Skills or experience? Job seekers and recruiters weigh in on what’s most important

Tampa, Fla, March 17, 2025 — A new Hudson RPO survey shows that when it comes to resumes, both job seekers and recruiters believe it’s more important to highlight what you can do, versus what you have done. 

Nearly two-thirds (61%) of job seekers said a resume should focus on strengths/skills while 39% said the priority should be education/work experience. When asked the same question, 57% of recruiters/hiring managers said they focus on strengths/skills of the candidate, while 43% noted education/work experience as the main focus.  

“Skills and experiences are both important to highlight, but often we see resumes filled with laundry lists of past work experiences and education at the expense of key skills, such as problem solving and attention to detail,” said Hudson RPO CEO Jake Zabkowicz. “An important tip for job seekers is to back up examples of how they exemplify those skills, such as a time when attention to detail helped them avoid key mistakes.” 

Respondents cited matching roles with abilities as the top reason to highlight skills (40%) followed by growth potential (34%). The top skills to highlight, according to the survey, are soft skills (e.g. teamwork) at 58%. 

“Job seekers can be highly competent at a particular task, but if they can’t work with people, their effectiveness decreases exponentially,” said Zabkowicz. 

According to the survey, there are other benefits to skills-based hiring. Fifty-nine percent of respondents say it has had either a significant or transformative impact on their organization’s DE&I efforts. 

“There’s really no downside to focusing on a candidate’s strengths and skills as recruiters determine who will be the best person for a role and for their organization,” said Zabkowicz. 

About the Survey:

The February 2025 survey of professionals had 803 responses.

Survey results

As a recruiter or hiring manager, what is more important to see on an applicant’s resume?  

• Education/Work experience – 43% 
• Strengths/Skills – 57% 

As a job seeker, what do you think is more important to highlight on your resume?  

• Education/Work experience – 39% 
• Strengths/Skills – 61% 

What is the best reason to emphasize skills over education/work experience on your resume?  

• Remove gaps in work history – 9% 
• Changing career or field – 26% 
• Not enough work experience – 5%
• Focus on ability vs history – 61% 

To what extent can skills-based hiring support diversity, equity, and inclusion in your organization?

• Minimal or no impact – 17%
• Moderate visible impact – 24%
•  Significant measurable impact – 48%
• Transformational impact – 11%

Which skills are most important for a job seeker to highlight?  

• Technical certifications – 12% 
• Soft skills (e.g., teamwork) – 58% 
• Skills assessments – 10% 
• Portfolio/work samples – 21% 

Main advantage of focusing on skills over experience?  

• Shows immediate value – 22% 
• Highlights growth potential – 34% 
• Matches roles with abilities – 40% 
• Stands out in a competitive market – 4%