What Are Hard Skills?
Let me tell you directly: hard skills are the technical skills you need for a job. You acquire and improve them through education and hands-on experience. They're crucial for your resume because employers specifically search for them when hiring.
But remember, hard skills by themselves won't guarantee success—you also need soft skills. The key difference is that hard skills can be measured. For instance, being proficient in a second language is a hard skill, while teamwork is a soft skill.
Key Takeaways
To sum it up, hard skills are the technical requirements for a job, gained through education and experience. Soft skills involve behaviors like being a team player. Hard skills are easy to quantify, unlike soft ones. Employers want both types on your resume.
Understanding Hard Skills
Hard skills are the technical abilities you need to do a job or get a new one, and they're often tied to a specific industry. A financial analyst requires different hard skills than a carpenter, but some, like knowing a second language, can help in multiple fields.
When you're applying, employers check for these skills on your resume and in interviews. Back them up with certificates, degrees, or other proofs of achievement. Experience counts too, as it shows real expertise. Some employers even test these skills—like giving an editing test for an editing role.
Hard skills deal with practical know-how, while soft skills cover behaviors and personality traits, such as social or communication abilities. Soft skills are less concrete and tougher to teach. Employers look for a blend of both, since soft skills, though tied to personality, can be just as vital long-term.
Important Note
Both hard and soft skills are key to succeeding in nearly any job, so make sure your resume highlights them when you're job hunting.
Types of Hard Skills
The hard skills you need depend on the industry, and job descriptions usually list them out. Common ones include knowledge of computer software, graphic design, data analysis, project management, marketing, copywriting, computer programming, foreign languages, and search engine optimization (SEO).
According to LinkedIn, the top hard skills right now are customer service, sales, accounting, business development, marketing, digital marketing, sales management, finance, social media, sales and marketing, financial analysis, engineering, social media marketing, and structured query language (SQL).
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills
Hard skills follow consistent rules no matter the business, industry, or culture. Soft skills, however, can vary based on company culture or colleague expectations.
Take programming: the rules for writing code stay the same wherever you work. But a programmer might excel at technical talks with peers yet falter when explaining progress to managers.
You learn hard skills through education, training, apprenticeships, or on-the-job practice. You can define levels of competency and follow a clear path to mastery—like taking accounting courses, getting a degree, gaining experience, and passing the CPA exam.
Soft skills aren't typically part of school curriculums, but programs exist for developing communication, teamwork, or management. Examples include communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem solving, and conflict resolution.
Note on Skill Development
Check with your employer about leadership training or team-building programs they might offer or fund. Many companies cover programs to improve your hard or soft skills.
Example of Hard Skills
Accounting demands a strict set of hard skills. You need proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and familiarity with industry software like tax prep tools and QuickBooks.
Accountants must prepare and interpret financial statements, create efficient reporting systems, and implement controls. They also need soft skills like effective client communication and diplomacy with auditors.
What Hard Skills to Include on a Resume
On your resume, list any technical skills and foreign languages you've acquired. Focus on those relevant to the job, as specified in postings.
How to Acquire Hard Skills
Acquire them through online or in-person classes at universities or training programs. Practice them before using them in a job, and build experience on the job.
Is Critical Thinking a Hard Skill?
No, critical thinking is a soft skill. You can study and practice it, but it's not learned like using accounting software.
The Bottom Line
Every job, from firefighting to marketing executive, requires a mix of hard and soft skills. Know the hard skills needed for your field, acquire them, and you'll boost your chances of getting hired or promoted.
Skills like computer proficiency, data analysis, or basic social media knowledge are useful across many roles. Trades like construction, architecture, plumbing, electric work, and engineering demand specific hard skills for employment.
To get hired and thrive, develop both hard and soft skills continuously.
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