Performing any task requires the use of multiple skill sets. Doing your job efficiently demands you to have a specific set of tech skills, though. Even though those are computers and digital technologies usually meant when people talk about tech skills, these may vary from website construction to market research design.

The good news is that there are specific sets of skills for most tech positions, and if you are proficient in some of them  - you should probably highlight those while crafting your resume. Depending on the field of industry you want to apply, the list may comprise logical thinking, good organizational skills, team-organization skills, understanding of coding languages, and passion for constant learning. The last one is important as most progressive companies prefer hiring individuals who are willing and able to keep up with market trends, and these are always changing.

What are technical skills?

Technical skills may be defined as the abilities the one needs to possess to perform particular tasks requiring specific expertise. Commonly, the tech-oriented fields are IT, design, engineering, science, business and economics, marketing, medicine, etc. Technical skills are often required to control machinery, work with digital tools, and coding as they demand in-depth theoretical and practical expertise for business products to be successful.

Why technical skills matter?

Since almost every job relies on different tools, programs, and processes, tech skills matter if you want to run the competition on the current labor market. To give you an example, think about a welder position. Sure, the applicant might be an extremely positive person and have excellent communication and customer service skills. But the employer will probably prefer the one who can handle a torch. Alternatively, imagine a freelance writer who is fancy about working for EssayYoda. He/she is a great team worker and keeps up with the deadlines but can do none of these: Ghostwriting, Journalism, Scientific Writing, SEO, Technical Writing, WordPress.

Unfortunately, the candidate's resume won't be considered by the HR-department of top-writing services, so he/she needs to work on the tech skills set before trying his/her luck for the second time.

Soft skills matter, but sometimes, having them is not enough.

Examples of tech skills

Depending on the company you want to work for and the position you want to take, the required technical abilities and knowledge will vary widely. Below, there are a few examples of industry-specific technical skills employers are usually searching for:

IT:

• Web: CSS, HTML5, Django, Node.js. Laravel, React.
• Programming Skills: Java, C++, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Objective-C, AJAX, ASP.NET (News - Alert), Ruby, Golang.
• Cloud and Distributed Computing: Kubernetes, Docker, Azure, AWS.
• Network and Information Security: OSCP, Cisco CCNA, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), CompTIA (News - Alert) Security+.
• Electronic and Electrical Engineering: AutoCAD, MATLAB, Verilog, Simulink, Pspice, ETAP.
• Big Data: Statistical analysis, data mining, data modeling, database management.

Business Analytics: Benchmarking, Future State Assessment, As-Is Analysis, Defining Solutions and Scope, Gap Analysis, Wireframing, Financial Analysis/Modeling, SWOT Analysis.

Accounting: Account Reconciliation, Asset Management, Automation, Payroll, Profit and Loss, Tax Returns.

Data Analitics: Statistical Methods, Programming Database Design, Excel Power User, SAS Enterprise Miner, SQL, Minitab Data Analytics, MS Access, Oracle (News - Alert) Data Visualization.

Graphic Design: Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, InDesign, HTML/CSS, Corel Draw, Typography, Sketching, Layout.

Sales Industry: Social Media, Relationship Building, Presentation, Prospecting, Customer Needs Analysis, Product Demo, Objection Handling, Closing Sales, Lead Qualification.

Technical skills for cover letter

In your cover letter, you will naturally want to list your most valuable professional capabilities one more time. However, you should also remember that eye-catching CV is not all about self-promotion, it's rather about being sharp and concise while representing yourself. The primary aim of a cover letter is to give the employer a brief vision of who you are (as a professional), what you know about the organization you're applying to, and why you are a good fit for the company's corporate culture and vision.

Ways to keep your tech knowledge up to date

Digital tools and programs change over the shortest ever periods of time, so the technical skills you possess will probably need to be enhanced with digital market innovations. Once you've already got the position, it is necessary to refresh your tech background with continuing education, especially if you work in IT. Don't wait for your skills to be outdated, it's better to get ahead of changes in your field.

How to improve your technical skills

In case you have decided to shift the industry you're currently taking position at, you will face the moment when you will need to consider acquiring completely new professional capabilities, either improving the ones you've already got. Fortunately, the task isn't as complex as it seems from the first sight. Below, there are several steps for you to succeed:

           1. Join group courses/classes

Despite gaining technical expertise in a new area is likely to take a long road, you can fasten the process of joining one of the training programs or classes. Either you prefer online or in-person courses, group studies are likely to make the process fun and dynamic.

           2. Enroll in self-study education program

There is a multitude of self-education books on any subject available online for free. Self-paced online programs, free training materials on education platforms are available in several clicks - so why not give it a try? 

           3. Take private lessons from a professional

Find a professional who already has the technical skills you need. Individual lessons will help you to gain the skills within the shortest time (of course, if you manage to avoid procrastination).

           4. Master your skills at work

On-the-job training is another trend in progressive companies, so maybe the one you're applying to also provides some training opportunities? If you lack some skills an employer is looking for, mention that you are enthusiastic about learning whatever skills are necessary to perform the work in the most productive way.

Conclusion

Update your resume every time you learn new technical skills or master your level of the existing ones. Whether you want to build a career in a technical or in any other field of the labor market, employers will always prefer the workers having enough expertise to have the job performed efficiently and successfully. In their turn, resume and CV are a perfect place to demonstrate you can do both!

By Jennifer Broflowski

Jennifer Broflowski is an expert freelance writer from Australia. She takes the position of a Content Contributor at CraftResumes and fancies about providing you with the best recommendations on crafting an eye-catching resume and CV.