We recommend that you list 8 to 14 skills on a CV (also commonly called a resume). The number of skills you include on your CV depends on the job you want, and if you include too many, the things you are really skilled at will seem diluted.
If you are applying for a job that requires a range of technical skills, such as those in software development or accounting, you should also try to demonstrate your experience in your professional experience section. You should aim to match the technical skills that are listed in the essential or desired criteria in the job advertisement as closely as possible.
If you are applying for a job that requires broader soft skills, such as a position in customer service, you should list just 8 to 10 of your most relevant skills. Make sure you don’t double up. For instance, you don’t need to document that you are organised and self-disciplined as they are very similar. Choose the one that describes your skillset best and the one that will best suit the role you are applying for.
It is worth mirroring the terminology from the job ad to describe your skills, as these will count towards relevant keywords and make you read as an ideal fit. For example, if a position requires you to be deadline-driven, and that is a strength of yours in the workplace, you should use exactly that term in your CV.
