Struggling to list your skills on a CV? You have more than you think

When working on your CV, entering your contact details and any work experience and diplomas – if you have them – is easy enough. But when it comes to listing your skills, you might wonder what counts as a skill, what employers want, and how to present your abilities, especially if you’ve had no formal education. You might ask yourself if you even have any marketable skills.

The truth is, you most likely have acquired quite a few skills without even realising it. In fact, many jobseekers across Europe are completely unaware of the full range of skills they possess because of two main reasons.

The first is lack of information or guidance. Without structured advice, translating experience from community classes or other similar non-formal settings into recognised professional language is difficult. The second is digital and confidence gaps. Older workers, people with disabilities and those returning to the workforce may struggle with digital self-assessment tools. Both of these challenges highlight the value of building confidence and better understanding different qualification systems, particularly when looking for work abroad.

Here are some tips to get started:

If you’re young and have limited or no work experience, think about your involvement in other activities – university projects, volunteer work, sports teams or student associations. Did you organise an event? That’s project management. Did you tutor peers? That’s good communication and mentoring.
Are you a quick learner? Do you work well in teams? These are ‘soft’ skills that employers value.
If you’re older and changing industries or looking for a job after a long hiatus, think about skills that are useful everywhere. Are you good at managing a crisis or negotiating with people who have different views? These skills remain valuable across different roles, industries and countries.
Sometimes we overlook our own strengths. Ask former colleagues or managers what they considered your most valuable contribution or quality.

A professional helping hand

Keep in mind, you don’t have to do this alone. In fact, Public Employment Services (PES) across Europe have developed various tools and services to help you identify and document your capabilities. A recent paper published by the European PES network provides some examples:

Austria runs the Vocational Information System – an integrated tool that helps jobseekers recognise, describe and develop their skills. Counsellors use these results to build personalised action plans that combine career guidance, validation and training.
France incorporates validation of prior experience into counselling pathways to formalise prior experience into recognised qualifications.
Portugal’s PES collaborates with Qualifica centres to help jobseekers formalise skills identified during guidance sessions.

PES services are supported by Europe-wide networks. EURES offers access to advisers, labour market information and tips for jobseekers looking to work abroad, while Europass provides tools to test your digital skills and create your CV and cover letter.

By using these resources and reflecting on the full range of your experiences, you can build a compelling CV that truly reflects your value to potential employers. To help you get started, read the EURES article about using Europass digital tools and services to better manage your career.

Vocational Information System (BIS)

Validation of prior experience (VAE)

Qualifica programme

Europass

EURES

Use Europass digital tools and services to better manage your career

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