The right skills for your CV

Hard skills and soft skills: you need both

Hard skills are technical abilities that are measurable and verifiable: software, programming languages, foreign languages, certifications. Soft skills are transferable: communication, teamwork, problem solving, time management. A good CV balances the two, picking the skills that count for that specific role.

The golden rule: prove it, don't list it

A list of adjectives convinces no one. Every important skill needs to come with evidence:

• ❌ "Excellent leadership skills"
• ✅ "Led a team of 5 and hit our quarterly targets four quarters in a row"

How many skills to include

The ones most relevant to the job ad: usually 6-10 well-chosen entries. An endless list dilutes the skills that matter and signals a lack of focus. Cut anything that isn't relevant to the role.

The most in-demand skills (2026)

• Transferable: adaptability, communication, critical thinking, collaboration.
• Digital: data analysis, automation tools, comfort working with AI.
• Language: professional English plus a second language as a bonus.

Always state your real level, especially for languages (the A1-C2 scale).

Match them to every job ad

The right skills are the ones the role asks for and that you genuinely have. Echo the wording of the job ad wherever it's true: it boosts your match with both the ATS and the recruiter. EuroCV Pro analyses the job ad and suggests which skills to highlight for each application.