” the more this soft skill will matter.

6. Mentoring

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 47.89%

Here’s another managerial skill that job ads like to use to weed out the haves from the have-nots when it comes to managers. Do you actually enjoy mentoring people or have you just fallen up the corporate ladder into a management position?

True leaders will make mentoring a priority and want to highlight it on their resume.

5. Critical Thinking

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 47.94%

“Critical thinking” or “problem solving” can be put in the same bucket as resilience. How did you handle a challenging situation at work? It’s even better if you have data to back up your claim.

Well, maybe you “demonstrated strong critical-thinking skills when analyzing financial reports and making forecasts for the following quarter.”

4. Presentation Skills

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 56%

Presentation skills are the nature of the beast when it comes to today's Corporate America. That's because lots of today’s high-paying jobs require working with cross-functional teams and being able to explain your work in easy, digestible terms.

Think someone on a data science team explaining their findings to a marketing team. Along with "presentation skills," you could also add the specific presentation tools or software you use for your presentations on your resume.

3. Persuasion

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 57.41%

Persuasion sounds rather seductive, but it's crucial when trying to get specific projects across the finish line.

It's also a term that's used a lot in marketing when talking about "persuasive marketing skills" required to communicate well with a customer audience.

2. Negotiation

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 58.26%

This skill goes back to business basics. Proper negotiation skills come in handy in any aspect of life, whether you're negotiating a $1 billion merger or whether or not your toddler can have dessert for breakfast.

That said, it's a skill that takes time to hone — which is why it's considered all the more valuable.

1. Strategic Thinking

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 64.77%

Strategic thinking is essentially a combination of innovation and critical thinking, but the best way to incorporate this keyword on your resume is by using the CAR (challenge, action, result) technique.

You could say something like, "Used strategic thinking skills by analyzing user engagement data and running an A/B test that resulted in increased engagement of 20 percent."

For more resume advice, check out "How to Make Your Resume Shine."

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