Communication and management are the two most highly desired skills by employers in the IT, computer software and statistics sectors, according to a LiveCareer analysis of recent job postings and resumes. Job seeker resumes are failing to include these skills to a sufficient degree while they over-emphasize skills like analysis and leadership.
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Though often perceived as purely analytical roles, IT, computer software and statistics professionals must be effective communicators who can manage teams and colleague relationships.
This is especially true as more workplaces go remote and fully automated software development looms on the horizon. Stressing your human skills on your resume can help set you apart.
LiveCareer pinpointed the skills listed most often in job ads, including the precise wording of each skill. This data-based approach reveals the terminology employers expect to see on IT, computer software and statistics applications, and can help guide job seekers in refreshing their resumes.
Top hard, soft and remote work skills that will help you land IT, computer software and statistics jobs
We analyzed a wide range of IT, computer software and statistics job ads, including scrum masters, IT project managers, technical support, software engineers, software developers, java developers, programmers, systems administrators, data analysts and business analysts. Here are the skills that rose to the top.
Soft skills
- Communication
Found in 55.97% of technology job ads
Look for words like communicate, articulate, voice and talk through. - Management skills
Found in 53.04% of job ads
Look for words like manage, oversee, conduct, supervise and direct. - Analytical
Found in 44.61% of job ads
Look for words like analyze, study and examine. - Fast learner
Found in 38.76% of job ads
Look for words like understand, comprehend and learn quickly. - Leadership
Found in 31.50% of job ads
Look for words like lead, plan, mentor and coach. - Troubleshooting
Found in 32.16% of job ads
Look for words like troubleshoot, solve and solutions.
Hard skills
- JavaScript
Found in 40.76% of job ads
Terms will be exact. - CSS
Found in 28.52% of job ads
Terms will be exact. - HTML
Found in 27.73% of job ads
Terms will be exact. - Scrum
Found in 23.20% of job ads
Terms will be exact.
Remote work skills
- Project management software like Jira (found in 9.77% of job ads), Teamwork (4.47%), Monday (1.65%), Smartsheet (1.91%) and Trello (1.25%)
- Data analysis tools like Hive (found in 3.29% of job ads).
- Video conferencing software like Skype (found in 1.91% of job ads).
An experienced IT project manager resume example
How to add skills to your resume
Read the job description, understand what the employer is seeking and use the exact wording of the skills listed in the job posting.
1. Weave a few important critical soft skills into your summary statement.
Example one: Business intelligence analyst
Prudent business intelligence analyst with 10 years of experience providing employers with valuable and actionable data to drive profit growth. Practiced at filtering information to find and highlight vital metrics and revelatory findings. Keen support business growth by leveraging intelligence assets to predict and reveal optimal business strategies.
Example two: IT manager
Knowledgeable IT manager oversees technology deployment and maintenance. Instructs and leads IT staff members in support of hardware, software and networking infrastructure. Actively works with executives to determine and implement tech needs. Manages technology strategy, training and documentation.
2. Create a separate skills section. Make sure to include both hard and soft skills.
Example one: Operations analyst
- Process updates
- Forecasting skills
- Budgeting
- Market research
- Scheduling
- Data analysis
Example two: SQL developer
- Java
- Software development proficiency
- Patch management
- Quality assurance testing
- Data extracting
- Programming
3. Lace skills throughout top achievements in your work experience section.
Example one: Technical support manager
- Analyzed and developed service goals for in-bound call center.
- Tracked KPIs and created continuous improvement plans.
- Developed and implemented training initiatives for new hires.
Example two: Statistician
- Developed integrated spreadsheet and database templates for accumulating, formatting and organizing program data and presented findings to management.
- Wrote software applications for statistical modeling and graphic analysis to understand data and drive accurate insight.
- Prepared statistical analysis plans and provided statistical interpretation for graphs, tables and charts.
How to grow this skill set
Employers are going to want to see you continuing to build your IT, computer software and statistics skills. There are many options available to you, including:
- If you're looking to specialize or grow your programming, project management or other sought-after tech skills, there are numerous online courses available.
- If you'd prefer to grow your skill set by networking directly with peers working in technology, attending meetups is a popular way to make connections in the industry.
- Joining larger online communities, like the biggest tech-focused groups on LinkedIn or a Slack channel focused on a more specific topic, may help grow your abilities too.
