Good Skills to Put on a Resume in Canada (With Examples!)

Accounting or bookkeeping: Basic abilities include invoicing, collections, payments, account reconciliation and proficiency in software such as QuickBooks, FreshBooks and Xero.

Data analysis: Canadian businesses need professionals who can gather and interpret technical data for various stakeholders.

Data privacy: Cybersecurity is top of mind for any Canadian organization that deals with sensitive or proprietary client information. Knowledge of data governance and compliance regulations such as Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and the policy development expertise necessary to ensure internal data privacy policies are aligned can be a valuable skill.

Enterprise resource planning: ERP systems such as Oracle, NetSuite and SAP help employers manage their business and automate functions. Professionals in this area will want to talk up their coding expertise in languages such as Java, Python, and C#, along with their project management skills.

Human resources: Many companies across Canada rely on HR specialists to assess and hire job candidates, help onboard new employees and develop retention efforts. These professionals might also handle employee engagement, create wellness initiatives, develop training and team-building programs.

Customer relationship management: If you work in sales, proficiency with CRM platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, or Zoho can be as valuable as mastery of word processing, programming, or productivity software.

Mathematics: In today's data-driven world, mathematics-related skills are more valuable than ever. By highlighting talents such as calculating percentages and margins, data modeling, and statistical analysis, candidates can position themselves as valuable assets with the type of analytical prowess, attention to detail, and problem-solving capabilities highly prized by employers.

Multilingualism: The more customers and clients you can serve, the greater your value to an employer. French is the most sought-after second language skill in Canada, but even if you’re applying for a position that doesn’t require interacting with an international clientele, fluency in another language is an important asset to mention.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Many Canadian businesses are saving resources and improving accuracy by using smart software and artificial intelligence to handle routine tasks, with methods ranging from large language processing systems like ChatGPT to full-on process automation. At the same time, companies rely on humans to set up, provide inputs for, and oversee these systems. Spotlighting your professional experience using AI tools or completing a certification program in AI or process automation can make you markedly more appealing to employers.

Product design: Form and function are rolled into one in this field, which optimizes both user friendliness and visual appeal. Even if you have a degree in product design, you’d want to talk up your specific skills such as user research, market and/or data analysis, ideation and concept development, prototyping and iteration, and user experience (UX) and/or User Interface (UI) design on your resume.

Project management: In your work history and resume skills sections, show your familiarity with the software and best practices required for overseeing a project from beginning to end. A Project Manager Professional (PMP) certification, offered by the Project Management Institute, would also be a highly desired endorsement of your skills.

Research skills: Whether for eDiscovery, competitor intelligence or internal data collection, employers are looking for job candidates who know how to use the right research tools and methodologies. When it comes to research, good skills to put on a resume might include experience interviewing, planning and scheduling, and analyzing and interpreting collected data to help stakeholders reach a solution. Proficiency with relevant technologies should also be listed on your resume.

Software proficiency: Almost every Canadian office job requires at least a baseline knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Suite apps for word processing, spreadsheets, email, presentations and collaboration. Many roles will require a far deeper knowledge of technologies. Jobs in the IT and creative fields are obvious examples, but tech proficiency is highly valued in many other sectors and roles, such as HR and legal.

Search engine optimization: SEO and its cousin, search engine marketing (SEM), are key aspects of any role that deals with online content, from writers and editors to publicists and HR professionals. Good skills to put on a resume for SEO/SEM include work experience with (or knowledge of) Google Analytics and Google Search Console, keyword optimization, content creation, data analysis tools, and HTML/CSS and JavaScript.

Writing and editing: Strong writing and editing are highly valued hard skills in almost any field. Clearly written, persuasive cross-departmental written memos, emails and other internal communication keep an organization humming. Even if you rely on LLMs, knowing the right inputs and how to edit and fact check the results is a valuable skill in itself. No organization wants any external-facing content—website text, press releases, printed matter or even company emails—marred by incorrect grammar and diction, poor sentence structure and organization, or worse, false information.

Adaptability: Whether you’re a new hire learning the ropes, a long-time staff member adjusting to change management, or a manager adopting transformative technologies in the workplace, you’re going to face some disruption in your career. Canadian companies want employees who can quickly acclimate to different environments and are open to new processes and technologies.

Attention to detail: Mistakes are expensive to businesses in terms of time and money. To show prospective employers that you are careful, detail-oriented, and deliberate in all you do, submit a tailored, proofread resume and cover letter with work history highlights that exemplify diligence and conscientiousness.

Collaboration: How well you work with others, both team members and across departments, is going to be critical to your career success. Give examples in your work history—or if you’re a new university grad, examples from your labs, seminars, and coursework—that demonstrate successful teamwork and partnerships.

Communication: No matter the industry, no matter the position, verbal and presentation skills are an increasingly important soft skill in the Canadian workplace. Employers are looking for candidates who can communicate messages to different audiences without resorting to jargon and present to an audience with confidence.

Creativity: Businesses grow with the infusion of fresh ideas and new approaches to old problems. Hiring managers will give a careful look at someone whose resume skills show they think outside of the box, challenge the status quo and offer novel solutions.

Customer service: A company’s prosperity—and an employee’s career prospects—is tied to good customer service. Employers want staff to be dedicated to meeting the expectations of both internal stakeholders and external clients.

Decision making: Most savvy managers want to give staff a measure of autonomy so leadership can focus on the bigger picture (they also know it can improve employee happiness and performance). That’s why they value employees who can assess a situation and determine the next steps to take, rather than continually ask for guidance.

Empathy: Understanding the emotions of others is important if you want to effectively engage with coworkers, managers, direct reports, customers and clients. Whether for a senior leadership, mid-level management, or entry-level role, the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is a valuable trait.

Leadership: Even when they’re not hiring for a managerial role, Canadian employers look for candidates who can inspire and motivate team members and act with integrity, fairness, and a strategic mindset. Where possible, highlight professional experience and skills on your resume that show you can lead, such as previous roles with direct reports, participation in mentorship programs, leadership in community activities, etc.

Multitasking: In a work environment defined by constant innovation and changes, few skills have become more crucial than the ability to efficiently juggle multiple tasks. By emphasizing soft skills such as adaptability, focus, and prioritization, you’ll project a much-demanded ability to quickly master new digital tools and seamlessly navigate competing projects.

Positivity: No, this doesn’t mean “excessively cheerful or optimistic.” Rather, show that you approach difficulties with a can-do attitude. Resilience and determination, not a negative mindset, are what gets a job done. Employers know and want that.

Problem solving: What job doesn’t involve challenges and problems? And what employer wants to handhold staff when those challenges and problems arise? An ability to resolve conflicts and come up with creative solutions to challenges big and small are especially good skills to put on a resume.

Self-motivation: No boss wants to keep lighting a fire under their workers. Give instances of how you’ve taken initiative to solve problems and get the job done.

Time management: No list of good skills to put on a resume is complete without time management. Whatever role you’re seeking, employers want to know you have the discipline to tune out distractions, meet deadlines and get the most out of the workday.

Work ethic: Honesty, punctuality, responsibility, and reliability are all integral to a strong work ethic. Draw out those qualities in the examples you give in your professional history and resume skills sections.

Don’t exaggerate or lie about your skills. Never give in to the temptation to inflate a job title, add a certification or skills you don’t have, or embellish a job tenure that didn’t last as long as you say it did. Making false claims or stretching the truth isn’t worth the risk. Most Canadian companies conduct background checks and call references, and falsehoods will severely damage your trustworthiness—and likely cost you the job.

Don’t leave out numbers. No matter what position you’re applying for, you should try to quantify your value. Did you reduce expenses for your company, increase sales or reach new target markets? Did you respond to customer inquiries or process orders X% faster than the previous year? All of those accomplishments involve numbers that you can use in your resume.

Don’t misuse words. Check your resume for wordiness. If you feel like a section is short, it can be tempting to get flowery with your language, but “owing to the fact that” is nowhere near as good as “because.” Also avoid using clichéd business jargon like “synergize” or “outside the box.”

Don’t forget to proofread. Before you send in your resume, go over it with a fine-toothed comb for spelling, grammar and formatting mistakes. If you’re worried about your own editorial skills, ask someone who understands your job-search goals to look it over. Or leverage AI to proofread. Or review a printed copy yourself: Sometimes it’s easier to catch errors on paper than on a computer screen.

Highlight your education, especially specializations or skills-based courses relevant to the role.

Academic projects or co-ops are a great way to show that you have experience in office-like settings or environments.

Provide details of any volunteer experience you have, or non-profit work that demonstrates initiative, teamwork, or communication skills.

Create a website that showcases any creative work that highlights your capabilities.

Transferrable skills you have grown over the course of your education or extra-curricular activities can demonstrate willingness to learn and adaptability.