Hard Skills for Your CV: Examples & Definition

Today, employers place greater emphasis on hard skills, particularly in fast-growing fields like IT, data analysis, and digital marketing. They seek candidates who can contribute immediately with technical expertise to make a measurable impact.

Whether you're looking to upgrade your CV or switch careers, mastering important hard skills can give you a real edge. In this guide, we’ll go over some key hard skills examples to focus on and share tips for showcasing them in your job applications. Let’s jump in!

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What are hard skills?

Hard skills are technical abilities required for performing specific tasks or professional roles. They’re tangible and measurable, often acquired through formal education, training, or hands-on experience. Hard skills play a critical role in showcasing your technical competency for a job. Employers seek hard skills on CVs, job applications, and interviews, and may expect that you validate your qualifications with certifications, tests, or portfolio samples.

Hard skills vs. soft skills

Let’s clarify the difference between these two types of skills.

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that are easy to measure. These include technical competencies such as using software, coding, analysing data, or understanding financial regulations. You typically acquire hard skills through formal education, training programs, or hands-on experience.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are interpersonal and behavioural traits that affect how you interact and work with others. These include fluent communication, problem-solving, adaptability, effective teamwork, and leadership. Soft skills are shaped more by personal experience and are often harder to quantify.

For instance, a financial analyst’s hard skills might include expertise in financial modelling and data visualisation tools, while their soft skills might encompass effective communication to present findings to stakeholders and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Both types of skills are essential—hard skills help you do the job, while soft skills help you work effectively with others. A strong balance of both is what employers are really looking for.

Top 10 hard skills examples 

The UK is dealing with a serious shortage of hard skills, particularly in areas that require a high level of technical expertise, such as AI and digital transformation. If you’re trying to stand out in today’s job market, picking up AI-related skills can set you apart. 

If you’re already in the digital field, you’re in a great spot—AI skills are in huge demand, and getting comfortable with them will make you a key player on any team.

Let’s have a look at the key hard skills examples:

1. Productivity & collaboration tools

Modern workplaces run on digital collaboration. Proficiency in productivity software ensures efficient task management, seamless communication, and smooth project execution. Whether you're managing tasks, communicating with colleagues, or organising workflows, employers expect you to be proficient with widely used platforms.

Tools include:

• Microsoft Teams & Outlook integration
• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive)
• Slack with automation (Slackbot, Workflow Builder)
• Notion for team wikis and databases
• ClickUp (growing adoption over Asana/Trello)
• Miro (visual collaboration for remote teams)
• CRM systems (HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho CRM)
• ERP systems (SAP S/4HANA, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365)

2. Project & operations management

Being good at operations and project management means you can help a team stay organised, hit deadlines, and stick to the budget. These skills are typically required in leadership roles and include the ability to oversee processes, manage resources, monitor risks, and ensure quality outcomes through structured methodologies.

Key skills and tools include:

• Agile, Scrum, and SAFe frameworks
• Kanban and Lean Six Sigma
• Jira, ClickUp, Monday.com
• Risk management with AI-powered forecasting
• OKR (Objectives and Key Results) tracking
• Project portfolio management (PPM) tools
• Digital twins for operations (emerging in logistics/manufacturing)

3. Content creation & digital design

Content is a core part of brand building, marketing, and customer engagement. Proficiency in writing, visual design, and content production tools is key in roles ranging from marketing to media production. These hard skills indicate creative ability and technical proficiency.

Key skills and tools include:

• AI-assisted writing tools (Grammarly, Jasper, Notion AI)
• Adobe Express and CapCut (gaining ground in video editing)
• Webflow and Framer for no-code web design
• Motion graphics (Adobe After Effects, LottieFiles)
• Podcast production and audio editing (Audacity, Adobe Audition)
• Content localization tools (Smartling, Lokalise)

4. Social media & digital engagement

With social media driving visibility and consumer behaviour, professionals need hard skills to manage digital presence, analyse performance, and automate campaigns. These are measurable, tool-based skills that drive traffic, engagement, and sales.

Key skills and tools include:

• TikTok and YouTube Shorts strategy
• Threads (Meta’s Twitter/X alternative)
• LinkedIn Newsletter & Creator Mode
• AI for caption generation (Lately.ai, Copy.ai)
• Community management tools (Discord, Geneva)
• Performance tracking: Sprout Social, SocialBlade
• AI-based A/B testing tools for creatives

5. Digital marketing & SEO

Digital marketing brings together a range of technical proficiencies needed to attract and retain customers online. These include optimising content for search engines, managing paid advertising, and analysing campaign performance using various tools.

Key skills and tools include:

• AI prompt engineering for content creation
• Voice search optimisation
• GA4 (Google Analytics 4) mastery
• SEO with structured data and schema markup
• Marketing automation: ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo
• Programmatic advertising (The Trade Desk, Google DV360)
• Influencer CRM platforms (Upfluence, CreatorIQ)
• Advanced funnel mapping (Funnelytics)

6. Sales & customer relationship management

Modern sales roles demand more than persuasion—they require technical expertise such as the knowledge of CRM systems, data-driven lead generation, and structured sales methodologies. These skills help identify customer needs, optimise the sales pipeline, and close deals more effectively.

Key skills and tools include:

• AI-powered sales assistants (e.g., Gong, Chorus)
• Sales engagement platforms (Outreach, Salesloft)
• Proposal generation with AI (Qwilr, Proposify)
• Personalised video pitching tools (Vidyard, Loom)
• Revenue intelligence platforms
• Buyer intent platforms (6sense, Demandbase)
• Data enrichment tools (Clearbit, ZoomInfo)

7. Language skills

Of course, languages are perfect examples of hard skills. In today’s interconnected world, they are still highly sought after and definitely should make the list of top 10 hard skills. They command their own section at the bottom of a CV—more about that later. 

In-demand languages:

• English, Mandarin, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi
• Bilingual support for remote/outsourced roles
• Translation & localisation tech (Smartling, DeepL, Memsource)

8. Hard skills for IT

As broad as IT might be, most of the time, all of these technical skills are in demand. According to LinkedIn, in 2024, 4 out of the top 5 most in-demand hard skills were related to IT. This trend highlights how essential tech proficiency has become across nearly every industry, from finance to healthcare to education.

Key skills include:

• AI/ML engineering (TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• Cloud-native development (Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform)
• Blockchain protocols (Ethereum, Solana, Hyperledger)
• Cybersecurity: Zero Trust Architecture, endpoint detection
• Edge computing and 5G integrations
• Low-code platforms (OutSystems, Mendix)
• DevSecOps tools
• Prompt engineering and AI API integrations

9. Programming

Coding is practically a world of only hard skills. Here are the most popular programming languages that could adorn your CV based on your employer’s requirements. Mastering even one of these languages can boost your job prospects, especially as more industries rely on software solutions to drive innovation and efficiency.

Top programming languages include:

• Python (AI, automation, data)
• JavaScript (frontend/backend, React, Node.js)
• Go and Rust (performance-critical systems)
• TypeScript (growing in enterprise apps)
• Swift & Kotlin (iOS/Android)
• SQL & NoSQL (MongoDB, Firebase)
• Bash, PowerShell (automation)

For more guidance, read our guides on IT skills and computer skills.

10. Data & analytical skills

In today’s world, data is everywhere—every decision, every action, every interaction generates valuable information. But raw data is meaningless without someone to interpret it. If you have the ability to analyse and make sense of complex data, your expertise will be in high demand and highly rewarded.

Key skills include:

• Data storytelling and dashboard design (Power BI, Tableau, Looker)
• Data wrangling (Python Pandas, R, Alteryx)
• Data warehousing (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift)
• AI-based analytics (DataRobot, H2O.ai)
• NLP and unstructured data processing
• Real-time analytics (Apache Kafka, Flink)
• SQL proficiency remains critical

How to list examples of hard skills on your CV

The structure of your CV may vary depending on your experience, industry, and specific needs (check out our industry-specific guides for tailored advice). However, the fundamental answer to the question, “How do I write a CV?” remains straightforward and universal: focus on effectively demonstrating your hard skills to make an impact.

1. Start with the CV profile highlighting your hard skills

Every perfect CV begins with a strong CV personal statement, also known as a CV summary. While it might feel daunting to condense your value into just six lines, this section is your chance to stand out. Use it to immediately showcase your most impressive hard skills and achievements. Remember, many recruiters won’t read beyond this section if it doesn’t grab their attention.

Hard skills examples in the CV summary

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2. Demonstrate hard skills through work experience

Your work experience section shouldn’t just list what you were responsible for—it should show how your background directly fits what the employer is looking for. Think of it as a tailored snapshot of your most relevant accomplishments, aligned with the skills and results the role demands.

Here are some CV tips to make your work experience stand out:

• Study the job description: Pinpoint the hard skills, tools, and qualifications the employer highlights. These are your cues for what to emphasise.
• Show alignment and impact: Use bullet points that reflect how you've used those same skills to drive results in past roles.
• Back it up with data: Whenever possible, quantify your results—percentages, revenue growth, time saved, or other measurable outcomes all add credibility.
• Be selective and strategic: Focus on examples that are most relevant to the role. Combine or cut anything that doesn’t support your fit for this specific job.
• Customise for each application: Tailor your CV so it speaks directly to the employer’s needs, using similar language and keywords from the job posting.
• Lead with action verbs: Start each bullet point with a strong verb to convey confidence and clarity.
• Keep it concise but powerful: Use 5–7 bullet points for your most recent position, and limit older roles to 1–3 key highlights each.

Hard skills examples on a CV: work experience

3. Make use of your education section

If you're a student or have little to no professional experience, your education section should do more than just list your degree. Use it to highlight relevant coursework, academic projects, extracurricular activities, and any tools or software you became familiar with during your studies. This added context can demonstrate your initiative and technical capabilities, helping to offset a lack of work experience.

On the other hand, if you have substantial work experience, keep this section brief—just listing your degree and institution is usually enough.

Hard skills for CV: education section

4. List hard skills relevant to the job

Simply squeezing a short list of skills into a side section of your CV isn’t always the best move, especially since that’s what most candidates do. To really make your skills stand out, take a more thoughtful, structured approach.

Reserving a small side section for skills on your CV might not be the best approach, especially since it’s so common. Here’s how you can stand out:

• Avoid throwing together a random list of five skills. Recruiters often skim over these, and they rarely leave a lasting impression.
• Instead, group your skills by category—such as technical skills, soft skills, or tools you’ve mastered. This not only makes your CV easier to scan, but also helps recruiters quickly spot your strengths in the areas that matter most.
• If you're in a technical field (like software development or data science), don’t be afraid to go more in-depth. Listing programming languages, frameworks, or tools in clearly labelled sections can be very effective, and in some cases, a skills-based CV format may work better.
• Always align your skills with what’s mentioned in the job posting. Tailor each application so that the most relevant skills are front and centre.

Hard skills in the skills section

5. Include additional sections featuring extra hard skills

Before jumping into personal interests like yoga, make sure you’ve clearly listed any additional hard skills in their own sections. List languages, certificates, and awards clearly under their own headings. They are all extremely useful hard skills to mention. Then include hobbies and interests to round out the final section of your CV.

Examples of hard skills on a CV: additional sections

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Certifications

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (2022)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (2021)
• Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Scrum Alliance – 2020

Languages

• English–Native
• German–Intermediate

Interests

• Tech for good: Volunteer instructor for Code4Youth, teaching programming fundamentals in underserved schools.
• Open-source projects: Actively contribute to developer tools and frameworks in Python and JavaScript.
• Cycling & tech podcasts: Combining long rides with learning—regular listener of “Software engineering daily” and “AWS podcast.”

How to improve your hard skills?

Improving your hard skills involves a focused and consistent approach to learning and practice. Here’s how to work on improving your hard skills:

1. Identify the skill

Start by pinpointing the exact hard skill you want to improve, e.g., programming, writing, graphic design, or proficiency in software like Excel or Photoshop. Be specific and instead of saying “I want to improve in tech,” identify “Python programming” or “data visualisation using Excel.” Clarity helps focus your learning efforts and select the most effective resources.

2. Use quality learning resources

Select trustworthy and structured learning materials. Online platforms like Coursera, Udemy, edX, and LinkedIn Learning offer courses taught by industry professionals. Books, official documentation, and tutorials from credible sources can also be helpful. When possible, look for resources that provide hands-on practice, assessments, and certification to validate your learning.

3. Set clear goals

Create specific and achievable goals to guide your learning process. Use the SMART framework—make sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, “Complete an intermediate Excel course and build a financial model within one month” is more actionable than “Get better at Excel.” Clear goals help keep you motivated and accountable.

4. Practice regularly

Repetition is essential for mastering hard skills. Make time for regular practice, ideally through real-world tasks or personal projects. If you're learning coding, build small applications; if it's a language skill, write essays or reports. Active application helps reinforce concepts and improves your ability to use the skill in different situations.

5. Get feedback

Constructive feedback is vital for improvement. Share your work with mentors, experienced peers, or online communities like GitHub, Behance, or Stack Overflow, depending on the skill. Be open to critiques and use them to fine-tune your approach. Feedback reveals blind spots and can accelerate your learning by highlighting areas that need more attention.

6. Stay updated

Hard skills often change with advancements in technology and industry practices. To stay relevant, follow blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, or industry news related to your field. Subscribe to newsletters, attend webinars, or join professional groups to stay informed about updates, trends, and emerging tools.

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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Listing skills on a CV? Check these guides, too:

• Active Listening Skills: Samples & Guidelines
• Analytical Skills: Best Examples for a CV in 2024
• Critical Thinking Skills & How to Improve Them
• Customer Service Skills for Customer-Oriented Roles
• Interpersonal Skills You Need for Any Job
• Leadership Skills & How to List Them
• Presentation Skills & How to Develop Them
• Project Management Skills & Top Examples
• Technical Skills Examples & Definitions
• Time Management Skills for Many Roles

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with LiveCareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.

Sources

• Gustavsen A., (2024) From SEO to Social Media: What Are the 8 Types of Digital Marketing?. Southern New Hampshire University
• Understand and develop your skills. National Careers Service