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Create ResumeTechnical skills on a CV are the practical tools, systems, methods, software, platforms, and job specific abilities that show you can actually do the work. In the UK job market, recruiters do not read technical skills as a decorative keyword list. We use them to check whether your experience matches the role, whether your CV can pass an applicant tracking system, and whether a hiring manager will believe you can perform without months of hand holding. The strongest CV technical skills are specific, relevant, recent, and supported by evidence elsewhere in your CV. A weak list says Microsoft Office, communication, teamwork. A stronger one says Advanced Excel, Power BI, Salesforce CRM, SQL reporting, Xero, Google Analytics 4, risk assessment, AutoCAD, Python, stakeholder reporting.
Technical skills are the hard, practical abilities you use to complete tasks in a role. They are usually learned through work, training, education, projects, systems exposure, or hands on practice.
On a CV, technical skills can include:
Software and platforms
Data tools and reporting systems
Industry specific systems
Programming languages
Engineering tools
Finance and accounting software
Design and creative tools
The best technical skills to put on your CV are the ones that directly support the job you are applying for. Recruiters are not looking for a random collection of impressive sounding tools. We are looking for evidence that you can do this specific job in this specific environment.
A strong technical skills section usually includes skills from these categories.
These are tools you use to complete daily tasks, manage information, analyse data, communicate, sell, design, report, or deliver work.
Examples include:
Microsoft Excel
Power BI
Tableau
Salesforce
HubSpot
Healthcare, compliance, or laboratory techniques
Project management tools
CRM, ERP, ATS, HRIS, or CMS systems
Technical writing, documentation, analysis, or operational processes
The important part is this: technical skills are not just “things you have heard of.” They should be things you can discuss, use, explain, or demonstrate if questioned.
This is where many candidates accidentally weaken their CV. They add every tool from the job advert because someone told them an ATS needs keywords. Yes, keywords matter. But recruiters and hiring managers can tell very quickly when a CV has been padded. If your skills section says SQL, Python, Tableau, Power BI, advanced analytics, automation, machine learning, but your work history only describes basic admin tasks, I am going to question the gap.
That does not mean you cannot include beginner level skills. You can. But label them honestly. Basic SQL knowledge is more believable than pretending to be a data analyst because you watched two tutorials and survived one spreadsheet crisis.
Workday
SAP
Oracle
Xero
QuickBooks
Sage
Google Analytics 4
WordPress
Shopify
Jira
Asana
Trello
Figma
Adobe Creative Cloud
AutoCAD
SolidWorks
A recruiter will usually check whether these tools match the job advert and the likely working environment. For example, a finance assistant role mentioning Sage will not be impressed by a generic IT skills line. It wants to see whether you have used Sage, Xero, Excel, reconciliations, invoice processing, and reporting.
These skills matter across finance, marketing, operations, HR, sales, technology, logistics, and management roles.
Examples include:
Data analysis
Data cleaning
Dashboard reporting
Pivot tables
VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP
Power Query
SQL queries
KPI reporting
Forecasting
Trend analysis
Market analysis
Data visualisation
CRM reporting
Performance tracking
Budget analysis
The mistake I see often is candidates writing data analysis without saying what they analysed, which tool they used, or what decision it supported. Hiring managers rarely get excited by vague analysis. They care about whether your analysis improved forecasting, reduced errors, supported commercial decisions, or made reporting less painful for everyone involved.
For marketing, content, ecommerce, communications, and growth roles, technical skills are often what separates a nice writer from someone who can actually run campaigns and measure results.
Examples include:
Google Analytics 4
Google Search Console
SEMrush
Ahrefs
Meta Ads Manager
Google Ads
LinkedIn Campaign Manager
Mailchimp
Klaviyo
HubSpot Marketing Hub
SEO keyword research
Technical SEO audits
CMS management
WordPress publishing
Shopify product uploads
Email campaign reporting
Conversion rate optimisation
A/B testing
In the UK market, marketing job adverts often use broad titles but expect quite technical delivery. A “marketing executive” may be expected to write copy, schedule campaigns, update the website, report on performance, brief designers, manage CRM data, and explain why leads dropped last Tuesday. Your CV should make that technical range visible.
Finance CVs should be precise. Recruiters and hiring managers want to know which systems, processes, and reporting responsibilities you can handle.
Examples include:
Xero
Sage
QuickBooks
SAP Finance
Oracle Financials
Accounts payable
Accounts receivable
Bank reconciliations
Month end reporting
VAT returns
Payroll processing
Purchase ledger
Sales ledger
Credit control
Financial modelling
Budget tracking
Management accounts
Variance analysis
A weak finance CV says good with numbers. A strong finance CV says processed high volume invoices, reconciled supplier accounts, prepared month end reports, used Xero daily, and reduced payment errors. Hiring managers do not hire “good with numbers.” They hire people who can close, reconcile, report, chase, check, and not create a financial mystery for someone else to solve.
For technology roles, technical skills need to be specific and credible. A long list can help with search visibility, but only if it reflects your actual experience.
Examples include:
Python
JavaScript
Java
C#
SQL
HTML
CSS
React
Node.js
AWS
Azure
Google Cloud
Docker
Kubernetes
Git
REST APIs
CI/CD pipelines
Linux
Cybersecurity monitoring
Network troubleshooting
Technical documentation
One recruiter reality candidates need to understand: for technical roles, skills are often screened twice. First by keyword match, then by someone who understands the stack. That second person will notice if your CV lists every language under the sun but your projects are vague. Better to show a smaller, stronger stack with proof.
Admin roles are often wrongly presented as “soft skills” roles. In reality, good administrators are usually strong system users, process managers, document controllers, diary rescuers, and chaos translators.
Examples include:
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Teams
SharePoint
Google Workspace
CRM data entry
Document management
Calendar management
Database maintenance
Minute taking
Report formatting
Invoice processing
Purchase order tracking
Travel booking systems
Record keeping
GDPR compliant data handling
Do not write admin duties and expect the recruiter to fill in the blanks. Spell out the systems and processes. A hiring manager wants to know whether you can walk into their office and make the mess smaller, not just describe yourself as organised.
HR and recruitment CVs should show systems, compliance knowledge, candidate management, employee lifecycle processes, and reporting.
Examples include:
Applicant tracking systems
LinkedIn Recruiter
Boolean search
Workday
BambooHR
PeopleHR
HRIS data management
Onboarding documentation
Right to Work checks
Interview scheduling
Candidate screening
Payroll coordination
Employee records management
Absence tracking
Compliance reporting
Job advert writing
Talent pipeline management
A recruiter CV that only says people skills is under selling the work. Recruitment is not just “talking to people,” despite what some people with suspiciously loud LinkedIn posts suggest. It involves search strategy, qualification, market mapping, process management, offer negotiation, compliance, stakeholder management, and keeping hiring managers from turning “urgent role” into “let’s review this again in six weeks.”
For engineering, construction, manufacturing, and technical trade roles, your technical skills need to reflect tools, processes, safety, regulations, and physical or technical competence.
Examples include:
AutoCAD
Revit
SolidWorks
CNC programming
PLC troubleshooting
Lean manufacturing
Six Sigma
Risk assessments
Method statements
Health and safety compliance
Electrical testing
Mechanical maintenance
Preventative maintenance
Quality inspection
Root cause analysis
Technical drawings
Site surveys
Building regulations knowledge
In these fields, vague wording can cost you opportunities. A hiring manager wants to know whether your technical experience fits the equipment, site, project, regulation, or production environment they actually use.
Here are practical technical skills examples for different UK CVs. Use these as a starting point, not as a copy and paste buffet. The right skills depend on your actual background and the job description.
Microsoft Office
Outlook calendar management
SharePoint document control
CRM data entry
Database maintenance
Minute taking
Report formatting
Invoice processing
Purchase order tracking
GDPR compliant record keeping
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Microsoft Excel, Outlook diary management, SharePoint document control, CRM data entry, purchase order tracking, invoice processing, meeting minutes, GDPR compliant records management.
Why this works: It shows the practical systems and admin processes the person can handle. It is much stronger than saying computer literate, which tells me almost nothing.
CRM systems
Zendesk
Salesforce Service Cloud
Live chat platforms
Ticket management
Complaint logging
Call handling systems
Customer account updates
Order tracking systems
Refund processing
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Zendesk ticket management, Salesforce customer records, live chat support, complaint logging, order tracking, refund processing, call handling systems, customer account updates.
Why this works: It moves the candidate beyond “friendly and helpful” and shows they understand the technical side of customer service delivery.
Google Analytics 4
Google Search Console
WordPress
SEO keyword research
Meta Ads Manager
Mailchimp
HubSpot
Canva
SEMrush
Campaign reporting
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, WordPress CMS, SEO keyword research, Mailchimp campaigns, Meta Ads Manager, HubSpot CRM, campaign performance reporting.
Why this works: It shows the candidate can execute and measure marketing work. Marketing CVs become much stronger when they prove the person can connect creative work with performance data.
Xero
Sage
QuickBooks
Excel pivot tables
Bank reconciliations
Accounts payable
Accounts receivable
VAT returns
Month end reporting
Payroll support
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Xero, Sage 50, Excel pivot tables, bank reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, VAT return preparation, purchase ledger, supplier statement reconciliation, month end reporting support.
Why this works: It gives the hiring manager a clear view of what the candidate can process, reconcile, and report. That is what matters in finance screening.
Windows support
Microsoft 365 administration
Active Directory
Azure AD
ServiceNow
Jira Service Management
Hardware troubleshooting
Network troubleshooting
Remote desktop support
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Microsoft 365 administration, Active Directory user management, Windows desktop support, ServiceNow ticket handling, hardware troubleshooting, remote desktop support, password resets, network connectivity troubleshooting.
Why this works: It is practical and believable. IT support hiring managers want to know what issues you can resolve, which systems you have touched, and how close you are to the environment they need support for.
SQL
Power BI
Tableau
Excel Power Query
Python
Data cleaning
Data modelling
Dashboard development
KPI reporting
Data visualisation
Good Example:
Technical Skills: SQL querying, Power BI dashboard development, Excel Power Query, data cleaning, KPI reporting, trend analysis, forecasting support, stakeholder performance reporting.
Why this works: It shows a clear analysis workflow. The candidate can extract, clean, analyse, visualise, and communicate data. That is far more useful than a random list of tools.
Microsoft Project
Jira
Asana
Trello
Smartsheet
Risk registers
RAID logs
Budget tracking
Project reporting
Resource planning
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Jira, Microsoft Project, RAID log management, project dashboard reporting, budget tracking, resource planning, Agile delivery, Waterfall delivery, stakeholder reporting packs.
Why this works: It proves the candidate understands delivery mechanics, not just meetings, updates, and very serious calendar invites.
The right technical skills are not chosen by asking, “What sounds impressive?” They are chosen by asking, “What does this employer need evidence of before they trust me with this role?”
I would use this simple framework.
Read the job advert and highlight technical requirements. Look for tools, platforms, systems, processes, methodologies, regulations, and role specific tasks.
For example, if the advert mentions Power BI, SQL, dashboard reporting, stakeholder presentations, your CV should not hide those skills under a vague data analysis line. Put them clearly in your skills section and support them in your experience section.
A technical skill becomes much stronger when the recruiter can see it in action elsewhere on the CV.
Weak Example:
Technical Skills: Excel, Power BI, reporting.
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Advanced Excel, Power BI dashboards, monthly KPI reporting, data cleaning, stakeholder reporting.
Then in the work experience section:
That second version feels real. It gives context, not just a label.
Job adverts are useful, but they are not sacred texts. Some are beautifully clear. Others look like five people threw requirements into a document and nobody took responsibility. Classic hiring chaos in a blazer.
Use the advert to understand the technical vocabulary, but do not copy every phrase if it does not reflect your experience. If the role asks for CRM reporting and you used Salesforce to produce weekly sales pipeline reports, say that clearly. If the role asks for advanced Excel and you only use basic formulas, do not pretend. Write Excel data entry and basic reporting or build the skill before applying to roles that genuinely need advanced Excel.
Not every technical skill deserves space. If you are applying for a modern digital marketing role, fax machine operation is not giving the energy we need. If you are applying for senior finance roles, basic Microsoft Word is probably not worth listing unless the job specifically values document production.
Keep your skills section focused on what supports the role.
Technical skills can appear in three places on your CV. The best CVs usually use more than one.
This is the quickest place for recruiters and ATS systems to find your technical match.
A good format is:
Technical Skills: Advanced Excel, Power BI, SQL reporting, Salesforce CRM, KPI dashboards, data cleaning, stakeholder reporting.
Keep it clean. Avoid huge blocks of keywords. A skills section should be scannable, not a cupboard full of every tool you have ever met.
You can mention one or two technical strengths in your profile if they are central to your positioning.
Good Example:
Commercially focused marketing executive with hands on experience in SEO, Google Analytics 4, WordPress CMS, email campaign reporting, and CRM led lead nurturing across UK B2B environments.
This works because the technical skills support the candidate’s overall positioning.
This is where technical skills become believable. A recruiter may find the keyword in your skills section, but the hiring manager will look for proof in your work history.
Good Example:
This tells me what tool you used, what you did with it, and why it mattered.
Recruiters believe technical skills when they are specific, consistent, and supported by real work.
Weak Example:
Technical Skills: Reporting.
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Power BI dashboard reporting, Excel pivot tables, SQL data extraction, monthly KPI packs.
Reporting can mean anything. The stronger version tells me exactly what kind of reporting and which tools were involved.
You do not always need to label your level, but it helps when a skill can mean many things.
Examples include:
Advanced Excel including pivot tables, XLOOKUP, Power Query, and data validation
Basic SQL querying for data extraction and reporting
Intermediate Power BI dashboard development
Daily Salesforce CRM user for pipeline tracking and reporting
This is more honest and useful than pretending every skill is advanced. Hiring managers appreciate accuracy because inaccurate CVs waste everyone’s time, including yours.
The best CVs show what the skill helped you achieve.
Weak Example:
Good Example:
The second example gives a hiring manager something to trust. It proves usage, context, and impact.
Do not list technical skills you cannot discuss. It may get you past an ATS, but it can backfire in screening calls or interviews.
I have seen candidates list advanced Excel and then struggle to explain pivot tables. I have seen people list Salesforce expertise when they only updated one field every Friday. This is not a small detail. It changes how recruiters assess credibility.
A CV should position you strongly, yes. But strong positioning is not the same as exaggeration.
Most technical skills mistakes come from either being too vague or trying too hard to impress.
A long list can look desperate rather than strong. If you list tools from five different career directions, the recruiter may struggle to understand your actual positioning.
For example, a CV applying for marketing roles does not need a random technical skills list that includes payroll software, AutoCAD, Java, Sage, Canva, and forklift documentation unless there is a very specific reason. Otherwise, it looks unfocused.
Avoid phrases like:
Computer literate
IT skills
Microsoft Office
Good with systems
Fast learner
Strong attention to detail
Some of these may be true, but they are too broad. Replace them with actual tools, systems, or technical processes.
Instead of Microsoft Office, write Advanced Excel, PowerPoint reporting decks, Outlook diary management, SharePoint document control if those are relevant.
If your skills section says Power BI, but your work history never mentions dashboards, reporting, data analysis, or business intelligence, it creates doubt.
Recruiters notice these gaps because we are trained to look for consistency. A CV is not judged section by section. It is judged as a whole story.
Communication, teamwork, leadership, adaptability, and problem solving are valuable, but they are not technical skills. They belong elsewhere or should be demonstrated through achievements.
Technical skills are practical capabilities. Soft skills are how you behave, collaborate, and influence. A strong CV usually needs both, but do not mix them into one messy skills section.
In the UK, CVs are usually concise, evidence led, and tailored to the role. A technical skills section should support fast screening. Recruiters often have limited time and hiring managers want relevance quickly.
That means your CV should make the match obvious. Do not make someone hunt through four pages to find the one system they care about. Put the strongest technical skills near the top and prove them in your recent experience.
Use bullet points to show how you applied technical skills in real work. These examples are written in a recruiter friendly style because they combine tool, action, and outcome.
Built Power BI dashboards to monitor sales performance, customer churn, and regional trends for monthly leadership reviews.
Used SQL queries to extract customer data, clean duplicate records, and support weekly operational reporting.
Created Excel reporting templates using pivot tables, XLOOKUP, and conditional formatting to reduce manual errors.
Analysed campaign performance data in Google Analytics 4 and produced recommendations to improve landing page conversion.
Processed supplier invoices in Xero, reconciled accounts, and resolved payment discrepancies with internal teams and vendors.
Supported month end reporting by preparing Excel schedules, checking ledger accuracy, and investigating variance movements.
Managed accounts receivable records in Sage, tracked overdue payments, and updated credit control reports for finance leadership.
Prepared VAT return information by reviewing transaction records, reconciling supporting data, and flagging inconsistencies.
Managed Outlook diaries, coordinated meeting schedules, and maintained SharePoint records for a busy senior leadership team.
Updated CRM records, cleaned duplicate data, and improved the accuracy of customer contact information.
Prepared formatted reports, meeting packs, and minutes using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
Tracked purchase orders, invoices, and supplier documentation to support smooth office operations.
Managed WordPress content updates, SEO metadata, and internal linking improvements to support organic search visibility.
Built Mailchimp email campaigns, segmented audience lists, and reported on open rates, click through rates, and conversions.
Used Google Search Console and SEMrush to identify keyword opportunities and brief content improvements.
Created Meta Ads reports to track spend, lead quality, and campaign performance across paid social activity.
Resolved first line support tickets through ServiceNow, covering password resets, access issues, hardware faults, and Microsoft 365 queries.
Administered Active Directory user accounts, group access, and onboarding permissions for new starters.
Troubleshot Windows desktop issues remotely and escalated complex network incidents with clear technical notes.
Maintained hardware asset records and supported laptop builds, software installation, and endpoint security checks.
A technical skills section should make your fit easier to understand. It should not feel like a keyword landfill.
Weak Example:
Skills: IT skills, admin, organisation, communication, Microsoft Office, team player.
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Microsoft Outlook diary management, Excel tracking sheets, SharePoint document control, CRM data entry, invoice processing, purchase order tracking, meeting minutes, GDPR compliant records management.
Why the good version is stronger: It gives the recruiter practical evidence of the systems and processes the candidate can handle.
Weak Example:
Skills: Social media, SEO, content, analytics, creative, campaigns.
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, WordPress CMS, SEO keyword research, Mailchimp campaigns, Meta Ads Manager, HubSpot CRM, campaign reporting.
Why the good version is stronger: It names the tools and technical activities behind the work. That makes the candidate easier to match against a job advert.
Weak Example:
Skills: Finance, spreadsheets, invoices, attention to detail, Sage.
Good Example:
Technical Skills: Sage 50, Xero, Excel pivot tables, bank reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, supplier statement reconciliation, VAT return preparation, month end support.
Why the good version is stronger: It shows finance process knowledge, not just general finance exposure.
Weak Example:
Skills: Data, Excel, analysis, reports, dashboards.
Good Example:
Technical Skills: SQL querying, Power BI dashboards, Excel Power Query, data cleaning, KPI reporting, data visualisation, forecasting support, stakeholder reporting.
Why the good version is stronger: It shows the full data workflow and gives the hiring manager confidence that the candidate can produce usable insight, not just look at numbers with a concerned face.
For most UK CVs, include around 8 to 15 highly relevant technical skills. More senior or technical roles may need more, especially in IT, engineering, data, finance, or digital marketing. But quality matters more than quantity.
A junior administrator may only need 8 strong skills. A senior data analyst may need 20 technical keywords across tools, languages, reporting methods, and data processes. The decision depends on the role.
A useful rule is this: if the skill helps a recruiter match you to the job, include it. If it only makes you look busy, remove it.
Do not hide essential technical skills deep in your CV. If the job advert clearly asks for Salesforce, Power BI, Xero, AutoCAD, Workday, or SQL, make sure that skill appears near the top and is supported in your work experience.
Applicant tracking systems do not think like humans. They parse CVs for keywords, structure, job titles, dates, skills, and relevance signals. But the ATS is only one part of the process. A human still needs to believe the CV.
This is where candidates get bad advice. They hear “beat the ATS” and assume the answer is stuffing the CV with every keyword from the job advert. That can help you appear in searches, but it can also damage trust when the recruiter reads the CV.
The smarter approach is to use the employer’s language naturally.
If the job advert asks for Power BI dashboard reporting, do not write only business intelligence tools. Use the phrase Power BI dashboard reporting if it reflects your experience. If the advert asks for Right to Work checks, do not bury that under HR admin. Say it clearly.
ATS visibility gets you found. Recruiter credibility gets you progressed. You need both.
Before sending your CV, check your technical skills section against this list:
Have I included the technical skills most relevant to the role?
Have I used the same terminology the employer uses where accurate?
Have I removed outdated or irrelevant skills?
Can I confidently discuss every skill listed?
Have I shown proof of key skills in my work experience?
Have I separated technical skills from soft skills?
Have I avoided vague phrases like IT skills or computer literate?
Have I made important systems visible near the top of the CV?
Have I tailored the skills section for the UK role I am applying for?
Would a recruiter understand my technical fit within 10 seconds?
That last question matters. Recruiters do not read CVs like novels. We scan for fit, risk, relevance, and proof. Your technical skills section should make the answer obvious: yes, this person has used the tools and processes this job actually needs.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
Knowledge base tools
A/B testing
CMS publishing
Credit control
Purchase ledger
Ticket prioritisation
User account management
Endpoint security
Forecasting
Stakeholder reporting
Agile delivery
Waterfall delivery
Stakeholder dashboards
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