# Resume Skills Section

**TARGET ROLE:**
Marketing Manager

**INDUSTRY:**
B2B SaaS / Technology

**YEARS OF EXPERIENCE:**
6 years

**YOUR BACKGROUND:**
Demand generation, content marketing, marketing automation, team leadership

---

## SKILLS SECTION VERSION 1: CATEGORIZED FORMAT

Best for: Most roles, easy to scan, shows depth

```
SKILLS

Marketing Strategy
Demand Generation • Content Marketing • Account-Based Marketing (ABM) • Lead Nurturing • Marketing Funnel Optimization • Go-to-Market Strategy • Brand Positioning

Digital Marketing
SEO/SEM • Paid Media (Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Facebook Ads) • Email Marketing • Social Media Marketing • Conversion Rate Optimization • A/B Testing

Marketing Technology
HubSpot (Certified) • Marketo • Salesforce • Google Analytics • Tableau • Asana • WordPress • HTML/CSS (Basic)

Leadership & Communication
Team Management • Cross-Functional Collaboration • Stakeholder Presentations • Budget Management ($2M+) • Agency Management • Vendor Negotiations
```

**Why This Format Works:**
- Categories make scanning easy
- Shows breadth AND depth
- Technical tools prominently displayed
- Certifications noted where relevant
- Budget scope shows seniority level

---

## SKILLS SECTION VERSION 2: SIMPLE LIST FORMAT

Best for: ATS optimization, traditional industries, limited space

```
SKILLS

Demand Generation | Content Marketing | Account-Based Marketing (ABM) | SEO/SEM | Paid Media | Email Marketing | Marketing Automation | Lead Scoring | HubSpot | Marketo | Salesforce | Google Analytics | Google Ads | LinkedIn Ads | Team Leadership | Budget Management | Go-to-Market Strategy | A/B Testing | Data Analysis
```

**Why This Format Works:**
- Maximum keywords in minimum space
- ATS reads all skills clearly
- No risk of parsing issues
- Works for any resume template

---

## SKILLS SECTION VERSION 3: PROFICIENCY LEVELS

Best for: Technical roles, career changers showing skill depth

```
SKILLS

Expert:
Demand Generation • Content Marketing • HubSpot • Email Marketing • Marketing Funnel Optimization • Team Leadership

Advanced:
Account-Based Marketing • SEO • Paid Media (Google/LinkedIn/Facebook) • Marketo • Salesforce • Google Analytics • Budget Management

Proficient:
Marketing Attribution • Tableau • SQL (Basic Queries) • HTML/CSS • Video Marketing • Podcast Production
```

**Why This Format Works:**
- Shows honest self-assessment
- Highlights strongest skills
- Allows inclusion of developing skills
- Demonstrates growth mindset

**Caution:** Only use if levels are accurate. Never claim "Expert" if you cannot back it up in an interview.

---

## SKILLS SECTION VERSION 4: HYBRID FORMAT

Best for: Roles requiring both technical and soft skills balance

```
CORE COMPETENCIES

• Demand Generation & Pipeline Growth    • Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
• Marketing Automation (HubSpot, Marketo)    • Paid Media Strategy & Execution
• Content Marketing & SEO    • Marketing Analytics & Attribution
• Team Leadership (5+ direct reports)    • Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Budget Management ($2M+)    • Go-to-Market Planning

TOOLS & PLATFORMS

HubSpot (Certified) • Marketo • Salesforce • Google Analytics • Google Ads • LinkedIn Campaign Manager • Facebook Ads Manager • Tableau • Asana • Wordpress • Figma
```

**Why This Format Works:**
- Separates competencies from tools
- Scope indicators (5+ reports, $2M+)
- Certifications visible
- Clean, professional layout

---

## SKILLS SECTION VERSION 5: ATS-OPTIMIZED

Best for: Online applications, keyword matching critical

```
SKILLS & EXPERTISE

Marketing: Demand Generation, Content Marketing, Account-Based Marketing, ABM, Lead Generation, Lead Nurturing, Marketing Qualified Leads, MQLs, Sales Qualified Leads, SQLs, Marketing Funnel, Conversion Optimization, Go-to-Market, GTM Strategy, Brand Marketing, Product Marketing

Digital: SEO, SEM, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, PPC, Pay-Per-Click, Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Facebook Ads, Paid Social, Paid Media, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, A/B Testing, Conversion Rate Optimization, CRO

Tools: HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce, Salesforce CRM, Google Analytics, GA4, Tableau, Looker, Asana, Monday.com, WordPress, HTML, CSS

Leadership: Team Management, People Management, Cross-Functional Leadership, Stakeholder Management, Budget Management, Vendor Management, Agency Management, Project Management
```

**Why This Format Works:**
- Includes acronyms AND full terms (ABM + Account-Based Marketing)
- Maximum keyword density
- Covers variations recruiters might search
- Still readable by humans

---

## SKILLS BY CATEGORY

### Hard Skills (Technical/Measurable)

| Category | Examples for Marketing Manager |
|----------|-------------------------------|
| Strategy | Demand generation, ABM, go-to-market, brand positioning, competitive analysis |
| Digital | SEO, SEM, paid media, email marketing, social media, content marketing |
| Analytics | Google Analytics, attribution modeling, A/B testing, data analysis, reporting |
| Automation | HubSpot, Marketo, Pardot, Eloqua, lead scoring, nurture campaigns |
| Content | Copywriting, content strategy, blog management, video marketing, webinars |

### Soft Skills (Interpersonal/Transferable)

| Category | Examples |
|----------|----------|
| Leadership | Team management, mentoring, delegation, performance management |
| Communication | Presentations, stakeholder management, executive reporting, writing |
| Collaboration | Cross-functional teamwork, agency management, vendor relationships |
| Problem-Solving | Strategic thinking, analytical reasoning, creative solutions |
| Management | Project management, budget management, time management, prioritization |

### Tools & Technologies

| Category | Examples for Marketing |
|----------|----------------------|
| Marketing Automation | HubSpot, Marketo, Pardot, Eloqua, ActiveCampaign |
| CRM | Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Pipedrive, Zoho |
| Analytics | Google Analytics, Tableau, Looker, Mixpanel, Amplitude |
| Advertising | Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, Twitter Ads |
| Design/Content | Canva, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, WordPress, Webflow |
| Productivity | Asana, Monday.com, Trello, Notion, Slack, Microsoft Office |

---

## TAILORING SKILLS TO JOB DESCRIPTIONS

### Step-by-Step Process:

**Step 1: Analyze the Job Description**

Highlight every skill, tool, and qualification mentioned.

Example job description excerpt:
> "We're looking for a Marketing Manager with experience in demand generation, account-based marketing, and marketing automation. Must have hands-on experience with HubSpot or Marketo. Experience with Salesforce and Google Analytics required."

**Step 2: Extract Keywords**

| From Job Description | Your Resume Should Include |
|---------------------|---------------------------|
| Demand generation | Demand Generation ✓ |
| Account-based marketing | Account-Based Marketing (ABM) ✓ |
| Marketing automation | Marketing Automation ✓ |
| HubSpot or Marketo | HubSpot (Certified), Marketo ✓ |
| Salesforce | Salesforce ✓ |
| Google Analytics | Google Analytics ✓ |

**Step 3: Match Your Skills**

Only include skills you actually have. For each required skill:
- ✅ Have it → Add to skills section prominently
- ⚠️ Have related skill → Add the related skill
- ❌ Don't have it → Don't lie, focus on transferable skills

**Step 4: Prioritize Order**

List skills in order of importance to the role. If they mention "demand generation" first, put it first in your skills.

---

## INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC SKILLS EXAMPLES

### Marketing
```
Demand Generation • Content Marketing • SEO/SEM • Account-Based Marketing • Marketing Automation (HubSpot, Marketo) • Paid Media • Email Marketing • Lead Scoring • Analytics & Attribution • Go-to-Market Strategy
```

### Software Engineering
```
Languages: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, SQL
Frameworks: React, Node.js, Django, Spring Boot
Cloud: AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda), GCP, Docker, Kubernetes
Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis
Tools: Git, CI/CD, Jira, Agile/Scrum
```

### Sales
```
Sales Skills: Enterprise Sales, Solution Selling, Consultative Selling, Contract Negotiation, Pipeline Management, Sales Forecasting, Account Management, Territory Planning, Cold Calling, Social Selling
Tools: Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Gong, Chorus
```

### Finance
```
Financial Analysis • Financial Modeling • Forecasting & Budgeting • Variance Analysis • P&L Management • M&A Due Diligence • Valuation (DCF, Comps) • Excel (Advanced) • SQL • Tableau • SAP • Oracle • Bloomberg Terminal
```

### Project Management
```
Project Management • Agile/Scrum • Waterfall • Program Management • Resource Planning • Risk Management • Stakeholder Communication • Budget Management • Vendor Management
Tools: Jira, Asana, MS Project, Monday.com, Smartsheet
Certifications: PMP, CSM, SAFe
```

### Human Resources
```
Talent Acquisition • Employee Relations • Performance Management • Compensation & Benefits • HRIS (Workday, BambooHR) • Onboarding • Learning & Development • HR Analytics • Employment Law • Diversity & Inclusion
```

---

## SKILLS TO AVOID

| Avoid | Why | Use Instead |
|-------|-----|-------------|
| Microsoft Office | Everyone has this, wastes space | Only if advanced (Excel pivot tables, VBA) |
| Team player | Generic, meaningless | Cross-functional collaboration, specific teamwork |
| Hard worker | Cannot be measured | Specific achievements prove this |
| Detail-oriented | Overused | Accuracy, quality assurance, error reduction |
| Good communicator | Vague | Presentations, stakeholder reporting, executive briefings |
| Self-starter | Empty | Initiative, project leadership |
| Fast learner | Cannot prove on resume | Show diverse skills you've learned |
| Email | Everyone can email | Email marketing (if applicable) |
| Social media | Too vague | Specific platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok |
| Passionate | Means nothing | Show passion through experience section |

---

## HOW MANY SKILLS TO INCLUDE

| Resume Type | Number of Skills | Format |
|-------------|------------------|--------|
| Entry-level | 10-15 | Simple list |
| Mid-level | 15-25 | Categorized |
| Senior/Executive | 20-30 | Categorized with scope |
| Technical roles | 20-35 | Categorized by type |
| Career change | 15-20 | Focus on transferable |

**Rule:** Quality over quantity. 15 relevant skills beat 40 random ones.

---

## ATS KEYWORD TIPS

### Do:
- Include both acronym AND full term: "SEO" and "Search Engine Optimization"
- Use exact phrases from job description
- Include tool names exactly as written (HubSpot not Hubspot)
- Add certification names if you have them
- Use standard industry terminology

### Do Not:
- Stuff keywords you cannot back up
- Use tables or graphics (ATS may not parse)
- Put skills in headers or footers
- Use creative spellings
- Hide white text keywords (this is spam)

---

## SKILLS SECTION PLACEMENT

| Resume Style | Skills Placement |
|--------------|------------------|
| Traditional | After summary, before experience |
| Technical | Prominent, near top |
| Executive | Below summary or at end |
| Career change | Near top to highlight transferables |
| Creative | Can be sidebar or visual |

**General Rule:** If skills are critical for the role (technical positions), put them near the top. If experience is more important, skills can go lower.

---

## SKILLS SECTION CHECKLIST

### Before Submitting:
- [ ] Includes keywords from job description
- [ ] Hard skills and soft skills balanced
- [ ] Tools and technologies listed
- [ ] Certifications mentioned if relevant
- [ ] No generic buzzwords (team player, etc.)
- [ ] All skills can be backed up in interview
- [ ] Formatted for ATS readability
- [ ] Most relevant skills listed first
- [ ] Appropriate length (not too long/short)
- [ ] Consistent formatting throughout

---

## COMMON SKILLS SECTION MISTAKES

| Mistake | Impact | Fix |
|---------|--------|-----|
| Generic buzzwords | Looks like everyone else | Use specific, measurable skills |
| Missing keywords | Filtered out by ATS | Match job description terms |
| Too many skills | Overwhelming, looks padded | Limit to 20-30 most relevant |
| No organization | Hard to scan | Use categories |
| Including basics | Wastes space | Remove "Microsoft Word" etc. |
| Lying about skills | Exposed in interview | Only list skills you have |
| Same skills for every job | Not tailored | Customize per application |
| Only hard skills | Missing soft skill match | Balance both types |
| Outdated tools | Looks behind | Update to current tools |
| No tools at all | Missing technical proof | Include relevant software |