30+ core competencies for your CV: with examples and tips

What are core competencies for a CV?

Core competencies for a CV are a list of your hard skills, soft skills and personal qualities and strengths that can help give the reader a quick and easy first impression of your suitability for a job. Each job description is likely to have a list of core competencies that employers are expecting candidates to have. This can help them quickly check the suitability of a candidate, while ATS apps (Applicant Tracking System) may also scan CVs for core competencies as a quick way to sort and rank candidates.

While core competencies may vary for each position, there are common ones that most employers look for, such as teamwork and leadership. In your annual performance reviews with your employer, core competencies can be used to measure your performance and to identify further areas of development. However, it can be confusing trying to differentiate between core competencies and skills for a CV, so how can you tell them apart?

Core competencies vs. skills: what’s the difference?

It might seem that skills and core competencies are broadly the same thing, but there are some key differences. Understanding how to identify your skills and your core competencies can help you craft a more compelling CV and also at the interview stage and beyond. Here are some ways to differentiate between the two:

Why core competencies matter to recruiters

The term core competency describes the unique set of resources and skills a company possesses, that makes them unique from other businesses. Employers will look for candidates with core competencies that match the organisational culture, and will often list specific core competencies in their job descriptions to easily assess if a candidate is the right fit for their organisation.

Mentioning core competencies in your CV can help you to:

• Show employers you fit with their company values and that you understand what it takes to succeed in their company.
• Include keywords that can help your CV rank higher with ATS CV screening software.
• Quickly summarise your expertise and skills to demonstrate your suitability as a candidate.

Listing core competencies can be especially helpful if you’re changing careers and have formerly worked in different industries. Core competencies can help tie those disparate experiences together and convince employers that you have the right skills and knowledge for the position.

How do you identify your core competencies?

There are several steps to identifying your core competencies, and deciding which to include in your CV. Follow this easy guide to establish your core competencies for each job application:

1. Review the job description for an ‘essential criteria’ or ‘core competencies’ section, to understand the core competencies that the employer expects candidates to have.
2. Draft a list of the skills you’ve acquired and developed throughout your career or in education (if you’re at the start of your career).
3. If necessary, take a competency test, many of which are available online, and review the results.
4. Ask colleagues or managers from previous roles, who might be able to identify core competencies that you haven't noticed.
5. If you're unable to ask colleagues or managers, review previous appraisals and performance reviews to understand your key strengths.
6. Compare your list against the core competencies mentioned in the job description, remove any that aren't relevant and adapt the wording of your competencies to ensure they match the keywords in the job description.

How to mention core competencies in your CV

Following these simple steps will help you understand how and where to add core competencies to your CV for maximum impact:

Step 1: Choose 3 to 5 relevant competencies

Add between three and five core competencies to your CV. If you add many more, it could look like you're intentionally stuffing your CV with keywords. Start by reviewing the job description and add any competencies that you consider to be essential to the role. You should also consider your own specific competencies, and think about how they align with the job description, before settling on a selection of competencies that match both the job description and your own strengths as closely as possible.

Step 2: Decide where to add them

There are several places you could mention your core competencies in your CV:

• In your personal statement: Your personal statement or CV summary is an ideal place to mention your core competencies. Choose one or two key competencies to focus on and show how you've used them in your career to date.
• In your work experience section: The bullet points of your work experience section are suitable for showcasing your core competencies, and evidencing how these have contributed to achievements and successful outcomes in your career.
• Under your CV title: You could include a brief list of your core competencies on a single line under your CV title or CV header. This will provide a quick reference of your key qualities and strengths to help the reader form a positive first impression.
• In a dedicated section: Creating a dedicated CV section for your core competencies can help them stand out, making them easily identifiable for the reader. If you're adding a dedicated core competencies section, just make sure it doesn't overlap with your skills section.

Step 3: Back them up with evidence

If you've incorporated your core competencies into your personal statement or work experience section, you should already be providing evidence to show how you put them to good use. However, if you've created a quick reference list under your CV title or added core competencies in their own dedicated section, you'll also want to show evidence of how you've used them in your work experience bullet points.

Here are some examples of how to add evidence of your experience, to back up your core competencies:

Customer Service Manager

If you listed ‘leadership’ as a core competency, you could demonstrate you possess this competency with the following examples:

Teacher

A common core competency for teachers might be ‘organisation’. To demonstrate that you possess this competency, you could mention the following:

Examples of core competencies

Your CV core competencies will vary according to the demands of the job description, but some competencies are universally desirable. Here are some of the most in-demand core competencies, together with specific examples of each competency that could apply, depending on the job requirements:

Core competencies by job type and level

The most essential core competencies for your CV will vary significantly according to industry sector and job type. While some roles and sectors will be more focused on industry knowledge and expertise, others will be based more on transferable skills.

You'll also find core competencies will differ depending on the level of the role. For junior positions, expect the required core competencies to be based more in soft and transferable skills that show you're adaptable and capable of carrying out basic tasks. As you become more experienced and start applying for mid-level and senior roles, expect the core competencies to become more technical and strategic.

Here are some examples of core competencies for different job types, at different levels:

Sales

• Junior: Persuasiveness, resilience, product knowledge.
• Mid-level: Relationship building, CRM management, prospecting.
• Senior: Strategic sales planning, negotiation, relationship management.

Administrative roles

• Junior: Written communication, organisation, attention to detail.
• Mid-level: Diary management, bookkeeping, customer service.
• Senior: Discretion/confidentiality, database management, office management.

IT

• Junior: Problem-solving, attention to detail, teamwork.
• Mid-level: Troubleshooting, network administration, analytical thinking.
• Senior: Strategic planning, systems design, project management.

Education

• Junior: Communication, patience, empathy.
• Mid-level: Lesson planning, classroom leadership, professional development.
• Senior: Strategic leadership, policy development, staff development/management.

Human Resources

• Junior: Record keeping, time management, teamwork.
• Mid-level: Employee relations management, HR policy development/compliance, data analysis.
• Senior: Strategic workforce planning, organisational development, change management.

Medicine

• Junior: Basic patient care, empathy/compassion, collaboration.
• Mid-level: Diagnosis, treatment plans, patient advocacy/ethics.
• Senior: Clinical leadership, healthcare policy compliance, budget management.

Engineering

• Junior: CAD/design software, problem-solving, data analysis.
• Mid-level: Project management, risk assessment, cost estimation/budgeting.
• Senior: Regulatory compliance, quality assurance, stakeholder collaboration.

Finance

• Junior: Financial software, accounting fundamentals, analytical skills.
• Mid-level: Financial reporting/forecasting, regulatory compliance, financial modelling.
• Senior: Corporate financial management, risk management, investment analysis.

Marketing

• Junior: Content creation, time management/organisation, digital marketing tools.
• Mid-level: Campaign planning, market analysis, marketing strategy.
• Senior: Brand development, financial management, team leadership.

Hospitality

• Junior: Customer service skills, communication skills, working under pressure.
• Mid-level: Operational oversight, event planning/coordination, quality assurance.
• Senior: Financial management, marketing strategies, compliance/risk management.

Here are some CV examples that showcase strong skills for their industry and positions:

Core competencies to avoid on your CV

Listing the wrong core competencies on your CV can be detrimental to your chances of success. When you only have space for between three and five core competencies on your CV, it's critical to make the most of them and not add any that could detract from the messaging of your application. Here are some tips for what to avoid when adding core competencies to your CV:

Vague competencies

Overly vague or unfocused competencies are unlikely to add anything to your CV. Employers may already assume you have them, or they might fail to differentiate you from other candidates.

Basic technical competencies

Listing basic technical skills can make your CV appear outdated, and reflect poorly on your employability, because it can suggest you're struggling to come up with valuable skills related to the role.

Irrelevant competencies

Listing core competencies that might reflect your key skills, but are unrelated to the job description, will do very little to help your chances of success. They take up valuable space that could be put to better use evidencing competencies that match the job description.

Personality traits

It's easy to confuse core competencies for personal qualities and facets of your personality. However, personality traits aren't useful for a CV, unless you can show how you've put them to use to achieve success in your career to date.

Instead of adding low-quality, low-impact core competencies to your CV, follow this guide to make sure your core competencies make a big impression with the reader:

Key Takeaways for Your CV Core Competencies

Tailoring your core competencies on your CV can have a big impact on your chances of job application success. Core competencies go beyond skills to describe how you can apply your abilities and strengths to positive effect in the workplace. In this way, they can help you show employers how you can make an impact in their organisation.

Review the job description and make sure your core competencies match what the employer is looking for, while reflecting your best personal qualities. Incorporate your core competencies into your CV, supporting them with evidence that shows how they've contributed to your career achievements. Ready to showcase your top strengths? With Jobseeker’s CV builder, you can select from professionally designed CV templates and easily add tailored core competencies. Make your CV stand out today.

Sources:

(1) Jobseeker, What 1000+ HR Professionals Really Want in a Candidate.