Computer Skills & Software List for a Resume / CV (Examples)

Whether you’re working as an HR professional, digital PR pro or graphic designer, the software skills you need to ace at your work are obviously different. There are, though, some basic computer skills everyone needs to put on their resume / CV. 

And... Unless you’re working in social media, it’s not 'creating cat memes.'

This article will show you:

• What the best computer skills are.
• How to put a software skills list on your resume / CV.
• How to show your computer prowess whether you’re a fresher or an experienced employee.

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Computer Skills on a Resume: Example

1. What are Computer Skills?

Computer skills, also called computer literacy, is a term referring to the knowledge and ability to use the computer and new technology. The basic computer skills include switching the computer on and off and finding files. The advanced computer skills include programming and problem-solving. 

What are Software Skills?

Software skills is the ability to use computer programs and tools. The terms “computer skills” and “software skills” are often used interchangeably, as they refer to very similar knowledge. You can’t have computer skills without knowing certain software programs.

According to experts, among the most important software skills are word processing, spreadsheet, and development software. Let’s see what else is on the best computer skills list.

2. Computer Skills Examples

Whether you’re only entering the job market or are a seasoned employee, there are some software skills that are a must on a resume / CV regardless of the sector you work in.

Microsoft Office / Google’s G Suite

Whether it’s a conference call, writing emails, or data entry, no office can thrive without an office suite. According to data, the most common productivity software is G Suite with more than 55% of offices using it. Here’s a list of the key productivity software skills:

• Data entry
• Email management
• Digital calendars
• Messaging
• Video conferencing
• Cloud-based storage
• Spreadsheets

Digital Marketing

With SEO and SEM dominating the market, digital marketing skills are crucial on resumes from IT, to web design, to PR, to (obviously) content marketing. Nowadays, your business can’t survive without online presence. Here are the crucial skills:

• Blogging
• Content management systems
• Website analytics
• Social media marketing
• Email marketing
• Web design
• SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
• SEM (Search Engine Marketing) 
• Ahrefs, SEMrush
• Google Analytics, Google Search Console

Graphic Design

Graphic design used to be a field reserved only for artistically-educated individuals. Now it is relatively easy to gain necessary skills as courses and tutorials are available on the Internet (for a fair price). And since it is now a skill widely sought after by marketing, web design, product, and UX/UI departments, the demand for graphic designers is growing. Here’s the software you need to be acquainted with:

• Adobe Suite
• Figma
• GIMP
• Canva
• CorelDRAW
• Inkscape
• Affinity Designer
• Designer
• GIMP
• Gravit Designer

Databases

There’s a reason “Big Data” is the recent buzz word. Storing data is a basic process in every company, so knowing how to organize and use it is essential regardless of the branch you work in. Here are the basic skills:

• Data modelling
• Data management
• Data analytics
• Statistics
• Backup and recovery
• Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets
• XML database management
• MATLAB
• Hive
• Tableau
• Power BI
• SQL
• SPSS

Programming

Whoa… You’re telling me programming is a basic computer skill? I don’t work in IT! 

OK, I understand your concerns, but according to LinkedIn, the top emerging jobs in India require coding skills. Here are the most popular programming languages (they also happen to be among the high-paying software skills in India):

• Python
• Java
• JavaScript
• C#
• C
• C++
• Go
• R
• Swift
• PHP

Accounting Software

Recording financial information is part and parcel of running any business. Accounting software helps accounting departments automate their invoices, payments, payroll, bookkeeping, and taxes. Among the most popular accounting software are:

• FreshBooks
• Intuit QuickBooks
• Sage Business Cloud Accounting
• SAP Concur
• AccountEdge Pro
• Wave Accounting
• Xero
• GoDaddy
• Replicon
• Zoho Books
• Zenefits
• NetSuite

Data Visualisation

Again, the “Big data” world. And data visualisation is a huge part of it. Whether you work in SEO, product development, or HR, at some point you’re going to have to show the results of your work. And since tables are so 90's, you’re going to have to do that using charts, graphs, and maps. And this is what will help you:

• Tableau
• Looker
• Zoho Analytics
• Sisense
• Infogram
• ChartBlocks
• Datawrapper
• Google Charts
• Grafana

IT Troubleshooting

Come on… I don’t need to know how to fix a computer. I have IT support to do that for me! Partially, you are right. It’s not your responsibility to deal with an overheating PC or dysfunctional USB port. But it doesn't hurt to know what to do when your computer freezes. Here’s what else doesn’t hurt to know:

• Restarting your computer
• Freeing up hard disk space
• Uninstalling unnecessary programs
• Running a disk scan
• Installing browser add-ons
• Replacing exhausted mouse and keyboard batteries

OK, enough with the theory. Let’s see how to write computer skills on a resume / CV to wow the recruiter.

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3. How to Describe Computer Skills on a Resume / CV

Here’s some news for you. You don’t have to list each and a very computer skill you have. Contrary to popular belief, a long list of software skills won’t wow any recruiter (not to mention it will make your CV too long). 

What you need to do instead is to tailor your resume to the job description. Check what they need and compare it with what you can offer. Only those skills that make that list can go on your resume.

Sounds easy? Now—let’s make your resume even more impressive. You’re going to add those computer skills into every section of your CV. This way they won’t go unnoticed. Ready? Let’s start with the first section—the summary.

Put Computer Skills in the CV Summary

Detail-oriented HR specialist with over 5 years of experience in provided HR generalist support in a company with over 300 employees. At O-Brien IT Created an Access database that ended up being utilized by all divisions, decreasing new hire processing times by over 20%. Seeking to invigorate the company culture at Logicon.

See what the candidate did there? They presented their key achievement and mentioned the name of the database software they used. Sneaky, huh?

Include Software Skills in the Work History Section

See the first bullet point? The candidate directly shows what software they used. See bullet point #3? Updating content on the company’s website means the candidate is familiar with a content management system.

Describe Computer Skills in the Skills Section

You can divide the skills section into two: soft skills and computer skills. It’s not mandatory, though. If you prefer to have one joint list, it’s fine, too. To make this part of your resume more detailed, you can add your competency level (“beginner’, “intermediate”, “expert” or “basic”, “intermediate”, “advanced”). Like this:

Present Computer Technical Skills in Other Sections

As you can see, even the most generic sections of a CV can be utilised to show off with software skills. Take “Education” for example. Even the most non-technical studies will improve your computer literacy. 

One more thing. If you have any certifications or licences that prove your computer skills, add them in a separate section for more visibility. They’re often a fast track to careers.

A great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

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Thanks for reading! Do you now know what computer skills are? Would you like to see some more sample software skills? Give us a shout-out in the comments below!