The best skills for job application forms are the five to ten abilities the job posting asks for that you can actually show, written as short phrases such as "Cash handling and end of day balancing", "Spreadsheet formulas and pivot tables" or "Spanish, fluent". Put job specific hard skills first, then two or three soft skills with proof.
Recruiters and applicant tracking systems (the software that stores applications and lets recruiters search them) both read this box. A clear list that echoes the posting gets you past the first screen. Below are lists by job type, wording for the Special skills box, and mistakes that make a skills section look weak.
Quick answers
How many
Five to ten in a list box; three to five lines in a free text box.Order
Hard skills from the posting first, then tools, then soft skills.Format
Short phrases with a level or proof: "Forklift, certified", "Typing 55 words a minute".Source
The job posting's requirements list, matched honestly to what you can do.Avoid
Vague words alone, such as "hard worker" or "people person", with nothing to back them.
Hard skills vs soft skills
Hard skills are things you can be tested on: using a register, driving a forklift, writing code, giving injections, bookkeeping, speaking a language. Soft skills are how you work: communication, teamwork, patience, time management. Employers want both, but hard skills decide whether you pass the first screen, because they match the posting's requirements.
A good skills section leads with hard skills and then adds soft skills attached to a fact. "Customer service" says little. "Customer service, handled about 80 customers a shift" shows it.
Skills to put on a job application by job type
| Job type | Skills to list |
|---|---|
| Retail and cashier | Cash handling, point of sale systems, stocking and inventory counts, returns, customer service |
| Food service | Food safety handling, order taking, prep and line work, opening and closing duties |
| Warehouse and delivery | Pallet jack and forklift, picking and packing, scanning, safe lifting, clean driving record |
| Office and admin | Typing speed, scheduling, data entry, spreadsheets, filing, phone etiquette |
| Healthcare support | Vital signs, patient transfers, charting, CPR and first aid certified, infection control |
| Teaching and tutoring | Lesson planning, classroom management, subject knowledge, parent communication |
| Trades | Hand and power tools, reading plans, measuring, safety training, specific licenses |
| Tech and data | Named programming languages, databases, reporting, troubleshooting, documentation |
| Students and first jobs | Punctuality, learning quickly, basic computer use, a second language, school projects |
Special skills examples for job application forms
A box labeled Special skills, Other skills or Skills and qualifications is your chance to add what the rest of the form missed. Good choices are skills that are rare, certified or useful on the job.
Bilingual in English and Spanish, can translate for customers
CPR and First Aid certified, valid until [Month]
Licensed forklift operator
Typing 60 words a minute with high accuracy
Sign language, conversational
Food handler card, current
Basic bookkeeping and invoicing
Comfortable lifting 50 pounds repeatedly
If the box is free text, you can write two or three short sentences instead: "I speak Hindi and English fluently. I hold a current food handler card. I have opened and closed a cafe on my own."
Computer skills for job application forms
Name the type of tool and your level, not just "computers". Brand names are fine on your own form if the posting uses them; on this site we describe the type.
- Word processing: letters, reports, templates
- Spreadsheets: formulas, sorting, charts, pivot tables
- Email and calendar apps: scheduling, shared calendars
- Video calls and shared documents
- Point of sale and inventory systems
- Customer records or ticket systems
- Photo or design apps for social posts
- Typing speed, if strong
Do and do not
Do: "Inventory counts and stock rotation, three years".
Don't: "Hard worker, team player, fast learner" with nothing else.
Do: borrow terms from the ad wherever they describe something you can do.
Don't: list a skill you have never used just because the posting mentions it. Interviews and skills tests find it quickly.
How to show proof of skills for job application screening
Attach a fact to the skills that matter most. Numbers, certificates and time spent all count.
| Plain | Stronger |
|---|---|
| Communication | Explained returns policy to upset customers calmly |
| Organized | Kept a weekly schedule for a team of 12 |
| Computer skills | Built a spreadsheet to track shop orders |
| Leadership | Trained four new hires on the register |
| Reliable | No missed shifts in 18 months |
Bring these same facts to the interview. For the duties box higher up the form, read role description on a job application.
Skills and keywords work together
Recruiters often search their applicant system for a skill word, such as "phlebotomy" or "bookkeeping". If that word is not in your form, you may not show up. That is why the skills box should use the same words as the posting. Our keywords guide shows how to pick them out. For a one line summary box near the top, see headline on a job application.
Questions people ask
What skills should I put on a job application?
Put the skills from the job posting that you can prove, starting with hard skills and tools. Add two or three soft skills with a short fact. Five to ten items is plenty.
Which skills can a beginner with zero work history list?
Use skills from school, volunteering, sports and home life: punctuality, basic computer use, cash handling from a club fundraiser, a second language, childcare. Say where you used each one.
What do I put for special skills on a job application?
Put skills that are certified, rare or useful for the job, such as a language, CPR, a license, typing speed or a trade skill. If you have none that fit, list the strongest hard skills that match the posting.
Should I list soft skills?
Yes, but only two or three, and tie each to a fact. Lists of soft skills alone are so common that recruiters skip them.
How do I list computer skills?
Name the type of tool and your level, such as "Spreadsheets, intermediate: formulas and charts". Add typing speed if it is good. Avoid just writing "computers".