The short answer
Put the skills the job advert asks for that you genuinely have, and back each one with a short example of when you used it. Three or four skills with evidence are more convincing than a long list of single words. Skills can come from school, home, hobbies and volunteering as well as work.
Two kinds of skill
It helps to know there are roughly two kinds.
Practical or technical skills are things you can be taught and tested on: using a till, Excel, a forklift licence, first aid, a language, food hygiene, video editing, a musical instrument. They’re usually easy to state.
Transferable skills (sometimes called soft skills or employability skills) are the ones you carry from place to place: communicating, working with others, organising yourself, solving problems, adapting when things change. The National Careers Service points out that we build them at school, in everyday life and at work, often without noticing.
Transferable skills are where first CVs go wrong. Everyone writes “communication” and “teamwork”. Almost nobody shows them.
Pick from the advert, not from a list
There isn’t a universal list of the best skills. The right skills are the ones this employer has asked for. Open the advert and look for:
- The person specification or “what we’re looking for” section.
- Words that repeat: if “customers” appears four times, that matters.
- Essential versus desirable criteria, if they’re marked.
Then circle the skills you genuinely have. Those are your shortlist. The reading a job description lesson goes through this step by step.
If the advert uses a particular phrase for something you’ve done, use their phrase. If you’ve “kept stock tidy” and they ask for “stock rotation”, and that’s genuinely what you did, say “stock rotation”. The National Careers Service suggests matching your words to the advert’s keywords. Never borrow a phrase for something you haven’t done.
Turn a word into evidence
A skill on its own is a claim. A skill with an example is evidence. The pattern is simple: the skill, then one line saying when you used it.
Before
Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, IT skills, time management.
After
Communication: explain the rules to new players at the Saturday junior football session I help coach. Time management: balance college with two evening shifts a week and have handed in every assignment on time this year. IT: built a budget spreadsheet in Excel for our class trip, with formulas to track who had paid.
Why it works The second takes more space but tells the reader something they can believe and ask about. Three proven skills beat five unproven ones.
Here’s Leon, a fictional school leaver applying for a motor vehicle apprenticeship. He has no work history, but he does have evidence.
Practical problem-solving: fix and service bikes for friends and family, including replacing brake cables and gears, using online manuals when I’m stuck.
Following instructions safely: completed my Design and Technology coursework in the school workshop, using the pillar drill and soldering kit under supervision.
Reliability: have kept a Saturday morning job at a car wash since last summer, and I’m trusted to open up with the owner.
Each one is something an interviewer can ask about, and Leon can answer honestly.
Where skills hide in everyday life
If you’re struggling, start with what you do and work backwards to the skill.
| What you’ve done | Skills it might show |
|---|---|
| Looked after younger brothers, sisters or relatives | Responsibility, patience, time management |
| Played in a team or club regularly | Teamwork, commitment, taking feedback |
| Held a role: captain, prefect, club organiser | Leadership, organisation, communication |
| Had a part-time job or paper round | Reliability, punctuality, customer service |
| Taught yourself something online | Self-motivation, learning quickly |
| Made something: a video, a game, clothes, food | Creativity, planning, attention to detail |
| Spoken another language at home | Languages, communication across cultures |
| Helped run an event | Organisation, working with others, handling the unexpected |
The word “might” matters. A table can only suggest. Only you know whether it’s true for you, and only you can give the example. The Strengths Finder walks through this one question at a time.
Where to put skills on the CV
There’s no fixed rule. Some people use a separate skills section with three or four evidence lines. Others weave the skills into their experience lines and keep a short section for practical things like languages, software and certificates. Both are fine. The National Careers Service leans towards highlighting the skills the advert asks for wherever they fit, rather than a long standalone list.
What doesn’t work is a long list of single words with no examples anywhere on the page.
Things to be careful with
- Levels you can’t back up. “Expert in Excel” invites a test. “Use Excel for budgets and simple formulas” is honest and still useful.
- Skill bars and star ratings. A designed CV might show “Photoshop ★★★★☆”, but the reader doesn’t know what four stars means. Words are clearer.
- Things everyone assumes. “Can use email” and “Microsoft Word” don’t add much on their own unless the advert asks for them.
- Certificates you don’t have yet. If you’re working towards one, say “working towards” or “due to complete in [month]”.
Try
Three skills, three proofs
Open a job advert you’re genuinely interested in. You’ll build a mini skills section from it.
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In short
- Choose skills from the advert, not from a generic list.
- Every skill needs a short real example.
- Transferable skills come from school, home, hobbies and volunteering, not only work.
- Use the advert’s wording only for things you’ve genuinely done.
- Three or four proven skills beat a long list.
Ready to put your skills next to your evidence?
CVBUFFED gives you space for skills with proof, prompts for each one, and examples to compare against. Your words stay in your browser. £12.50 once, no subscription.
Build my CVSources and further reading
- Develop your soft skills National Careers Service
- CV sections National Careers Service
- Application form advice National Careers Service
- How to write a CV UCAS
Checked against these sources on 14 November 2026. Rules and rates change: if something here looks out of date, tell us at hello@cvbuffed.com. How we check our guidance.