When applying for a job, what skills should you list on a resume? 

If you're preparing a resume for a specific job, a good clue is to look at the job skills and qualifications for the job for which you're applying.  There you can see what the employer thinks is important.  For example, if the job description highlights the ability to organize, then, if you used organizational skills in previous jobs, tyou would want to highlight how you used your organizational skills in other jobs.  The same with any software you may have used, such as Excel or Word.

Many people might put on a resume "prepared reports" and leave it at that.  It's important to list how you prepared the report, such as "prepared reports using Excel."  That is a skill you would want to list on your resume, especially if it is one of the skills required for the job.

What if you have skills, but haven't used them on a previous job?  For example, perhaps you're an amateur photographer and use Photoshop.  Or, you use Quickbooks to keep track of your personal finances.  These are two skills it would be good to include on a resume.   You may wish to include these types of skills in an overview paragraph describing your skills at the top of your resume.

Do remember, of course, never to pad your resume with skills you don't possess, just because the employer lists those skills in the needed job qualifications.    If you're not qualified for a particular job, don't apply.  Don't waste your time or the employer's time.

Before preparing your resume, it's good to take an assessment of your job skills.  For more information on assessing your job skills, please see our web page on "how do I assess my job skills?"