IT is a massively growing industry with tons of potential for professional growth. It’s no wonder why so many applicants are flocking to these jobs! In this guide, we will cover what IT skills are and offer you examples of some of the top skills to include on your resume.
Written by Ed Moss • Last updated on Apr 30, 2024Information Technology, or IT, is the use of computer and telecommunication systems.
These systems can be used for sharing and storing business information.
As the world has become more digitally oriented, IT has begun to flourish as an industry.
Without IT specialists, businesses would not be able to keep up with their competitors.
IT skills include both technical and interpersonal abilities.
Not only must an IT specialist work with advanced technologies and systems, but they must also help guide and assist other members of the business team.
If you are applying for a role as an IT specialist, including IT skills on your resume will be essential.
When including these skills, you want to list your greatest strengths first.
For example, let’s say you are highly experienced with cloud computing.
You would want to emphasize this on your resume, including any quantifiable evidence or certifications to back the skill up.
By including IT skills on your resume, you make the entire document much more tailored to the job you are applying for.
Tailoring your resume to the job is important. It shows employers you pay attention to what they are asking for.
To learn how to tailor your resume, check out our guide on how to Tailor Your Resume to Any Job in 4 Easy Steps.
Your professional skills can be placed into one of two main categories:
The field of IT is made of mostly hard skills. However, soft skills still have a major role to play in your resume.
Thus, you should prioritize hard skills but still be mindful of including soft skills as well.
For even more examples of great skills to include on your resume, check out our list of 100+ Key Skills for a Resume (with Examples for Any Job).
There are two main formatting options for listing your IT skills on a resume:
When deciding where to include which skill, think about how much context and detail is needed.
For example, if you wanted to describe your communication skills, the work experience section would allow you to add extra information within the description.
Comparatively, a skills section is often as short as possible with little extra detail.
Here are two examples for formatting your IT skills on your resume:
Incorrect:
Work Experience
Computer Technician, Hamilton County Department of Education
March 2017 – April 2021
• Worked in a highly collaborative environment
• Installed hardware for school systems
• Amped up network security
Why It’s Wrong: This example touches on IT skills (collaboration, hardware, and security).
However, the descriptions do not provide enough context or detail to justify including the skills here.
The work experience section should be your most detailed section, so provide thorough information on your skills.
Correct:
Work Experience
Computer Technician, Hamilton County Department of Education
March 2017 – April 2021
• Collaborated daily with faculty, administration, and staff
• Installed computer hardware, printers, sound cards, routers, and surge protectors
• Implemented automated security modules into the school system network
In this corrected example, the descriptions are much clearer and the skills play a valuable role.
The applicant has provided concrete examples of how they used their skills to achieve specific goals or tasks.
ProTip: Optimize your work experience section using our guide on How to Describe Work Experience on a Resume (with Examples and Tips).
Incorrect:
IT Skills
• Attention to Detail
• Multi-Tasking
• Programming Languages
Why It’s Wrong: When listing IT skills, you want to place a heavier focus on your hard skills than your soft skills.
While it is okay to include some soft skills, they are often better served within the work experience section.
Additionally, when talking about proficiencies always be specific, such as which programming languages you use.
Correct:
IT Skills
• Front-End Development
• AI Engineering
• Python, JavaScript, C#
This corrected example offers more technical skills that an IT employer will likely understand.
If you have work experience or projects that reflect your use of these skills, including that information is recommended.
The realm of Information Technology is full of possibility.
As an IT specialist, it is crucially important for you to emphasize your industry-related skills on your resume.
This will show future employers your work ethic and talent, as well as helping you to maintain an edge on the competition.
Here are our top 5 takeaways for including X skills on a resume:
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