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Technical Skills You Should

List on Your Resume
By JAMES CHEN Updated December 15, 2022
Table of Contents
Reviewed by CHARLENE RHINEHART
What Are Technical Skills?

Understanding Technical What Are Technical Skills?

Skills Technical skills refer to the specialized knowledge and expertise needed to
What Are Employees accomplish complex actions, tasks, and processes relating to computational
Looking for? and physical technology as well as a diverse group of other enterprises. Those
How to Improve Your who possess technical skills are often referred to as "technicians," with the
Technical Skills expression referring to audio technicians, electronics technicians, market
Listing Technical Skills on a technicians, computer technicians, engineering technicians, and a variety of
Resume other designations.
Technical Skills FAQs
Technical skills may also refer to the expertise of a certain type of market
The Bottom Line
participant who uses technical analysis signals to buy and sell stocks, bonds,
futures, and other financial instruments.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Technical skills are sets of abilities or knowledge used to perform
practical tasks in the areas of science, the arts, technology,
engineering, and math.
Technical skills typically require the use of certain tools and the
technologies required to use those tools.
In finance, technical skills may refer to traders and analysts who follow
the procedures of technical analysis, using charts, indicators, and
patterns to generate buy and sell signals.
In most cases, the acquisition of advanced technical skills requires
specialized training or education, which takes both time and
resources.
Technical skill requirements are listed for most career fields.

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Technical Skills

Understanding Technical Skills

Technical skills are practical ones, typically related to the fields of mechanics,
information technology, mathematics, and science.

The term can refer to the ability to perform tasks that require the use of certain
tools, whether tangible or intangible, and the technology required to master
their intended uses in a variety of scenarios. In this regard, the knowledge in a
technical skills capacity is seen as practical in nature because it allows an
individual to complete a designated task in a real-world, not theoretical,
manner.

Given the growth of technology within worldwide and local economies, the
need for diverse technical skills and knowledge is likely to continue to grow
into the foreseeable future.

What Technical Skills Are Employees Looking for?

Data Science
Data science is an increasingly popular discipline, combining advanced
mathematics and statistics. As more companies use data to measure
performance and better understand consumer trends, the demand for data
science practitioners grows. Data scientists often work alongside and have
overlapping duties and responsibilities with data engineers, data analysts, and
machine learning engineers.

Key technical skills for data science professionals include:

Language programming (e.g., R, Java, Python)

Data visualization
Statistical analysis
Machine learning

In addition to advanced technical skills, some data science jobs require

professionals to have formal training or academic backgrounds in computer
science, engineering, or statistics.

Finance
In finance, sought-after technical skills are more advanced than those in
traditional business and accounting disciplines. Core financial technical skills
include:

Advanced computation
Quantitative analysis
Financial modeling and forecasting
Technical analysis

Technical analysis requires a variety of mathematical skills, often advanced in

nature, to produce price chart analysis and model trends that look at historical
information to predict future price movements.

Technical skills in this context usually refer to an individual who possesses the
knowledge and expertise to complete the mathematical tasks required to
gather historical data, produce a data model set, and perform directional
analysis on the various outputs.

For example, to produce a linear regression model for technical analysis, the
market analyst must have the skills and knowledge necessary to properly
gather the historical data, perform any necessary calculations, and use the
output to generate a visual representation of current and legacy historical data.

Once the linear regression is complete, the market analyst needs to have the
skills and expertise to extrapolate future market activity based on the
directional patterns identified in the model set(s).

Accounting
Akin to finance, accounting requires specific technical skills that extend beyond
basic mathematics. Such skills include:

Research
Financial statements preparation
Accounting software proficiency

Unlike the olden days when paper and pen were used for documentation,
today's accounting professionals rely on a suite of software products, such as
Microsoft Excel, for computing and analysis. Therefore, these workers need an
advanced working knowledge of various software.

Although most accounting processes are automated, accountants still need to

be proficient in understanding and preparing financial statements (e.g.,
balance sheets, income statements, and statements of cash flows). Central to
accounting, these documents shed light on the health of a company or
person's portfolio.

Important: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) outline

the rules and regulations for US accountants, whereas the
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is the standard in
other nations.

Research is another important and often overlooked technical skill needed in

accounting. Some situations require extensive and independent research. For
example, an accountant may need to learn how a new law affects how assets
are classified or about a new accounting principle.

Software Development
Software developers must understand and know how to successfully create
programs and applications. To become a software developer, you must be able
to:

Create and edit code

Use complex software
Manipulate hardware to increase computing capabilities

Software developers must be proficient in coding, also known as software

programming. Much like human languages, there are many coding languages
in which a developer can be fluent. Coding translates human language into
instructions the computer uses to perform specific functions.

Software developers also need to know how to organize and use data to solve
computing problems or simplify processes. Along with data structure, the use
of algorithms helps software developers solve issues. Computers use
algorithms' step-by-step instructions to produce solutions.

How to Improve Your Technical Skills: Education and

Training
The acquisition of advanced technical skills requires specific education or
training, often with a hands-on learning component and many advanced
topical elements. Technical skill requirements are listed for the majority of
career fields, with the highest concentrations being employment in areas
involving scientific, technological, engineering, computational, and
mathematical capabilities.

Here are five steps to help you acquire or improve technical skills:

1. Establish Career Goals

Identifying your career goals is critical in determining what technical skills you
need. If not in your desired career, your goals will likely differ from those
established in their careers. Professionals who seek to stay in the same career
might have goals of securing promotions or enhancing their performance.
Examples of goals for those seeking career changes include:

Pursuing a career in a new field

Pursuing a new career that promotes better work-life balance
Seeking different opportunities where diversity is promoted and celebrated

Examples of goals for those occupying their desired career might include:

Increasing productivity and efficiency

Pursuing opportunities with higher salaries
Advancing to higher-level positions

Because some fields, such as marketing, are multi-faceted, it might be helpful

to narrow your career goals to specific roles that you wish to pursue. For
example, instead of establishing a goal to pursue a career in marketing, you
could set a goal to pursue a career in digital marketing.

2. Research
Once your goals are established, research what you need to do to accomplish
them. Begin by searching the Internet for the basic and advanced technical
skills of a job. The Internet can provide a wealth of information; however, you
can often glean more from direct interaction. Consider interviewing or
shadowing someone in the field you wish to occupy. Firsthand accounts from
experienced professionals and direct observations can give you more insight
than what can be gathered online.

3. Itemize Technical Skills

From your research, you should be prepared to document the skills you need
to realize your goals. Consider the specializations, certifications, and education
needed to obtain them.

Create categories and list all the associated skills that fall within each. For
example, under the Certification category, you could list Lean Six Sigma or
Prosci Certified Change Manager. Some skills are more important than others.
Consider listing them in order of importance. Spreadsheet programs, such as
Microsoft Excel, are great tools to organize your lists.

4. Identify What You Need

From your inventory, reorganize the skills list according to what you have
versus what you need. You might be surprised to find that you already possess
some of the skills needed.

Identify what you need to do to acquire or enhance technical skills. For

example, if a career requires a bachelor's degree in a specific field of study,
research what institutions offer that degree program. If seeking a promotion in
your current field and a specialization is required, find institutions that offer
the specialization.

Before enrolling in an academic program or pursuing professional

certifications, consider what alternatives may be accepted in lieu of a specific
requirement. For example, some jobs may list a certain degree as a
requirement but will accept a degree in a related field or tenured working
experience in its place.

5. Develop Technical Skills

Now that you know what is needed, it is time to plan and build. Develop a plan
itemizing the skills you are pursuing, how you will obtain them, your timeline
for completion, and resources to help you accomplish your pursuit.

Some skills can be acquired on the job, whereas some must be obtained
through a formal program or training. If the latter, enroll in the program that
helps you develop the skills needed and accommodates your lifestyle.

FAST FACT
Some employers offer training courses to help their employees
develop technical skills.

Sometimes, you may have enough critical technical skills to qualify for a job or
promotion. Many employers will invest in skill development for the right
candidates. Explore what the employer will do to help you develop your skills
before undertaking expensive and time-consuming training and academic
programs.

How to List Technical Skills on a Resume

A well-constructed resume will present the qualifications, experience, and
skills that make you a qualified candidate. When including technical skills, it is
important to list those pertinent to the job for which an application is
submitted. Begin with the technical skills most critical to the role, and then
follow with general skills.

Many employers look for basic technical skills like data analysis, management,
accounting, project management, and marketing. Highly-specialized jobs may
require specific technical skills that the applicant must possess to qualify.

Here are the steps to list technical skills on a resume:

1. Create a skills section using an appropriate heading (e.g., Skills, Technical

Skills, etc.).
2. Organize your skills in a list format, with the most relevant skills listed first.
For readability and added flair, group related skills into categories. For
example, a resume might have an Engineering category with the
applicable skills listed beneath.
3. For the required or preferred technical skills, highlight your expertise in the
Experience section.

Not every technical skill listed in a job requisition is required. However, the
more skills you have, your chances for selection are better. The right technical
skills show the employer that you have what it takes to perform the job.

Practice trading with virtual money

Find out what a hypothetical investment would be worth today.

SELECT A STOCK

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TESLA INC APPLE INC NIKE INC AMAZON… WALMAR…

SELECT INVESTMENT AMOUNT SELECT A PURCHASE DATE

$ 1000 5 years ago

CALCULATE

Which Jobs Require Technical Skills?

Many professions—such as audio technicians, electronics technicians, market
technicians, computer technicians, and engineering technicians—require
technical skills. Careers in the scientific, technological, engineering,
computational, and mathematical fields have the highest concentrations of
technical skills.

Why Are Technical Skills Important?

Most jobs require their employees to use specific tools and complete certain
processes to fulfill their job duties. To do so effectively and efficiently,
employees need to know how to use the tools and complete steps in a process.
This adaptation is acquired through the development of hard or technical
skills. Without these skills, companies lose their competitive advantage,
employee satisfaction is adversely affected, and productivity suffers.

How Can I Improve My Technical Skills?

Technical skills can be improved through education and training. For example,
enhancing technical skills in computer programming may require prospects to
take computer programming courses and receive training on specific software
applications.

The Bottom Line

Technical skills are the abilities and knowledge that enable someone to
perform certain functions. Workers need these skills to successfully perform
their day-to-day job duties. Whether attained through training or education,
technical skills are essential for increased productivity and to achieve a
competitive advantage.

Related Terms
Hard Skills: Definition, Examples, and Comparison to Soft
Skills
Hard skills are technical skills required for a job. Employers look for them when hiring.
more

Technical Job Skills

Technical job skills refer to the talent and expertise a person possesses to perform a
certain job or task. more

Aptitude Test: Definition, How It's Used, Types, and How to

Partner Links
Pass
An aptitude test is an exam or survey used to determine an individual's propensity to
succeed in a given activity. more

Predictive Analytics: Definition, Model Types, and Uses

Predictive analytics is the use of statistics and modeling techniques to determine future
performance based on current and historical data. more

Structural Unemployment: Definition, Causes, and

Examples
Structural unemployment is a longer-lasting form of unemployment caused by
fundamental shifts in an economy. more

Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA): Definition,

Exam
Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) refers to a designation issued by the
Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). more

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