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Professional skills for CV building are essential when stepping into the job market as a fresher. With little to no work experience, you might wonder how to stand out among hundreds of other candidates. But here’s the good news — employers don’t just look for experience. They look for skills — the tools and traits that show you’re ready to learn, adapt, and contribute.
That’s why your CV should focus on showcasing your professional strengths. These highlight what you can do, how you approach work, and whether you’ll be a good fit for the team. Understanding what are personal skills and what are professional skills can help you tailor your application more effectively. While personal skills reflect your character and interpersonal abilities, professional skills relate directly to how you perform in the workplace.
In this guide, we’ll break down a list of skills and qualities that are highly valued in today’s job market — especially for those just starting out. You’ll find 20 of the most valuable professional skills for freshers, along with examples, context, and practical tips on how to include them in your CV. Whether you’re applying for your first office job, an internship, or a remote position, these insights will help your application rise to the top.
Understanding professional skills means recognising the key abilities that showcase your potential and readiness to succeed in the workplace, even without formal experience.
Professional skills refer to the abilities and competencies that help you perform effectively in the workplace. These include both hard skills (technical, measurable abilities like using software or data analysis) and soft skills (interpersonal traits like teamwork and time management).
When employers read your CV, they’re not just looking to see what you’ve done — they’re trying to understand how you’ll work. Your professional skills for CV success give them that insight and help them gauge whether you’ll be a strong fit for the role and company culture.
As a fresher, you may not have years of job experience — and that’s completely normal. What you do have is potential, and potential is best demonstrated through your skills and qualities for a CV.
Let’s say you worked on a group project at university where you had to solve a real-world business challenge. That’s a chance to show problem-solving, teamwork, and communication — all highly sought-after CV personal skills and professional traits.
Employers want to see that:
Understanding the distinction helps you structure your CV effectively and speak more confidently in interviews.
Examples:
Examples:
💡 Tip: A strong CV balances both — it shows you not only know how to do the work but that you can work well with others too. These are excellent skills and qualities examples to highlight in applications.
You may not have formal job experience yet, but you’ve likely built a wide range of CV skills and qualities through:
Here’s how to uncover your skills:
Example:
If you were in charge of coordinating a university event, you’ve probably shown:
All of these are strong examples of skills and qualities employers look for.
Before we dive into the actual list of 20 skills, here are three ways to make your professional skills for CV stand out:
List 6–10 of your most relevant skills and qualities CV tailored to the job you’re applying for.
Even if your experience is academic, use bullet points to describe how you applied key skills to achieve results.
Example:
“Led a team of five in developing a marketing plan for a student start-up, demonstrating leadership, creative thinking, and project management.”
This short intro at the top of your CV is the perfect place to highlight key CV personal skills and qualities.
Example:
“Motivated and adaptable business graduate with strong analytical skills, excellent communication, and a passion for problem-solving.”
As a fresher, soft skills are among your greatest assets. These are the personal and interpersonal qualities that shape how you work with others, solve problems, and manage responsibilities. Employers across all industries highly value soft skills — especially when reviewing personal resumes from candidates without years of formal experience.
Understanding the difference between personal and professional skills is crucial here. While hard or technical abilities are important, your personal skills and qualities — such as adaptability, emotional intelligence, and teamwork — often influence how well you integrate into a team and workplace.
Let’s explore 10 of the most valuable professional skills for CV success. These are excellent skills and attributes examples that can make your application stand out. We’ve also included suggestions for how you may have developed or demonstrated them during university or part-time roles.
Why it matters:
Whether it’s writing a report, presenting an idea, or answering a customer query, strong communication is essential in nearly every role.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Presented final-year research to a panel of lecturers and peers, effectively conveying complex ideas in a concise and professional manner.”
Why it matters:
Most modern workplaces require collaboration. Employers want to know you can work respectfully and productively with others — a top personal quality for CV effectiveness.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Collaborated with four classmates to create a digital marketing strategy, meeting all milestones and receiving top marks for coordination and delivery.”
Why it matters:
Work isn’t predictable — and employers value candidates who can think critically and resolve challenges independently or as part of a team.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Identified and resolved data discrepancies during a research project, ensuring accurate reporting for final results.”
Why it matters:
Being punctual, organised, and able to manage multiple priorities is a universal job requirement — especially in entry-level roles.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Successfully juggled part-time retail work with final-year university coursework, consistently meeting deadlines and maintaining high academic performance.”
Why it matters:
In fast-paced and ever-changing environments, flexibility is key. Employers look for adaptable candidates in personal resumes for junior positions.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Adapted quickly to online collaboration tools during remote learning, maintaining strong communication and productivity within team projects.”
Why it matters:
Employers appreciate candidates who can assess situations, weigh options, and make sound decisions. This is a core professional skill for CV development.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Used critical thinking to assess market trends and recommend improvements during a mock business strategy project.”
Why it matters:
A strong work ethic is one of the most valued personal attributes for CV appeal. It shows dedication, reliability, and a willingness to contribute.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Demonstrated strong work ethic by consistently completing coursework ahead of schedule and assisting peers in proofreading and formatting.”
Why it matters:
Creative thinking shows initiative, innovation, and the ability to offer unique solutions — important even outside traditional creative roles.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Developed a creative social media campaign for a university society, increasing event attendance by 40%.”
Why it matters:
Leadership shows initiative, responsibility, and the ability to guide others. It’s a valuable trait in any role and a standout personal quality for CV content.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Led a team of 6 to coordinate a university fundraising event, raising £2,000 and gaining event management experience.”
Why it matters:
Understanding your own emotions and those of others helps you manage relationships and stress — key to thriving in the workplace.
How to show it:
Example for CV:
“Acted as a peer mentor, offering support and guidance to first-year students adjusting to university life.”
These top 10 soft skills are excellent examples of skills and qualities to include in your fresher CV. Together with technical abilities, they form a strong foundation of personal and professional skills that demonstrate your readiness for the workplace.
They are specific, teachable, and measurable — and form an essential part of any professional skills list. For freshers, these can come from coursework, online learning, internships, or even self-taught experiences.
Including professional skills for CV writing helps make you more employable, especially for roles that require technical know-how. They also complement your personal skills list, helping employers understand both your technical and interpersonal capabilities.
Let’s look at 10 valuable hard skills you can list on your CV, with examples of how you might already possess them. These examples are ideal for a personal skills CV or if you’re building a balanced list of personal and professional skills for a resume.
Why it matters:
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook are used in nearly every office environment. Even a basic level of proficiency shows strong professionalism skills and a readiness for administrative or office-based work.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite — prepared academic reports in Word, used Excel for tracking research data, and created group presentation slides in PowerPoint.”
Why it matters:
Data is central to modern business decisions. Being able to enter, sort, and interpret data is a valuable professional skill for resume content — particularly in admin, marketing, or finance roles.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Collected and analysed student survey results using Google Sheets; presented insights in visual chart form for a university project.”
Why it matters:
Basic knowledge of languages like Python, JavaScript, or HTML is an excellent professional skill for tech-related roles — and shows analytical thinking, which is a key personal skill too.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Completed Python for Beginners course on Codecademy and built a basic calculator app as a personal project.”
Why it matters:
Skills in areas like SEO, email marketing, or content creation are highly desirable. They combine creativity with analysis — useful for expanding your personal skills list with technical flair.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Managed content calendar and basic SEO for a university club blog using Google Search Console and WordPress.”
Why it matters:
Visual content is crucial for branding, social media, and internal communications. Even beginner-level design with Canva or Photoshop is a valuable addition to your professional skills for CV.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Used Canva to design event posters and Instagram posts, contributing to a 30% increase in student event participation.”
Why it matters:
Multilingualism is a powerful professional skill for resume appeal, particularly in customer service, marketing, or international roles. It also demonstrates cultural awareness — a strong personal skill definition.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Conversational proficiency in Spanish; completed two years of formal study and maintained fluency through language exchange meetups.”
Why it matters:
Fast, accurate typing supports productivity — essential in admin, writing, or customer service roles. It’s a small but important item in your professional skills list and a subtle form of professionalism skills.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Typing speed of 65 words per minute with high accuracy; gained through consistent digital note-taking and coursework writing.”
Why it matters:
Social media literacy is key in marketing, PR, and even HR roles. Being familiar with platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn adds versatility to both your personal and professional skills.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Managed Instagram page for university theatre group, growing followers by 50% through weekly posts and behind-the-scenes content.”
Why it matters:
The ability to gather and evaluate information is vital in legal, academic, technical, or creative roles. It also illustrates deeper thinking — part of the personal skills definition involving curiosity and independence.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Conducted in-depth literature review on climate change policy for final-year project, synthesising over 20 sources.”
Why it matters:
Even basic tech skills — like blog maintenance or installing software — show initiative and self-reliance. These are great professional skills for CV value and boost your personal skills CV section too.
How you may already know it:
Example for CV:
“Provided basic IT support to peers by resolving software and connectivity issues; comfortable with CMS platforms and browser-based troubleshooting.”
These hard skills, combined with a strong list of personal skills, help demonstrate that you’re ready to contribute from day one. A well-balanced CV featuring both technical expertise and interpersonal strengths is the foundation of successful personal resumes.
Now that you know which skills to include, let’s talk about how to present them effectively. A well-structured CV can make all the difference between getting an interview or getting overlooked. This section will help you craft a CV that highlights your strengths — even if you don’t have much work experience yet. It’s about showcasing your professional skills, personal skills, and relevant skills and qualities in a clear and compelling way.
The Skills section is one of the first things recruiters look at, especially on a fresher’s CV. Here’s how to make yours pop and align it with the top professional skills for CV impact:
Example layout:
Key Skills
This section can showcase both professional skills and personal skills examples in a way that’s tailored to the job role you’re applying for.
To create a truly impressive CV, you should embed your skills and qualities naturally into the following sections. This shows you’re not just listing your professional skills for CV purposes but demonstrating how you’ve used them.
Mention the professional skills and personal skills you gained from course modules, projects, or research.
Example:
BSc in Business Management — Developed strong analytical and problem-solving skills through market research assignments.
Whether you worked part-time, volunteered, or did an internship, highlight the skills and qualities you used.
Example:
Social Media Intern — Managed daily content for Facebook and Instagram; improved engagement by 20%.
This is crucial for freshers. Highlight team collaboration, use of tools, research, or tech knowledge — all contributing to both professional skills and personal skills examples.
Example:
Completed final-year project analysing e-commerce trends using Excel and Google Trends.
Activities like organising events, sports, or student government roles help demonstrate a wide range of professional skills for CV, personal skills, and soft skills and qualities.
Example:
Organised a university charity fundraiser, developing time management, budgeting, and communication skills.
This approach will give your CV more depth and help employers see how your professional skills, personal attributes, and skills and qualities align with what they’re looking for — even if you’re just starting out.
Never send the same CV for every job application.
Instead:
This increases your chances of passing through ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) — software that filters applications based on relevant professional skills for CV and other matching criteria.
Pro Tip:
Use a highlighter to mark the essential list of professional skills in a job listing, then double-check your CV to ensure each one is addressed somewhere, backed by an example of skills of a person with similar experience.
Even if you’re just starting out, your CV can still feel professional, credible, and job-ready. Follow these tips:
✅ CV is tailored to the job you’re applying for, with focus on professional skills for CV
✅ Skills are grouped and easy to read — including a clear list of professional skills
✅ Real-life examples of professional skills and achievements are included wherever possible
✅ Layout is clear, professional, and free of spelling errors
✅ You’ve asked someone (mentor, friend, or career service) to review it
✅ You’ve demonstrated example of skills of a person who is proactive, adaptable, and job-ready
As a fresher, your professional skills for CV are your biggest asset — and you likely have more than you realise. From university projects and part-time work to personal learning journeys, every experience counts when building your CV and showcasing your personal qualities and skills.
By selecting the right mix of soft and hard skills, presenting them effectively, and aligning your CV with the role you’re applying for, you significantly increase your chances of landing an interview. Understanding what is professional skills and recognising examples of personal skills you already possess—such as good personal skills and personality skills—can help you stand out.
Ready to take the next step?
If you want to build or sharpen the skills and personal attributes employers love, explore our online courses tailored for freshers — covering everything from digital tools to job-ready communication skills. Your career starts with confidence, and we’re here to help you every step of the way, ensuring you highlight the best qualities for resume that make you a great candidate.