The most common question job-seekers have regarding proper completion of their CV is how to indicate their skill level. Overstating their qualifications will get them exposed during the interview, or even worse, result in poor performance once they start working. At the same time, understating their skills may cause overlooking their candidacy despite the fact that they meet all job requirements. Finding the right balance is crucial here, and how it is going to be done affects recruiters and hiring managers' perception of the job application.
Rationale for Including Skill Level Information in a CV
Employers expect not just a list of the candidates' skills; they need information about their proficiency level in each of them. If they see "Excel," "Project Management," "Adobe Photoshop" listed in the CV without further details, they will be unsure about the level of proficiency of the candidate. Is he or she an amateur who occasionally uses it or an experienced person who is able to train others in using this program? It may turn out harmful for the job-seeker and either result in the latter being passed over as a candidate because of the apparent lack of expertise or unmet expectations after having an interview.
Expressing clearly the level of skills of a person helps the recruiter to quickly assess his or her suitability for the position and demonstrates self-awareness and honesty that are valued in candidates.
Common Ways to Show Skill Levels in a CV
There are several ways to show your skill level in your CV. The best choice will depend on the industry you work in, the kind of position you are applying for and personal preferences.
Descriptive Labels
The easiest way to denote the skill level consists in using commonly-understood descriptive labels:
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Expert
Such terms are clear for recruiters to understand and are helpful when describing technical skills, software proficiency or language skills. For example, you may write "Microsoft Excel - Advanced" or "Spanish - Intermediate."
Skill Bars or Rating Scales
Some CV layouts allow using graphical elements such as skill bars, star ratings or percentages to show the level of proficiency. Such elements may look impressive; however, they should be used wisely. Rating scales can be subjective (for example, what does 80% proficiency in "communication" mean exactly?), and some traditional or corporate companies may think that such information is unnecessary or inappropriate. However, they are useful in creative industries or when you use modern CV templates with visual elements.
Contextual Descriptions
Instead of just putting the labels to show your skill level, you can provide contextual information and your achievements. Instead of saying "Project Management - Advanced" you can write "Managed cross-functional teams consisting of up to 15 people in several projects at once, always delivered on time and within the budget". Such a formulation not only shows your skill level but proves it with the examples.
Years of Experience
For some skills, particularly technical or software ones, you can denote your proficiency level by mentioning the number of years of your experience. For example, the phrase "SQL - 4 years' experience" provides the recruiter with the clear and measurable information.
Matching Skill Levels with Job Requirements
Before choosing the way to describe skill level in your CV, you should look at the job description carefully. Some employers list the required skills together with the needed level of proficiency, and matching your CV to this description increases the chances of getting past the automated systems as well as the recruiters themselves. If a job description requires "advanced Excel skills", using this exact wording (as long as it is true) may help to match better the expectations of the employer.
How Not to Describe Your Skills
Overstatement of Your Competence
People tend to overstate their skill level, trying to seem more desirable for the employer. However, it usually turns out counterproductive. Saying that you are an "expert" in something and being unable to prove it during the interview or while doing your job damages your credibility. Try to be honest and confident in the same time.
Lack of Clarity
Just listing skills without stating their proficiency leaves everything to the discretion of the reader. Wherever possible, try to provide additional information in any form - by using descriptive labels, years of experience or just by giving the examples of your skills application.
Inconsistent Format
If you decide to use any labels to indicate the skill level, try to stick to one format throughout your CV. Do not mix labels, percentages and ambiguous descriptions in different parts of your CV.
Focusing on Technical Skills Only
Apart from the technical skills, you should pay attention to your soft skills. Even though they are harder to measure, contextual information and examples of your skills application in concrete situations, such as demonstrating your leadership skills in a certain project, can effectively show your proficiency.
Industry-Specific Considerations
The way how skill level is presented may vary from one industry to another. For the highly technical industries like IT or engineering, specific certificates, tools and experience level are usually expected. For creative industries, your portfolio accompanying the CV may say more than any skill rating.
Professional Assistance and Its Benefits
For many job-seekers, determining how to express and indicate their skill levels may turn out difficult. Working with professional CV writers may bring a substantial benefit here. Professional CV writers know how various industries and employers understand skill descriptions and can help to make sure that your CV reflects accurately the skills that you have in a way that would appeal to the recruiters and would pass through the automated screening systems.
Conclusion
Indicating your skill level on the CV properly is not just about fulfilling the formal requirements. It means showing to the employers the realistic and convincing picture of your contribution. Regardless of the way how it is done - with concise labels, contextual descriptions or their combination, the main criteria are honesty, consistency and relevancy to the job you apply for. Spending time on this aspect may greatly increase your chances to stand out among other applicants and get the desired interview.
