150+ Core Competencies for Your Resume

Listing your skills on your resume in a core competencies section quickly shows hiring managers the value you’ll bring to their company if hired.

What are core competencies on a resume?

Core competencies, also known as core qualifications, are your most marketable hard and soft skills – the abilities that set you apart from others in your industry.

Your core competencies should be listed front and center on your resume, right underneath your name in the resume header. This ensures that they’re one of the first things hiring managers see.

Here’s an example of what the core competencies section of your resume should look like:

How do resume core competencies differ from key skills?

While skills and core competencies are similar because they both refer to your abilities, what differentiates them is their scope:

• Skills are abilities you have acquired because of practice and experience. They may be natural personality traits, known as soft skills, or they may be things that you have worked hard to improve, known as hard skills.
• Core competencies are broader in scope and include skills, knowledge, and other qualities that make you an expert in your field.

Why should you list core competencies on your resume?

Listing core competencies on your resume increases your marketability and shows hiring managers that you’re broadly qualified for the position.

Additionally, including a core competencies section on your resume is a good way to ensure that you include important resume keywords and improve your chance of getting through applicant tracking system (ATS) software.

150+ resume core competencies

To help start your resume off strong, here are 150+ of the most valued core competencies to include on your resume. We’ve grouped them together so you can pick and choose which ones suit you best.

Communication

Communication skills are your ability to clearly relay needs, directives, and ideas to other people. They show employers that you’re good at interacting with everyone from customers and clients to peers and managers.

List on your resume:

• Email Writing
• Telemarketing
• Negotiation
• Public Speaking
• Verbal Communication
• Written communication
• Active listening
• Reading non-verbal cues
• Presentation skills
• Conflict resolution
• Persuasion and negotiation
• Clarity and conciseness
• Feedback delivery and reception

Customer service

Customer service skills prove to employers that you know how to provide great service, help customers walk away happy, and represent the company in a positive way.

List on your resume:

• Customer support
• Phone or email correspondence
• Time management
• Patience
• Empathy
• Positive attitude
• Product knowledge
• Complaint handling
• Responsiveness
• Service personalization
• Time management

Leadership

Leadership skills show that you know how to achieve goals, meet deadlines, and motivate the people around you. They also mean you have the potential to grow within and support the company, so employers are always looking for candidates with strong leadership qualities.

List on your resume:

• Delegating
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Conflict resolution
• Organization
• Motivating others
• Mentorship
• Decision-making
• Team motivation
• Emotional intelligence
• Vision and strategy
• Accountability
• Coaching and mentoring
• Adaptability
• Performance management

Adaptability

Adaptability shows that you can adjust to new situations quickly and tackle the challenges these situations present. Core competencies in your resume that demonstrate adaptability are especially valuable in industries like tech or media, where new technology and current events can have sudden, unexpected impacts.

List on your resume:

• Fast Learner
• Communication
• Analytical thinking
• Strategic planning
• Flexibility
• Learning new technologies
• Handling change
• Emotional resilience
• Open-mindedness
• Multitasking
• Time management
• Decision-making under pressure
• Problem-solving in dynamic environments
• Self-motivation

Innovation

No matter where you work, you’ll encounter problems at some point. That’s why innovation is important.

Innovation means that you can think creatively and help the company develop original solutions to new issues

List on your resume:

• Creative thinking
• Brainstorming,
• Idea development
• Analytical thinking
• Idea evaluation
• Continuous learning
• Risk-taking
• Process improvement
• Research and development (R&D)
• Trend analysis

Problem solving

Problem solving is necessary for every industry. Employers love any core competency that demonstrates a candidate’s ability to solve problems because it means they’re capable of handling high-pressure situations and coming out with actionable solutions.

List on your resume:

• Critical thinking
• Brainstorming
• Decision making
• Risk assessment
• Mediation
• Conflict resolution
• Research skills
• Collaboration
• Resourcefulness
• Data interpretation
• Creativity
• Root cause analysis

Cost reduction

Listing core qualifications that showcase your ability to reduce costs is instantly attractive for any company. When hiring managers see that you can save their company money and become an asset beyond the value of the average hire, they’ll be ready to call you in and learn more.

List on your resume:

• Budgeting
• Critical analysis
• Efficient employee management
• Cost analysis
• Negotiation
• Decision making
• Process optimization
• Waste reduction
• Lean management
• Resource management
• Vendor management
• Financial forecasting
• Strategic sourcing

Salesmanship

Most companies provide a product and/or service. Highlighting your ability to make sales, whether through direct marketing, face-to-face, or online, makes a hiring manager more confident in your ability to contribute to the company’s success. However, this core competency only applies to positions where the ability to sell products is important.

List on your resume:

• Direct marketing
• Communication
• Rapport building
• Negotiation
• Customer Service
• Product knowledge
• Active listening
• Persuasion
• Rapport building
• Cold calling
• Client relationship management (CRM)
• Sales presentations
• Objection handling
• Closing techniques

Technical skills

Including core competencies on your resume that highlight your technical skills proves you have the specific knowledge required to actually do the job you’re applying for. If you’re applying for positions in tech or engineering, showcasing your technical competencies is essential.

List on your resume

• Programming languages (e.g., Python, Java)
• Software proficiency (e.g., Microsoft Office, Adobe Suite)
• Data analysis
• Cloud computing (e.g., AWS, Azure)
• Networking and IT infrastructure
• Cybersecurity
• System troubleshooting
• Database management (e.g., SQL)
• Automation tools (e.g., PowerShell)
• Version control (e.g., Git)
• Forklift operation
• Android or iOS development
• Encryption algorithms
• Ion Light Board Programming
• Hand and power tools expert

Teamwork

Collaboration and teamwork skills are essential to the success of any workplace. That’s why hiring managers love candidates who are great at joining forces with their coworkers to achieve the company’s mission.

List on your resume:

• Mediation
• Communication
• Delegation
• Attention to detail
• Networking
• Empathy
• Collaboration
• Conflict resolution
• Emotional intelligence
• Adaptability
• Active listening
• Accountability
• Problem-solving
• Flexibility

Research

Any job that relies on quality information needs someone who knows how to find and analyze reliable resources.

Listing a competency that highlights your core skills as a researcher improves your application because research is a skill that requires critical thinking — something employers value in their new hires.

List on your resume:

• Literature review
• Hypothesis testing
• Survey design
• Primary and secondary research
• Statistical analysis
• Market research
• Fieldwork
• Report writing
• Critical evaluation
• Phone and email skills
• Critical thinking
• Fact checking
• Attention to detail
• Data analysis

Decision making

Sometimes tough and immediate problems come up and decisions have to be made at a moment’s notice. An employee who can keep calm and make clear decisions is a valuable asset.

List on your resume:

• Analytical thinking
• Leadership
• Professionalism
• Risk assessment
• Critical thinking
• Data interpretation
• Prioritization
• Strategic planning
• Problem-solving
• Emotional intelligence
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Leadership in decision-making

Computer skills

Software or hardware computer skills are highly valuable for just about any office job but are especially important if you work in tech, engineering, or design.

If you already know the software needed for a position, then the employer won’t have to spend money training you in them — making you a more attractive candidate. However, if you’re not sure what computer skills an employer is looking for, check the job description to see if there’s any specific software that’s mentioned. If there is, be sure to include it in your resume competencies list.

List on your resume:

• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Email management (e.g., Outlook, Gmail)
• Typing proficiency
• File management
• Internet research
• Data entry
• Basic coding (e.g., HTML, CSS)
• Cybersecurity awareness
• Presentation software (e.g., Google Slides)
• Cloud collaboration tools (e.g., Google Drive)
• Python
• Adobe Creative Suite
• HTML/CSS
• Social media
• Content Management Systems (CMS)
• Cloud Management

Organizational skills

Organizational skills prove that you know how to manage your time, prioritize tasks, and get work done with minimal supervision so your boss can spend more time on their own work.

List on your resume:

• Coordination
• Scheduling
• Attention to detail
• Cleaning
• Facilitation
• Time management
• Prioritization
• Multitasking
• Task delegation
• Attention to detail
• Calendar management
• Goal setting
• File organization
• Project planning

Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills are how we behave when interacting with other people. An employee who has great interpersonal skills is invaluable when dealing with clients, customers, or coworkers.

List on your resume:

• Non-verbal communication
• Emotional intelligence
• Active listening
• Negotiation
• Reliability
• Empathy
• Active listening
• Conflict resolution
• Building rapport
• Verbal communication
• Emotional intelligence
• Team collaboration
• Positive attitude
• Negotiation
• Cultural sensitivity

Examples of core competencies resume sections

Here are 3 examples of core resume competencies for career-specific resumes. Use them as a reference for which core competencies you can list on your own resume.

Just remember that your core competencies should always be directed at your own strengths — ones that meet the specific requirements of the position.

Frequently asked questions about core competencies

Still have questions about core competencies? We’ve answered a few here.

Where to put core competencies on a resume?

Your core competencies should be listed front and center on your resume, right underneath your name and contact details in the resume header. This ensures that they’re one of the first things hiring managers see.

How to list core competencies on a resume?

There are two ways to list core competencies on a resume:

• Include a “Core Competencies” section near the top of your resume, right after your summary or objective statement. This section should be a concise list of 6-12 key skills or competencies that align with the job description.
• Highlight competencies throughout your resume: Integrate relevant competencies into your experience section by showcasing how you applied them in previous roles. Use specific examples in your bullet points to demonstrate your proficiency in each area. For example: “Led a cross-functional team (Leadership, Collaboration) to deliver a product 3 weeks ahead of schedule (Time Management, Efficiency).”

Can I have a core competencies section as well as a skills section?

Yes, you can have both a core competencies and a skills section, but it’s important to differentiate them.

Core competencies: This section focuses on broad, essential attributes and abilities that are central to your professional role, such as problem-solving, leadership, or communication. It usually includes both soft and hard skills that are most relevant to the position you’re applying for. This is placed at the top of your resume

Skills section: This is where you can list more specific technical skills, certifications, software proficiencies, or other hard skills that are important for the role, such as Python, SEO tools, or Microsoft Office. This is placed on the side or at the bottom of your resume