Hard skills vs soft skills on a CV: differences, balance and examples

Language skills count as hard skills because they can be measured, for example on the Common European Framework scale from A1 to C2.

Many employers in Germany use applicant tracking systems (ATS). These programs read your CV and compare it with the job ad. Technical terms such as “SAP”, “payroll” or “React” are the most important signals, because recruiters search the system for them. If a term the ad asks for is missing, your profile drops down the list – even if you actually have the skill.

Soft skills are less often used as hard filters. Still, it pays to pick up the wording of the ad. If it asks for “strong customer focus”, the word “customers” should appear in your duties – ideally with a result. That way both the system and the person reading can see the connection.

In short: hard skills get you onto the shortlist, soft skills often decide the interview. A good CV serves both.

More on search terms: Keywords on your CV

Common pitfalls: ATS mistakes on your CV

How much weight each type gets depends on your field. In technical roles, tools, software and procedures come first. In roles with lots of customer contact or leadership, personal strengths matter more – but even there, specific technical knowledge should be named.

The table below shows typical examples. It does not replace reading the actual job ad, but it gives you a sense of which terms are expected in your field.

Hard skills belong in their own clearly visible section, usually called “Skills” or “Technical skills”. Group them by theme so recruiters can quickly find what they need: for example software, domain knowledge, languages and certificates.

Name software precisely and, where useful, with version or module. “MS Office” is too vague if the job requires advanced Excel. Write “Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, Power Query)” instead. A level such as “basic”, “good” or “very good” helps, as long as it is honest. Stars or bars are hard to interpret and are often not read by ATS software.

• Write terms exactly as in the job ad (for example “SAP S/4HANA” rather than just “SAP” if that is what is asked for)
• Group by theme instead of one long list
• Leave out outdated programs and the obvious (“internet”, “email”)
• Give certificates with the year and, if relevant, the issuer
• State languages with a CEFR level (A1–C2) or as native language

Soft skills are most convincing when they follow from your duties. Instead of writing “strong communicator” in your skills list, describe a situation in your work experience where communication made a difference. A proven pattern is: action plus result plus, if possible, a number.

In the profile at the top of your CV you may name two or three soft skills directly – but tied to something technical. “Accountant with six years of month-end close experience, known for delivering on time even under pressure” combines a hard and a soft skill in one sentence.

A short list of soft skills in the skills section is not forbidden. It should, however, contain no more than three or four terms that match the ad and are proven elsewhere on the CV.

In-depth guide: Soft skills on your CV

Describing duties with impact: Duties on your CV

Making results visible: Achievements on your CV

The opening of your CV: CV profile summary

The safest route to the right balance is the job ad itself. While reading, highlight two types of requirements in different colours: technical terms, software and qualifications on one side, personal qualities on the other. Then check that every technical term you genuinely master appears on your CV – ideally spelled the same way.

For the personal qualities, pick the two or three most important ones and think about which role you demonstrated them in. Rewrite that role so the connection becomes clear. Anything you cannot back up, leave out – it will be asked about in the interview anyway.

An example: an ad for a purchasing role asks for “SAP MM, negotiation skills and a structured way of working”. Your skills section then says “SAP MM (very good)”. In your experience you prove negotiation with a line like “Renegotiated 12 supplier contracts with an average cost reduction of 6%”. The structured approach shows in “Introduced an order overview that made delivery delays visible earlier”.

Step by step: Tailoring your CV to the job ad

Understanding requirements: How to read a job ad

Listing languages correctly: Language skills on your CV

Official language level scale: Europass – Common European Framework of Reference

If you have little work experience, you can often only prove soft skills through university, internships, side jobs or volunteering. That is perfectly fine. What matters is naming concrete actions there too: “Coordinated a study group of eight people over two semesters” shows organisation better than the word “organised”.

For hard skills, knowledge from courses, theses and personal projects counts as well – just be honest about the level. Career changers should highlight transferable technical skills – such as data analysis from research for a role in controlling – and back up new skills with training and the year completed.

For graduates: Applying after university

Using engagement as evidence: Volunteering on a CV

• Mixing hard and soft skills in one unordered list
• Listing more than four soft skills as plain buzzwords
• Spelling technical terms differently from the job ad
• Using level bars or stars instead of clear levels
• Claiming skills you cannot explain in the interview
• Naming outdated software that nobody uses any more
• Proving soft skills only in the cover letter, not on the CV

• Dedicated skills section grouped by theme
• Technical terms spelled as in the job ad
• Honest levels instead of bars
• Languages with CEFR level
• Two or three soft skills in the profile
• Every key soft skill backed by an example
• Results with numbers where possible
• CV compared with the job ad

Strengths and weaknesses in the interview CV for Germany How to shorten your CV