Quick answer
Put six to ten skills on a CV, in two groups: job skills the vacancy names — software, tools, languages, licences — and two or three working skills such as customer service or teamwork. Use the vacancy’s own words, and list only skills you could demonstrate in the interview.
The skills section is the part of a CV most often filled with words that mean nothing — “hardworking, honest, punctual” — and the part employers and screening software read most literally. A good one is a short list of things you can actually do, named the way the job advertisement names them.
On this page
01Two kinds of skills
Lead with the hard skills. A soft skill only counts when the rest of the CV proves it — “customer service” beside “served sixty customers a day” is evidence; alone it is decoration.
| Kind | What it is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Hard skills | Things you were taught and can be tested on. | Tally, MS Excel, driving licence, IV cannulation, AutoCAD, cash handling, English and Hindi |
| Soft skills | How you work with people and pressure. | Customer service, teamwork, communication, time management, problem solving |
02Skills for a CV for freshers and students
With no job behind you, skills come from your course, your computer, your languages and anything you have done outside class. These are honest ones most fresh graduates can claim:
- Computer: MS Word, Excel (formulas, tables), PowerPoint, email, internet research, typing in English and Nepali.
- Languages: Nepali, English, Hindi — with a level for each.
- From your course: accounting basics, data entry, report writing, lab techniques, programming languages you have actually used.
- From projects and college life: presentation, teamwork, organising an event, collecting survey data.
- Other: a driving licence, first-aid training, social media management.
03Skills by job
Every one of these has a complete CV to start from in the CV examples.
- Accountant: Tally or other accounting software, VAT and TDS, bank reconciliation, payroll, MS Excel, audit support.
- Teacher: lesson planning, classroom management, student assessment, subject knowledge, MS PowerPoint, parent communication.
- Staff nurse: patient assessment, medication administration, IV therapy, wound care, infection control, record keeping.
- Receptionist and office assistant: front-desk handling, telephone etiquette, filing, MS Office, scheduling, typing.
- Sales and marketing: customer handling, negotiation, product knowledge, target achievement, social media, reporting.
- Driver: licence category, route knowledge, vehicle maintenance, safe driving record, logbook keeping.
- Hotel and restaurant: food and beverage service, order taking, POS billing, hygiene and food safety, guest relations.
- Security guard: access control, CCTV monitoring, patrolling, incident reporting, first aid, fire safety.
- IT: the languages, frameworks and tools you have built something with — and a link to it.
04How to write the skills section
- 1Read the vacancy and underline every skill it names. Those words go first, spelled the same way.
- 2Add the skills you have that it does not name but the job needs.
- 3Group them: Technical, Computer, Languages. Six to ten in total.
- 4Give a level where it helps — “English: fluent”, “Excel: advanced (pivot tables)”.
- 5Remove anything you could not show in the interview. One false skill discredits the true ones.
05Hobbies in a CV — include them or not?
Optional. Include hobbies only if they add something: a sport that shows discipline or teamwork, volunteering, writing, a skill relevant to the job. One line is enough. “Listening to music, watching movies, travelling” tells an employer nothing and is better left out — especially when the page is already full.
For freshers with a short CV, two or three specific interests are fine: “Football — college team captain”, “Volunteering — blood donation camps with Red Cross”.
06References in a CV
In Nepal, two references are still commonly expected: one academic, one from work. Give each person’s name, designation, organisation, phone number and email — and ask them before you list them. For a fresher, a teacher or project supervisor and your internship supervisor are right. Never a relative.
If you would rather not give contact details on a CV you are sending widely, write “References available on request” — and have them ready.
07Mistakes in the skills section
- Character words instead of skills: honest, punctual, hardworking. Show these in the interview.
- Rating yourself in stars or percentages — “Communication 90%” means nothing, and screening software cannot read a graphic.
- A long list of everything. Fifteen skills hide the five that matter.
- The same section for every job. Reorder it for each vacancy.
Common questions
What skills should I put on my CV?
Six to ten: first the job skills the vacancy names — software, tools, languages, licences — then two or three working skills such as customer service or teamwork. Use the vacancy’s wording and list only what you can demonstrate.
What skills can a fresher put on a CV with no experience?
Computer skills such as MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, languages with levels, skills from your course and projects such as report writing, data entry or presentation, and anything certified — a driving licence, a training, a typing speed.
Should I write hobbies in my CV?
Only if they add something specific — a sport, volunteering, a relevant interest — and only in one line. Generic hobbies such as music and travelling are better left out.
How do I write references in a CV?
List two people who know your work or studies, with name, designation, organisation, phone and email, after asking their permission. Or write “References available on request” and provide them when asked.
How many skills should a CV have?
Six to ten, grouped under two or three headings. More than that makes the important ones hard to see.