Looking for resume skills section examples that actually get past ATS filters? You're in the right place. Your skills section isn't filler. It's the first thing most applicant tracking systems scan before anything else on the page gets read. And if your skills don't match the job description? Your resume never reaches a human.

That's not an exaggeration. 98% of Fortune 500 companies run every application through ATS software, and 99.7% of recruiters apply keyword filters when sorting candidates. The skills section is where those filters hit first.

So getting this section right isn't a nice-to-have. It's the difference between landing an interview and getting auto-rejected before breakfast.

This guide gives you the best resume skills section examples for 2026, breaks down what to include, how to format it for both ATS and human readers, and covers 30+ real examples sorted by industry. No fluff. Just what works in 2026.

Why the Resume Skills Section Is the First Thing ATS Software Reads

Here's how most ATS platforms work in 2026: they parse your resume into structured data fields. Name, contact info, work history, education, and skills. The skills field gets compared against the job posting's required and preferred qualifications.

If the system finds strong keyword matches between your skills section and the job description, your resume scores higher and moves forward. If it doesn't, you're out.

The shift toward skills-based hiring has made this even more important. More than 60% of companies now filter candidates by specific skills before reviewing job history. That's a big change from even a few years ago, when titles and company names carried more weight.

What this means for you: your skills section isn't just a quick summary for the hiring manager. It's a keyword-matching engine for the ATS. Treat it like one.

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PaperclipCV scans the job description and automatically identifies the exact skills keywords the ATS is looking for, so you don't have to guess which terms to include.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: What Actually Belongs on Your Resume Skills Section Examples

Both types belong on your resume. But they serve different purposes, and the ATS treats them differently.

Hard Skills That Get You Past ATS

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that can be measured. Think programming languages, software tools, certifications, and technical knowledge. ATS systems weight hard skills more heavily because they're precisely matchable. "Python" matches "Python." "SQL" matches "SQL." There's no ambiguity.

The average job posting lists 11 to 15 required skills. Resumes that include 8 to 12 direct keyword matches score highest in automated screening.

Examples of hard skills:

Python, JavaScript, React, AWS
Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce
Financial modeling, GAAP compliance
HIPAA compliance, Epic EHR, BLS certification
AutoCAD, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite

Soft Skills That Impress Humans

Soft skills matter too, but they work differently. ATS can't verify "strong communicator" the way it can verify "Tableau." Soft skills are for the hiring manager who reads your resume after it passes the ATS filter.

The sweet spot? Aim for roughly 60% hard skills and 40% soft skills in your dedicated skills section.

Examples of soft skills that actually add value:

Cross-functional collaboration
Stakeholder communication
Project prioritization
Conflict resolution
Team mentoring and coaching

Skills to Leave Off Entirely

Some skills actively hurt your resume. They either waste space, signal inexperience, or make the ATS ignore you.

Remove these immediately:

Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office (too basic to list in 2026)
"Hard worker" or "team player" (vague, means nothing)
Outdated technologies you haven't used in 5+ years
Skills unrelated to the role (your bartending experience doesn't help your data analyst application)
Typing speed (unless you're applying for a transcription role)

How to Format Your Resume Skills Section (3 Proven Layouts)

The format matters almost as much as the content. ATS systems need clean, parseable text. Hiring managers need something they can scan in 6 seconds. Here are three formats that satisfy both.

Simple List Format

Best for: roles with a clear, standardized skill set.

Skills: Python, SQL, Tableau, AWS, Docker, Machine Learning, 
Data Pipeline Architecture, Statistical Analysis, Git, Agile

This is the most ATS-friendly format. One section header, skills separated by commas. Clean. Parseable. No confusion.

Grouped by Category

Best for: roles that require skills across multiple domains.

Technical Skills: Python, R, SQL, TensorFlow, Pandas
Cloud & DevOps: AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda), Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD
Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Matplotlib
Methodologies: Agile, Scrum, A/B Testing, Statistical Modeling

This format helps human readers quickly find what they're looking for. ATS systems handle it fine as long as you keep the formatting simple.

Skills With Proficiency Levels

Best for: senior roles or positions requiring depth in specific tools.

Expert: Python, SQL, Machine Learning, AWS
Advanced: Kubernetes, Spark, dbt, Airflow
Proficient: Go, Terraform, Snowflake

Use this sparingly. Only include proficiency levels if you're genuinely expert-level in some skills and want to highlight that distinction. Don't rate yourself "beginner" in anything on your resume. If you're a beginner, leave it off.

30+ Resume Skills Section Examples by Industry

Stop guessing what skills to list. Here are real, ATS-tested resume skills section examples organized by industry. Pick the ones that match your experience and the job you're targeting.

Technology and Software Engineering

Hard skills: Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Node.js, AWS, GCP, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, REST APIs, GraphQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Git, Terraform, microservices architecture

Soft skills: code review mentorship, cross-team collaboration, technical documentation, sprint planning, stakeholder demos

Marketing and Communications

Hard skills: Google Analytics 4, SEO/SEM, HubSpot, Marketo, Meta Ads Manager, Google Ads, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, A/B testing, email automation, content management systems, social media analytics

Soft skills: brand storytelling, campaign strategy, deadline management, client communication, creative direction

Healthcare and Nursing

Hard skills: Epic EHR, Cerner, HIPAA compliance, BLS/ACLS certification, patient assessment, medication administration, vital signs monitoring, infection control protocols, IV therapy, wound care management

Soft skills: patient advocacy, crisis de-escalation, interdisciplinary team coordination, family communication, time-critical decision making

Finance and Accounting

Hard skills: financial modeling, GAAP/IFRS compliance, Bloomberg Terminal, SAP, QuickBooks, Excel (advanced formulas, pivot tables, macros), Hyperion, variance analysis, tax preparation, audit procedures

Soft skills: regulatory interpretation, risk assessment communication, client advisory, detail-oriented analysis, deadline adherence under audit pressure

Customer Service and Retail

Hard skills: Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, Shopify, POS systems, CRM management, live chat tools, ticketing systems, inventory management, returns processing, upselling techniques

Soft skills: conflict resolution, empathy-driven communication, multitasking under pressure, product knowledge retention, de-escalation techniques

How to Match Your Skills to the Job Description

This is the part most people get wrong. They create one skills section and paste it into every application. That's a fast way to get filtered out.

Every job posting uses slightly different terminology. One company says "data analysis" while another says "data analytics." One wants "project management" while another specifically asks for "Agile project management." The ATS is literal. If the job says "data analytics" and you wrote "data analysis," you might not match.

Here's the manual process:

Read the job description line by line
Highlight every skill, tool, technology, and qualification mentioned
Compare against your actual experience
Add matching skills to your resume using the exact phrasing from the posting
Don't lie. Only include skills you can actually demonstrate in an interview

That process works. But it takes 20 to 30 minutes per application, and most job seekers are applying to dozens of roles.

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PaperclipCV automates this entire process. Paste the job description, upload your resume, and it shows you exactly which skills keywords are missing and where to add them. What takes 30 minutes manually takes about 2 minutes with PaperclipCV.

Common Skills Section Mistakes

Even strong candidates torpedo their applications with avoidable mistakes. Here's what to watch for.

Listing skills you can't back up. If you put "fluent in Python" on your resume, you'd better be able to write Python in a live coding interview. Interviewers test skills claims. Getting caught inflating kills your candidacy on the spot.

Using vague buzzwords instead of specific tools. "Proficient in data analysis" tells the ATS nothing. "Proficient in SQL, Tableau, and Python for data analysis" gives it three concrete keyword matches.

Ignoring the job posting's language. If the posting says "Kubernetes" and you wrote "K8s," some ATS platforms won't match them. Use the exact terms from the job description.

Stuffing keywords you don't actually have. Some candidates copy the entire requirements section into their skills list. Recruiters notice. ATS keyword stuffing is the resume equivalent of SEO spam, and it gets the same result: rejection.

Burying skills in paragraph form. Some resume formats embed skills within work experience bullet points but skip the dedicated skills section entirely. That makes it harder for both ATS and humans to find them. Have a dedicated section AND reinforce key skills in your experience bullets.

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Not sure if your skills section actually matches the job description? PaperclipCV gives you a match score and flags the gaps before you submit. It's like having a second pair of eyes that actually understands what ATS systems look for.

Where to Place the Skills Section on Your Resume

Placement depends on your experience level and the role type.

Put skills near the top if:

You're switching careers (skills show transferability)
You're applying to technical roles (hiring managers look for specific tools)
You have less than 3 years of experience (skills compensate for a shorter work history)
The job posting is heavily skills-focused

Put skills after experience if:

You have 5+ years of relevant experience (your work history speaks louder)
You're applying to leadership roles (management experience matters more than tool proficiency)
Your experience section already demonstrates your key skills through accomplishments

For most job seekers applying to individual contributor roles, putting the skills section right after your professional summary gives the ATS and the hiring manager immediate access to your strongest keywords.