Skills needed for a job, role by role
The skills a job needs depend on the role and on the posting. Pick a role to see what employers ask for, which skills decide the offer, and how to show them on your resume.
Skills in demand, by role and industry
118 pages counted from live job postings: the skills employers name most often in engineering, data and AI, sales, marketing, finance, design, HR and more.
What each role asks for, and what decides the offer
Each page lists the technical and human skills employers name most, the few that separate candidates at interview, and how to show them on a resume. Every page ends with a free check against a real job.
- 01
Software Engineer skills
The skills a software engineer needs in 2026, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own resume against a real software engineering job.
11 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 02
Sales Executive skills
The skills a sales executive needs in 2026, from prospecting to forecasting, how the list changes for sales associates and sales managers, and how to check your own gap.
9 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 03
HR skills
The HR skills employers ask for in 2026, the ones to put on your resume, how the list changes for an HR manager, and how to check your own gap against a real HR job.
10 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 04
Product Manager skills
The skills required for a product manager in 2026, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own resume against a real product management job.
9 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 05
Data Analyst skills
The skills required for a data analyst in 2026, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own resume against a real data analyst job.
8 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 06
Customer Service skills
The customer service skills employers ask for in 2026, which ones decide the offer, how the list changes from representative to manager, and how to check your own gap.
9 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 07
Marketing skills
The marketing skills employers ask for in 2026, from content and SEO to analytics, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own gap against a real job.
9 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 08
Business Analyst skills
The skills needed for a business analyst in 2026, from requirements to SQL, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own resume against a real job.
9 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 09
Data Scientist skills
The skills needed for a data scientist in 2026, from Python and statistics to machine learning, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own gap.
9 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 10
Accountant skills
The skills an accountant needs in 2026, from reconciliations to reporting and accounting software, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own gap.
9 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 11
Data Engineer skills
The skills a data engineer needs in 2026, from SQL and Python to pipelines, Spark and cloud platforms, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own gap.
11 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 12
Teacher skills
The skills a teacher needs in 2026, from lesson planning to classroom management and assessment, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own gap.
10 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 13
Administrative Assistant skills
The skills an administrative assistant needs in 2026, from scheduling and office software to record keeping, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own gap.
10 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 14
Project Manager skills
The skills required for a project manager in 2026, from planning and risk to budgets and agile methods, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own gap.
10 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
- 15
Graphic Designer skills
The skills a graphic designer needs in 2026, from Adobe tools and Figma to typography and brand systems, which ones decide the offer, and how to check your own gap.
11 skills3 that decide the offer4 questions answered
Want the list for your own target role? Upload your resume on the ATS score checker and SkillDrift names the skills the role asks for that your resume does not show yet.
For the numbers behind these guides, see the skills in demand by role and industry, counted from live job postings.