Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific abilities that can be learned, practiced, and observed. Examples include SQL, bookkeeping, welding, statistical analysis, graphic design, operating laboratory equipment, or speaking a language at a defined level.

Evidence may come from work results, a portfolio, a skills assessment, education, certification, or direct demonstration; listing “Excel” says less than explaining that you built a reconciliation workbook with pivot tables and lookup formulas. Hard skills differ from soft skills, which describe interpersonal behavior and work habits; the boundary is not perfect. Project management includes technical methods and human judgment, while writing can be both a craft and a communication skill; on a resume, prioritize hard skills required for the target role and use the employer's standard terminology when accurate; a skills section can help readers find the term, but work results, a portfolio, an assessment, education, or certification should demonstrate the claimed level whenever possible.

For example, SQL is a hard skill that a candidate can demonstrate through a project, assessment, or documented work result.