How To Write a Resume for Skills-Based Hiring

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Have you ever thought about why you are not getting the right type of job interviews you deserve?

Today, more and more employers are starting to value diverse skill sets rather than degrees, evolving from conventional to skills-based hiring.

These types of hiring roles have also been called new-collar jobs. They fall somewhere between blue-collar and white-collar jobs, with a focus on skills and experience rather than an undergraduate degree.

This article will teach you everything you need to know about hiring according to skills and how to write a skills-based resume to impress potential employers, no matter which career you choose.

• 💡 Our expert’s advice

  

  When I first started my career, my resume was simply a list of job titles, descriptions, and dates. It did not show actual relevant skills, and I often wondered why I did not receive job interviews.  I later became a Career Coach and committed myself to helping clients understand the power of writing resumes with impact.  

  Fast-forward to today, and the competition is stiff. Candidates compete in a tough job market that continues to evolve due to technological advances. We are now in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and the ever-popular gig economy, making it increasingly important to build diverse skill sets.

The challenge lies in learning how to translate those skills into your resume. And we’re here to help! Our AI-powered resume builder can help you format the final document, as well as suggest the text you can include in each section.

What Is Skills-Based Hiring?

Employers utilize skill-based hiring and recruitment practices to find new collar workers based on the competencies and skills that candidates possess instead of relying on more boring and less reliable traditional methods.

According to NACE’s Job Outlook 2025 report, nearly two-thirds (64.8%) of employers now use skills-based hiring practices for entry-level positions, with more than half applying these practices consistently throughout their hiring processes.

Whereas traditional recruitment practices focus almost solely on formal qualifications and past job roles, skills-based hiring evaluates one’s current skill set and practical ability to perform the job successfully. 

• 💡 Our expert says

  

  The gig economy, as well as the post-Covid-19 environment, has empowered employers to adapt to a more agile workforce.  Many of my clients have worked multiple jobs or have some type of part-time gig that has helped them diversify their skill set. 

Employers recognize the benefits and are now embracing the mindset that building a highly-skilled, agile workforce with transferable skills will help the organization quickly adapt to change. 

Traditional recruitment processes were designed to recruit for a specific position and are not as fluid.  Imagine working on a team that evolves as the business evolves, and you can easily transition to any number of roles based on building a portfolio of diverse skills; this is new-collar work.

Why Recruiters Choose to Hire Based on a Candidate’s Skills

There are a number of  advantages and reasons why employers may opt to use skills-based hiring strategies:

• Technological Advancements:  Advancements in technology are a primary driver for using skills-based hiring practices.  Employers want to recruit people with experience in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), computer programming, cybersecurity, and other software skills.  They need people with not only the qualifications but hands-on experience to help the company remain competitive.
  • What are some examples of technical skills that you already possess?  Are these skills currently listed on your resume?

• Skills Gaps and Competency Alignment:  Skills-based hiring allows employers to focus on identifying the specific abilities needed by candidates to help close the skill gaps within an organization.  It allows employers to utilize more precise recruitment approaches, align training requirements, and project future workforce needs.
• Reducing Recruitment Costs:  It can be costly to recruit and hire the wrong candidate for a role.  Just because someone has the job title does not always mean they have the exact abilities required for the role.
• Reducing Bias in Hiring Practices:  It helps to reduce bias in the hiring process because it focuses on performance rather than educational or past employer prestige.

The bottom line is, “Do you have the necessary skills to successfully perform the job?”

What You Can Do To Stand Out for a New-Collar Role

Learning to write a resume that emphasizes your skills helps with presenting yourself as the best candidate to recruiters and employers when it comes to new-collar work.  

Skills-based hiring takes into consideration the whole-person approach to hiring.  An effective resume will showcase your technical expertise, soft skills, job competencies, and past performance in different experiences in a manner that impresses employers.  

You should also know that skills based hiring practices may also incorporate various skill assessment testing, simulations, and behavioral style interviewing to determine a candidate’s overall fit for the job. 

How To Highlight Your Most Relevant Skills in Your Resume

Writing a skills-focused resume will help you float to the top in a sea of competition. However, we don’t want to confuse this with writing a skills-based resume, which is also known as a functional resume. 

You may already be using a reverse chronological resume since it is the preferred style for most recruiters, but a functional layout is a slightly different resume format.  

• A functional resume groups skills and abilities together by category with specific examples, followed by work history and the education section.  
• Reverse chronological resumes focus on work history, and each job is listed, starting with the most recent role.

The challenge of using a reverse chronological resume for skills-based hiring is that none of your bullets stand out because they are grouped by job role instead of skill set.  Recruiters and employers have to review each resume bullet to determine if you possess the skills needed.  

If not written correctly, your resume will drown instead of floating to the top. Use our resume builder to make sure everything is in order.

Struggling to identify the right skills or how to present them effectively on your resume? Our AI-powered resume builder can help. It analyzes your experience and suggests tailored skills based on your career history, ensuring you highlight the most relevant competencies for your target role.

Example Resume Fit for Skills-Based Hiring

We’ll focus on presenting your resume in reverse-chronological format but with a focus on your skills in each section. Before we break down the resume section by section, let’s explore an example that stands out to recruiters prioritizing skills-based hiring.

resume Example

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[John Doe]

[City, State] | [Phone Number] | [Email Address] | [LinkedIn Profile]

Summary

Results-driven Marketing Specialist with 8+ years of experience in digital marketing, brand strategy, and campaign execution. Proven track record of driving measurable results, including a 40% increase in customer engagement and $1M in revenue from product launches. Skilled at leveraging data analytics, cross-functional leadership, and innovative marketing techniques to achieve business goals. Seeking to apply expertise to enhance ABC Company’s marketing performance.

Key Skills

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Advanced keyword research, on-page optimization, and backlink strategies that improve organic search rankings.
• Social Media Marketing: Developing targeted campaigns across platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to boost engagement and conversions.
• Email Marketing: Crafting personalized email sequences using tools like Mailchimp and HubSpot to increase open rates and click-through rates.
• Data Analytics & Reporting: Proficient in Google Analytics, Tableau, and Excel for tracking KPIs and creating actionable insights.
• Campaign Management: Expertise in managing multi-channel campaigns with Agile methodologies to meet deadlines and exceed KPIs.
• Content Creation: Writing high-quality blogs, ad copy, and video scripts tailored to audience personas for maximum impact.

Professional Experience

Marketing Manager

XYZ Corporation – New York, NY | Jan 2020 – Present

• Executed a strategic SEO initiative that increased website traffic by 55%, driving greater visibility for the company’s online presence.
• Allocated a $500K annual marketing budget effectively, resulting in a 25% improvement in ROI through data-driven optimizations.
• Directed a cross-functional team of 10 to launch a new product campaign that generated $1M in revenue within the first quarter.
• Conducted A/B testing for email campaigns, improving open rates by 20% and increasing customer engagement through personalized content.

Digital Marketing Specialist

ABC Agency – Boston, MA | May 2016 – Dec 2019

• Designed and implemented social media campaigns that grew client follower bases by 30%, enhancing brand awareness across platforms.
• Performed market research to identify consumer trends, increasing client sales by 15% through tailored marketing strategies.
• Collaborated with creative teams to develop multi-channel content that improved client visibility and strengthened brand positioning.

Marketing Coordinator

DEF Enterprises – Chicago, IL | Jun 2014 – Apr 2016

• Organized trade shows and events that boosted lead generation by 10%, contributing to the company’s sales pipeline growth.
• Developed promotional materials for a rebranding initiative that enhanced the company’s recognition within its target market.
• Analyzed campaign performance metrics to create detailed reports that improved senior management’s decision-making processes.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Marketing | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | May 2014

Certifications

• Google Analytics Certified (2023)
• HubSpot Content Marketing Certification (2022)

How To Organize Your Resume for Skills-Based Hiring

First, let’s look at the order the sections should appear in. We’ll then go into greater detail for each part.

1. Contact Information:  Name, Phone Number, Email Address, and LinkedIn
2. Professional Summary:  Provide an overview of your background, skills, and qualifications for the position that you are applying for.  Make sure you check out the examples below. 
3. Skills:  Unlike more traditional layouts, this section comes BEFORE your work experience. Categorize your skills by group and provide specific examples of your accomplishments and achievements.
4. Work Experience:  Include your job titles, name of the company, location, and employment dates in reverse chronological order. Your skills will be listed within the achievements you outline.
5. Education:  While education is important unless otherwise stated in the job description, it is not the primary focus unless you haven’t had any work experience. 
6. Additional Sections:  You may also consider adding additional subheadings for training, certifications, volunteer work, publications, professional organizations, and awards and recognitions.

Be sure to pay attention to the job description. If the employer asks for specific degree requirements and certifications, be sure to highlight these in your cover letter or consider strategically placing this information at the top of your resume. 

Sample skills categories

Here are some examples of how you can group your skills on your resume.

• Technical (Ex.:  software, database management, computer programming, Artificial Intelligence)
• Analytical (Ex:  statistical analysis, data analysis, and market research)
• Communication (Ex: written, verbal, and presentation skills)
• Project Management (Ex: project planning, resource management, and budgeting)
• Leadership (Ex:  team management, decision-making, and strategic planning)

It is important to understand how to properly group your skills into categories based on the job description when creating a resume that highlights your skills.

Consider these two questions:  

1. Based on the examples above, what categories can you immediately use based on your current skill set?  
2. Which specific examples from your own experiences can you place in each category?  

Organizing your resume in the right format will help recruiters to better understand how your skills align with the job description. 

Now you understand the format, let’s discuss the power of first impressions!  

Crafting a skills-based summary statement for your resume

• 💡 Our expert’s advice

  

  One piece of advice that I always share with clients is to put your best foot forward.  This includes making a great first impression with your resume.

When writing your resume, it is important to start with a strong opening statement. On average, recruiters only spend about 5-7 scanning each resume.  This means that you only have just as much time to make that first impression count!  And it all starts with an impressive summary statement.

Skills-based summary examples

Let’s see some examples to help you understand this section better.

Why it’s wrong:

• Lacks specific details
• Not targeted to the specific job industry
• Generic skills list
• Does not capture the reader’s attention

Why it’s right:

• Specific with a focused and clear outline
• Targeted to the job role
• Includes quantifiable achievements
• Uses action words to immediately engage the reader
• Demonstrates career identity and professional brand

Where to put your skills section for maximum impact

You have learned the secrets to impressing recruiters with an attention-grabbing summary statement, now it’s time to create a keyword list of skills to add below it. 

A client once asked me whether a skills list was truly necessary, and I advised that it is necessary and helps to meet ATS compliance requirements. The skills list is simply a list of keywords or phrases that showcase your tangible skills aligned to the role. 

Placing your skills list at the top of your resume just after the summary section captures the attention of recruiters and hiring managers, allowing them to immediately see your key competencies.  

This strategic approach makes you a compelling candidate to prospective employers. 

Below is a sample skills list for an RN (registered nurse) based on the skills-based summary sample above.

Not sure which skills to include or how to categorize them effectively? Our AI-powered resume builder can analyze your experience and suggest relevant skills tailored to your target role. It also ensures your skills section is ATS-compliant, helping you make a strong first impression with hiring managers. 

How to weave your skills into your work history

Once you have wowed the recruiter and hiring manager with an upfront high-impact summary and skills list, the next step is to write bullet statements for the work experience section of your resume.  

You should focus on writing a resume that highlights skills relevant to the job description.  Ideally, they should be written in an action, impact, and result format to demonstrate the significance of your work.  

Let’s see some examples from the healthcare sector.  Remember to quantify information whenever possible:

This bullet is too vague, does not include any skills, and oversimplifies the job role.

These bullets provide details on the skills used, quantitative data, and the impact of the candidate’s work.

For a non-healthcare role, let’s look at how an account manager could emphasize their skills within their work experience bullet points.

Example

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Account Management

• Expertly managed a portfolio of key accounts with 700+ clients and increased customer retention and satisfaction scores by 25%.
• Developed tailored account management solutions, resulting in a 45% increase in clients over a five-year period.

This example subtly sells the candidate’s soft skills within some impressive accomplishments.

Stay ahead of the curve with in-demand skills

The great thing about all the changes taking place in the job market is that you can quickly improve your skills.

Equipping yourself with relevant in-demand skills through further training and certifications, personal projects, or attending specific conferences will help you to stay relevant in a competitive job market. 

Final Thoughts

While the job market is competitive, skills-based interviewing opens the door for you to apply for roles that you may not have thought that you otherwise would qualify for.  

• 💡 Our expert’s advice

  

  As a Career Coach, I have made it a point to encourage clients to step outside of their comfort zone and not be afraid to apply for jobs that are outside of their norm.  A skills-focused resume helps employers to easily see your value. 

If there is an area in your resume that you would like to strengthen, you can easily take a course to stay ahead of the curve. It has been my experience that employers value candidates who show initiative and demonstrate versatility.  

Ultimately, staying abreast of the latest trends, remaining open-minded, and continuously updating your skills and resume can greatly improve your career opportunities and boost your confidence.

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