Build a resume skills section recruiters and ATS both read
Most skills sections are a random list of buzzwords. This prompt has your todo.is agent read the job you want plus a few similar ads, find the hard skills, tools and certifications they ask for most, and build a grouped skills section from what you actually have, with a clear list of gaps.
The prompt
- Build the skills section of my resume for [TARGET JOB TITLE]. Here is the job I'm applying to: [JOB POSTING LINK]. Also search for 4 similar job ads in [CITY OR REMOTE] and count which skills appear most. My skills: [LIST YOUR TOOLS, SOFTWARE, LANGUAGES, CERTIFICATIONS AND SOFT SKILLS]. Group my skills into 3 or 4 labeled lines (for example Technical, Tools, Certifications, Languages), use the exact wording from the postings, put the most requested first, and keep it ATS-friendly (plain text, no rating bars or icons). Then show me a table of the top 15 skills from the ads, which ones I have, and which ones I should learn or prove in my bullet points.
What to change
- [TARGET JOB TITLE]: The role you're aiming for, e.g. "Digital Marketing Specialist".
- [JOB POSTING LINK]: The ad you're applying to. Or paste the description.
- [CITY OR REMOTE]: Where to look for similar ads, e.g. "Toronto" or "remote, US".
- [LIST YOUR TOOLS, SOFTWARE, LANGUAGES, CERTIFICATIONS AND SOFT SKILLS]: Everything you can honestly claim. Or attach your current resume and your agent pulls them out.
Example result
- Skills section for Digital Marketing Specialist
- Marketing: SEO, paid search (PPC), email marketing, marketing automation, A/B testing, content strategy
- Tools: Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, HubSpot, Semrush, Canva
- Data: Excel (pivot tables, XLOOKUP), Looker Studio dashboards, campaign reporting
- Certifications: Google Ads Search Certification, HubSpot Inbound Marketing
- What the 5 job ads asked for
- • Google Analytics 4: 5 of 5 ads, you have it
- • SEO: 5 of 5, you have it
- • Google Ads / PPC: 4 of 5, you have it
- • HubSpot: 3 of 5, you have it
- • Email marketing: 4 of 5, you have it
- • A/B testing: 3 of 5, you have it
- • Looker Studio: 2 of 5, you have it
- • Meta Ads: 3 of 5, you have it
- • Marketing automation: 3 of 5, you have it
- • Content strategy: 3 of 5, you have it
- • Canva: 2 of 5, you have it
- • Google Tag Manager: 3 of 5, gap
- • SQL basics: 2 of 5, gap
- • Salesforce: 2 of 5, gap
- • LinkedIn Ads: 2 of 5, gap
- How to close the gaps
- • Google Tag Manager: Google's free Tag Manager course takes a weekend. Set up one tag on a personal site and mention it.
- • SQL basics: a short beginner course is enough to list "SQL (basic)".
- • Salesforce and LinkedIn Ads: only add these if you've used them. Otherwise mention similar CRM or ad platform experience in your bullets.
- Soft skills
- Leave "communication" and "teamwork" out of the list. Prove them in bullets instead, e.g. "Presented monthly results to the sales team of 12".
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and replace the [brackets], or attach your resume instead of listing skills.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen and press Get it done.
- Your agent reads the job ads with links and returns the skills lines plus a gap table.
- Ask "put this into my resume and send me the Word file" to get the full updated resume.
Tips for a better result
- Use the posting's exact words. If it says "Google Analytics 4", don't write "web analytics".
- Skip skill bars, stars and percentages. ATS can't read them and recruiters don't trust them.
- Every key skill in the list should also show up in at least one experience bullet.
- Keep it to 10 to 20 skills in 3 or 4 groups. A wall of 40 keywords looks like stuffing.
- Only list what you could discuss in an interview. Gaps belong on a learning plan, not your resume.
resume skills section: FAQ
- Where should the skills section go on a resume? For most people, after the summary or after experience. Career changers and technical roles often put it near the top so key skills are seen first.
- How many skills should I list on a resume? Around 10 to 20, grouped by type. Choose the ones the job asks for, not everything you've ever used.
- Should I include soft skills in the skills section? One or two is fine, but they carry more weight when shown in your bullet points with a result.
- What are hard skills vs soft skills? Hard skills are teachable and testable, like Excel, SQL, forklift operation or a language. Soft skills are how you work, like communication or leadership.
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