What Skills Should I Put on My CV? 20 Best Skills and Examples

What skills should I put on my CV? You should put skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for and that you can genuinely demonstrate, such as communication, customer service, Microsoft Excel, administration, teamwork, problem-solving, stock control or technical skills related to your occupation. The best skills aren’t simply the ones that sound impressive—they’re the ones the employer needs and you can prove you have.

For example, if you’re applying for an administrative position that requires Excel, data capturing and customer service, those skills deserve more attention on your CV than unrelated abilities.

South African Government CV guidance similarly recommends adapting your CV for the specific position and emphasising the skills and experience most relevant to that application.

This guide will help you decide which skills belong on your CV, where to put them and how to describe them without exaggerating your abilities.

What Skills Should I Put on My CV?

Start with the job advertisement.

Read the requirements and identify skills the employer repeatedly mentions.

Then ask:

Which of these skills do I genuinely have?

Those are usually your strongest candidates.

For example, imagine an advert for an administrative assistant requires:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• telephone communication
• data capturing
• organisation
• attention to detail

You have experience with five of those six.

Those five should be easy to find on your CV.

Your skills section could say:

Key Skills

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Data capturing
• Customer and telephone communication
• Administrative support
• Record keeping
• Time management

But don’t stop there.

Your work-experience section should provide evidence that you’ve actually used those skills.

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills: What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference makes choosing CV skills much easier.

Hard skills

Hard skills are specific abilities you can learn, practise or demonstrate.

Examples include:

• Microsoft Excel
• bookkeeping
• SAP
• data capturing
• coding
• graphic design
• stock control
• forklift operation
• accounting
• welding
• copywriting
• payroll administration
• driving
• point-of-sale systems

These can be particularly important because many jobs require specific technical abilities.

Soft skills

Soft skills relate more closely to how you work and interact with other people.

Examples include:

• communication
• teamwork
• adaptability
• problem-solving
• organisation
• leadership
• time management
• conflict resolution
• attention to detail

Both types can belong on your CV.

The mistake is filling your skills section with vague soft skills while ignoring technical abilities that are directly relevant to the vacancy.

20 Good Skills to Put on a CV

There isn’t a universal list that works for every profession, but these are common skills worth considering when they’re relevant and truthful.

1. Communication

Communication is useful across many occupations.

It could include:

• communicating with customers
• answering telephone enquiries
• writing emails
• communicating with colleagues
• explaining information
• reporting problems
• giving instructions

Instead of simply writing:

Communication skills

your work history could provide evidence:

“Responded to customer enquiries in person and by telephone and escalated unresolved issues to management.”

That makes the skill more believable.

2. Customer Service

Customer-service experience can be useful in:

• retail
• hospitality
• call centres
• banking
• sales
• reception
• restaurants
• tourism
• healthcare administration

Possible CV wording:

Customer service

Then demonstrate it:

“Assisted customers with product enquiries, complaints and product selection.”

3. Microsoft Excel

If you genuinely know how to use Excel, specify it.

Depending on your ability, this could involve:

• entering data
• formatting spreadsheets
• formulas
• sorting and filtering
• tables
• charts
• pivot tables
• reporting

Don’t write “Advanced Excel” because it sounds impressive if you can only enter basic information into cells.

Be accurate about your level.

4. Microsoft Word

Word remains relevant to many office and administrative positions.

You may use it for:

• letters
• reports
• templates
• tables
• document formatting
• correspondence

If the vacancy specifically requests Microsoft Office proficiency, clearly stating the applications you can actually use is more useful than writing only:

Computer literate.

5. Administration

Administration can cover many responsibilities.

Examples include:

• filing
• record keeping
• email management
• document preparation
• scheduling
• capturing information
• processing paperwork
• maintaining databases

Don’t simply say you’re good at administration.

Show which administrative tasks you’ve performed.

6. Data Capturing

Data capturing can be particularly relevant for administrative, clerical and operational roles.

Possible evidence:

“Captured customer and transaction information accurately into the company’s internal system.”

Or:

“Updated daily stock records and maintained electronic documentation.”

Accuracy matters here, so attention to detail may naturally support this skill.

7. Teamwork

Most employers expect employees to work with other people.

Instead of simply listing:

Team player

provide evidence where possible:

“Worked with a six-person department to complete daily stock replenishment and merchandising tasks.”

This tells the employer more than a buzzword.

8. Problem-Solving

Problem-solving means recognising an issue and helping find a practical solution.

Examples might include:

• investigating stock discrepancies
• resolving customer problems
• correcting administrative errors
• responding to delivery problems
• troubleshooting basic technical issues

A CV example could be:

“Investigated stock discrepancies identified during weekly stock counts and reported unresolved variances to management.”

9. Time Management

Time management matters when you have multiple responsibilities or deadlines.

Instead of:

Excellent time-management skills

you might demonstrate it:

“Managed daily administrative tasks while responding to customer enquiries and completing end-of-day reporting deadlines.”

Again, evidence makes the skill stronger.

10. Attention to Detail

This can be particularly important in:

• administration
• finance
• stock control
• quality assurance
• data capturing
• healthcare
• manufacturing
• legal work

Possible evidence:

“Checked invoices against received stock and reported quantity discrepancies before processing.”

11. Leadership

You don’t necessarily need to have been a manager to have leadership experience.

Leadership could include:

• training new staff
• coordinating tasks
• leading a school project
• supervising employees
• organising volunteers
• acting as team leader

Be precise.

Instead of:

Strong leadership skills

try:

“Coordinated daily duties for five employees when the department supervisor was unavailable.”

12. Sales

If you’ve worked in sales, you might have experience with:

• customer needs
• product recommendations
• sales targets
• upselling
• lead generation
• account management
• product demonstrations

Use the terminology that genuinely reflects your experience.

13. Stock Control

This is useful for retail, warehousing, distribution and inventory-related positions.

Relevant abilities could include:

• stock counts
• receiving
• stock rotation
• inventory checks
• discrepancy investigation
• replenishment
• expiry-date monitoring

Instead of simply:

Stock management

consider something more specific:

“Completed stock counts, monitored inventory levels and investigated discrepancies.”

14. Cash Handling

This can be relevant to:

• cashier positions
• retail
• restaurants
• hospitality
• banking
• customer service

You might mention:

• POS operation
• cash transactions
• refunds
• balancing
• card payments

Only include tasks you’ve actually performed.

15. Driving

If a driver’s licence is relevant to the vacancy, list the licence you actually hold.

Do not claim a licence code you don’t have.

Driving-related experience could include:

• deliveries
• route planning
• transporting goods
• vehicle inspections
• customer deliveries

For some vacancies, a driver’s licence may be an essential requirement rather than merely another skill.

16. Computer Literacy

“Computer literacy” is broad.

Where possible, identify the software or systems you can actually use.

For example:

Computer Skills

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Google Docs
• Google Sheets

Or include job-specific software such as SAP if you have genuine experience using it.

The South African Government’s CV guidance specifically lists computer skills among the information that can form part of a CV.

17. Organisation

Organisation is particularly useful for roles involving:

• scheduling
• documents
• stock
• deadlines
• multiple customers
• administrative tasks

Rather than relying entirely on the word “organised,” demonstrate it through your responsibilities.

For example:

“Maintained electronic and physical records and organised documentation for weekly reporting.”

18. Adaptability

Workplaces change.

Employees may have to:

• learn new systems
• cover different responsibilities
• work with different teams
• respond to changing priorities
• learn new procedures

If adaptability is genuinely relevant, demonstrate a situation where you successfully adjusted.

19. Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution can be useful in:

• customer service
• supervision
• management
• hospitality
• retail
• call centres

For example:

“Handled initial customer complaints professionally and escalated unresolved cases according to company procedures.”

Don’t claim that you “resolved all conflicts” if your responsibility was actually escalation.

Accuracy matters.

20. Job-Specific Technical Skills

Some of the most valuable skills on your CV will depend entirely on your occupation.

For example:

Graphic designer

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Figma

Bookkeeper

• bookkeeping
• invoicing
• reconciliations
• accounting software

Developer

• JavaScript
• Python
• SQL
• Git

Electrician

• electrical installation
• fault finding
• testing
• safety procedures

Warehouse worker

• receiving
• picking
• packing
• inventory control
• forklift operation, where properly licensed/trained

Generic lists cannot replace reading the actual vacancy.

How Do I Choose Skills for a Specific Job?

Use a simple matching exercise.

Imagine you’re applying for this fictional vacancy:

Administrative Assistant

Requirements:

• Microsoft Word and Excel
• good communication
• data capturing
• attention to detail
• customer service
• ability to work independently

Now compare it with your genuine abilities.

Job Requirement	Do I Have It?	Evidence
Excel	Yes	Used spreadsheets for weekly reports
Word	Yes	Prepared letters and documents
Communication	Yes	Assisted customers daily
Data capturing	Yes	Captured stock information
Attention to detail	Yes	Checked stock discrepancies
Customer service	Yes	Two years’ retail experience

You’ve now identified the skills most relevant to the employer.

Those deserve priority.

The University of Pretoria Career Services CV guidance specifically advises applicants to adjust their CV according to each job’s specifications and use relevant keywords from the job specifications.

Should I Copy Skills Directly From the Job Advert?

No—not blindly.

Suppose the advert says:

Required: Advanced Microsoft Excel

You have only basic Excel experience.

Don’t put:

Advanced Microsoft Excel

on your CV simply to match the advert.

If asked to demonstrate the skill during an interview or assessment, the exaggeration could become obvious.

Instead, accurately describe what you can do.

For example:

Microsoft Excel – basic spreadsheet creation, data entry, formatting and simple formulas.

The Department of Employment and Labour’s job-search guidance advises job seekers to reflect their skills and qualifications truthfully rather than exaggerating them.

Where Should Skills Go on a CV?

There are two important places.

1. Your skills section

Create a short section containing relevant skills.

For example:

KEY SKILLS

• Customer service
• Microsoft Word and Excel
• Stock control
• SAP
• Inventory counts
• Team coordination
• Merchandising

2. Your work experience

This is where you prove those skills.

For example:

Perishables Controller

• Conducted regular stock counts.
• Monitored stock rotation and expiry dates.
• Assisted customers with product enquiries.
• Used SAP for relevant stock processes.
• Coordinated daily tasks with team members.

This is much stronger than having 20 skills in a box with no evidence anywhere else on your CV.

How Many Skills Should I Put on My CV?

There isn’t one universal number.

A practical target might be 6–12 highly relevant skills, depending on your experience and occupation.

The key word is relevant.

Don’t add 25 generic abilities simply to make your CV look impressive.

A recruiter looking for an administrator would probably learn more from:

• Excel
• Word
• data capturing
• record keeping
• customer communication
• scheduling
• attention to detail

than from:

• motivated
• passionate
• energetic
• dynamic
• ambitious
• visionary
• innovative
• hardworking
• dedicated
• determined
• enthusiastic

Positive characteristics can matter, but they shouldn’t replace evidence-based skills.

What Skills Should I Put on My CV With No Experience?

If you’re trying to write a CV with no work experience, don’t invent employment history.

Look at skills you’ve developed through:

• school
• university
• college
• volunteering
• community projects
• informal work
• personal projects
• sports
• clubs
• family businesses
• online courses

For example, a recent Matric graduate might genuinely have:

• Microsoft Word
• basic Excel
• written communication
• teamwork
• presentation skills
• research
• time management
• basic computer literacy

Suppose you completed a school project where you researched information, created a presentation and presented it to your class.

That can provide evidence of:

• research
• teamwork
• presentation
• communication
• time management

The KwaZulu-Natal government’s CV guidance specifically notes that applicants without work experience can list skills that would enable them to perform the duties of the position they’re applying for.

Skills to Put on a CV for Retail Jobs

Consider relevant skills such as:

• customer service
• merchandising
• stock replenishment
• stock counts
• cash handling
• POS systems
• product knowledge
• teamwork
• communication
• complaint handling

Only include the ones you genuinely possess.

Skills to Put on a CV for Administrative Jobs

Relevant examples include:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• email communication
• data capturing
• filing
• record keeping
• scheduling
• telephone communication
• document preparation
• attention to detail

Skills to Put on a CV for Call Centre Jobs

Consider:

• telephone communication
• active listening
• customer service
• complaint handling
• data capturing
• CRM software
• problem-solving
• written communication
• typing

Skills to Put on a CV for Warehouse Jobs

Possible skills include:

• picking
• packing
• receiving
• dispatch
• inventory control
• stock counting
• stock rotation
• order preparation
• health and safety awareness
• forklift operation where applicable

Skills to Put on a CV for Cashier Jobs

Consider:

• cash handling
• POS systems
• customer service
• card payments
• refunds
• basic numeracy
• communication
• accuracy
• product knowledge

Skills to Put on a CV for Government Jobs

Don’t assume there is one universal skills list for every government vacancy.

Read the actual advert.

Government jobs can range from administration and finance to engineering, healthcare and law enforcement.

The skills required for one position may be completely irrelevant to another.

Use the competencies and requirements stated in the specific vacancy and demonstrate the ones you genuinely possess.

You can find official national and provincial government vacancy information through the South African Government jobs portal.

Skills to Put on a CV for Your First Job

Your first CV may rely more heavily on transferable skills.

Potential examples include:

• communication
• computer literacy
• teamwork
• organisation
• time management
• basic Microsoft Office
• problem-solving
• willingness to learn

However, avoid writing:

Fast learner

and leaving it there.

If possible, provide evidence.

For example:

“Learned to use Google Sheets independently to track expenses for a school fundraising project.”

That’s much stronger.

Skills You Should NOT Put on Your CV

Skills you don’t have

Never add something purely because the employer wants it.

Skills you cannot explain

If you list “project management,” be prepared to explain your project-management experience.

Extremely basic abilities

For many office roles, something like “using the internet” may add little value unless it is genuinely relevant to the position.

Irrelevant skills

Being excellent at photography may be valuable.

But if you’re applying for an accounting role, it probably doesn’t deserve more space than your accounting software experience.

Too many personality words

A CV filled with:

motivated, passionate, hardworking, dedicated, honest, reliable

doesn’t tell an employer enough.

Show evidence.

How to Prove Skills Instead of Just Listing Them

Use this formula:

Skill → Action → Context/result

For example:

Customer service

“Assisted customers with product enquiries and resolved straightforward complaints.”

Leadership

“Coordinated daily tasks for a team of five during supervisor absences.”

Excel

“Used Microsoft Excel to maintain weekly stock records and prepare reports.”

Attention to detail

“Checked delivery quantities against documentation and reported discrepancies.”

Communication

“Communicated with customers, suppliers and colleagues regarding stock enquiries.”

This transforms your CV from a list of claims into evidence.

Should You Include a Skills Rating?

You may have seen CV templates containing:

Excel ★★★★★
Communication ★★★★★
Leadership ★★★★☆

Be careful with these.

What does five-star communication actually mean?

There is no standard definition.

A clearer approach is often:

Microsoft Excel – Intermediate

and then demonstrate the tasks you can perform.

Even better:

Microsoft Excel – formulas, sorting/filtering, tables and basic reporting

Specific information is easier for an employer to understand.

Should I Include Keywords From the Job Description?

Yes—when those keywords accurately describe your skills or experience.

For example, if the vacancy says:

“Experience with stock counts and inventory control required.”

and you’ve genuinely performed those duties, your CV could naturally include:

• stock counts
• inventory control

This helps make the connection between your experience and the employer’s requirements clear.

But don’t copy the entire advert into your CV.

The South African Government CV guide recommends changing your CV to meet the needs of the particular job and emphasising some skills or experiences more than others depending on the application.

A Simple Skills Audit Before Your Next Application

Before submitting another CV, create three lists.

List 1: Skills the employer wants

Copy the main skills from the vacancy into your notes.

List 2: Skills you genuinely have

Write down which ones you can honestly demonstrate.

List 3: Evidence

For every skill, write one example.

For instance:

Skill	Evidence
Customer service	Assisted customers daily
Excel	Created weekly stock reports
Leadership	Coordinated team tasks
Stock control	Conducted stock counts
Communication	Handled customer enquiries
Administration	Maintained records

Now update your CV using that information.

This takes only a few minutes and can make your application much more targeted.

Don’t Send the Same Skills List Everywhere

A cashier vacancy and an administrative assistant vacancy may require very different things.

Your underlying experience remains truthful and consistent, but the emphasis should change.

The Western Cape Government’s CV guidance recommends updating your CV for each application so your relevant skills and experience directly relate to the position. It also advises applicants to be credible and back up claimed skills with previous experience.

That is a much better approach than creating one giant CV and sending it unchanged to every employer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best skills to put on a CV?

The best skills are the ones relevant to the vacancy that you can genuinely demonstrate. Examples can include communication, customer service, Excel, administration, teamwork, problem-solving, stock control and job-specific technical skills.

How many skills should I put on my CV?

There is no mandatory number. Around 6–12 highly relevant skills can work well for many CVs, but relevance is more important than quantity. Avoid filling your CV with generic abilities simply to make the list longer.

What skills should I put on my CV with no experience?

Consider transferable skills developed through education, volunteering, projects, informal work and extracurricular activities. These could include communication, teamwork, computer literacy, organisation, research and time management.

Should I put soft skills on my CV?

Yes, when they’re relevant. However, support soft skills such as leadership, teamwork and communication with examples from your work experience, education or other genuine activities.

Should I include computer skills on my CV?

Include computer skills when relevant to the job. Instead of simply writing “computer literate,” specify applications or systems you genuinely know, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, SAP or occupation-specific software.

Can I copy skills from a job description?

Use relevant terminology from the job description only when it accurately describes your abilities. Never add a skill you don’t possess simply to match the vacancy.

Where do I put skills on my CV?

You can have a dedicated skills section and also demonstrate those skills throughout your work-experience section. The skills section tells the employer what you can do; your experience provides evidence.

Should I put “hardworking” on my CV?

You can, but evidence is stronger. Instead of relying on the word alone, describe responsibilities or achievements that demonstrate reliability, commitment or the ability to handle demanding workloads.

Conclusion

If you’re wondering what skills should I put on my CV?, don’t start by searching for the longest possible list of impressive-sounding skills.

Start with the vacancy.

Identify what the employer needs, compare those requirements with what you can genuinely do, and prioritise the strongest matches.

Then provide evidence.

Instead of:

Good communication skills

show how you communicated.

Instead of:

Leadership

show when you led.

Instead of:

Computer literate

name the software you can actually use.

Your next step should be to review the skills section of your current CV alongside a job you genuinely want to apply for. Remove irrelevant filler, add missing relevant skills you actually possess, and make sure your work experience provides evidence for your strongest claims.

If the rest of your CV also needs improvement, review how to write a CV for a job in South Africa before sending your next application.