When was the last time you updated your CV? If you're serious about landing a new role, your resume has to be fresh, strategic, and designed to grab attention in the first 10 seconds. 

But refreshing your CV doesn't just mean adding your latest qualifications or updating your hobbies and interests. 

To really stop recruiters in their tracks in 2025, you need to create a skills-based resume. 

Today's recruiters are prioritising competencies over credentials. In other words, they care less about job titles and more about what skills you can bring to the table. In addition, AI-driven hiring tools are laser-focused on matching the right skills to the right job. If your resume doesn't reference your skills, you’re likely to be missed by AI scrapers, and potential job opportunities as a result. 

This article outlines how to create a killer skills-based resume, and the top soft skills to include on your CV in 2025. 

Top tips to create a strong skills-based CV.

1. Know your skills

Before you can add your skills to your CV, you need to be clear on what they are. Skills can be broadly categorised as hard or soft skills. Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured, such as technical skills or knowledge of a particular software. 

On the other hand, soft skills are less tangible and harder to quantify, such as communication, leadership, and adaptability. Reflect on your professional and personal experiences to identify these skills. Spend time considering your soft skills, as these are as crucial as technical abilities. 

Think back to any feedback you've received from co-workers and leaders – did they say you're a good communicator, team player or creative thinker? For instance, if you've been praised for your communication skills, you can include a specific project where your communication skills were instrumental in achieving the desired outcome. 

2. Understand what's in demand.

Take a close look at job descriptions in your industry. What skills are employers listing repeatedly? Use this as your guide for skills to focus on. 

Consider sought-after soft skills as well as technical skills. For example, emotional intelligence (EQ) is one of the most sought-after skills by employers. It gives you the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as recognise and influence the emotions of others. 

3. Include soft and technical skills.

Think of your CV as your own personal sales document. It needs to highlight your best skills; otherwise, it's not selling you to the employer. And including only your technical, or 'hard' skills is only half the story. 

Featuring your soft skills on your resume helps employers understand your capabilities, and how they make you a strong candidate for the role and organisation. In fact, research conducted for SEEK showed that up to 64% of employers agree people with strong soft skills are more likely to land a job.

4. Structure your CV to make your skills shine. 

Now you have an idea of what skills to include, you need to sell them! Don't bury your skills section at the end of the CV. Given that recruiters only look at CVs for an average of six seconds, your key skills must be visible right at the top.

Whatever you do, don't list your skills like a shopping list. Employers want to see evidence of these skills through your achievements. If you're a great team player, show how your teamwork and collaboration skills helped you get amazing results in a project, resolve conflict, or create an innovative new solution. If you're adaptable, highlight how you successfully navigated changes in your organisation. 

5. Craft your career story.

Humans love a good story. So when selling yourself to employers, you need to craft a captivating story that sucks the reader in and makes you memorable.

There's nothing memorable about a list of bullet points. Instead, turn bullet points into compelling before-and-after stories. This means setting the scene by describing the situation or problem, explaining what you did to address it, and outlining the results you achieved. This structure not only makes your achievements more engaging, but helps the reader understand the impacts of your work. 

6. Use keywords (but don't overdo it)

Applicant tracking systems (ATS), also known as resume keyword scanners, are used by many recruiters to sort, scan and rank resumes. Scanning your resume for keywords helps recruiters save time when sifting through the stack of CVs they receive for job ads. 

That's why it's now crucial to use keywords in your CV. Browse job ads in your industry and look for relevant keywords. Make sure the skills section is tailored to the job requirements and includes keywords specific to the job description. 

But that doesn't mean stuffing as many job-specific terms as possible into your resume. It will not only make your resume unreadable to humans, but ATS systems can recognise when you're trying to game the system.

7. Double-check your online presence.

Let's face it: your resume isn't the only thing employers are going to look at. They'll check out your online presence too.

So, before you send your application, make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and aligned with your resume. If your online presence doesn't match your resume, it will ring alarm bells. 

Top soft skills you need on your resume in 2025

1. Analytical thinking 

Analytical thinking consistently tops the list of desirable skills. It's about how you analyse information, problem-solve and make decisions. It means you can break down problems and sort through the details to weigh up options and arrive at the best possible decision or solution. 

2. Creative thinking

Creative thinking ranked number two on the list of top skills for the future of work, and LinkedIn labelled creativity "the most important skill in the world". Even if you're not applying for a traditional 'creative' job, creative thinking is an important addition to your CV. It talks about your ability to be innovative and imaginative and develop creative solutions – something that's more valuable than ever in a world of AI.

3. Communication

Communication ranked No. 1 on the 2024 list of overall most in-demand skills, according to this LinkedIn survey. Employers want workers who can effectively communicate their ideas and knowledge, express their thoughts and emotions clearly, manage conflicts, listen attentively, and provide feedback. 

4. Adaptability

In a world where technology and global circumstances are rapidly changing, having adaptability listed on your CV can help you stand out to recruiters. Adaptability is a sought-after skill that means you can learn and unlearn, remain open and flexible, and navigate uncertainty confidently and comfortably. LinkedIn highlighted it as the top "skill of the moment", with the most notable surge in year-over-year demand. 

5. Teamwork 

Scan any job ad, and you'll notice the key phrases: "team player", "collaboration", and "teamwork". Employers are searching for candidates with strong teamwork skills for one simple reason: Teamwork is essential to a company's success. Those who have teamwork skills like communication, collaboration, and leadership can help a team be more productive. They can create stronger bonds and relationships with co-workers, which creates a stronger workplace culture.

That's not all! Here are more sought-after soft skills to add to your CV in 2025: 11 Top Soft Skills for 2025 (With Examples)

What are you waiting for? Refresh your CV now. 

If you're still using an outdated resume, you could be holding yourself back from getting your dream job. The bar is high in 2025, and if your resume doesn't reflect your skills clearly and compellingly, it won't make the cut. The key is to highlight your skills to prove your value to the organisation and show you are the right fit for the job and the company. It takes time and effort, but if you do it right, you'll sail through the first stages of application and get that interview.

Ready to develop your human skills for 2025 and beyond? Download the Hodie app to get started today, or explore our broader menu of Maxme Products & Programs for organisations and individuals. 

Prefer to talk through your options? Simply contact us at any time.

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