Skills vs experience: What's more important to employers?

If you’re applying for jobs – or even if you’ve just started to write a resumé – you’ve probably noticed two important sections: skills and experience. Every single job ad you read will have requirements for both of these categories, and if you hope to get called for an interview, you have to know what they mean. 

While both are important to have, there’s no definitive answer to which is more attractive to a hiring manager. Most jobs require a mix of both – but it depends on the role and there are many exceptions to the rule.

When you’re just starting out in your career, you might be worried about how employers weigh skills vs experience on your resumé – or if you can even find a job without any experience. Read through our ‘skills vs experience’ resumé guide for advice on how to balance these two important factors in your job applications. 

Understanding skills and experience

Before we cover how you should approach the skills vs experience issue on your resumé, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what both terms mean.

Skills are your abilities or competencies. They refer to both technical abilities and soft skills, or what’s known as transferable skills. Examples of soft skills include teamwork, computer literacy, organisation and communication. Specific technical skills include software proficiency, administering an IV, editing and operating machinery. Skills can be gained either through education and training or on-the-job experience.

Experience on a resumé refers to your past professional roles. This section is where you list all the jobs you’ve had: where you worked and what your main duties and achievements were. While most job ads, even for entry-level roles, might call for a certain level of experience, it’s usually only a strict requirement for mid-level or senior roles. For some roles, having too much experience can even work against you. 

Skills and experience often overlap. You usually gain skills automatically through work experience, but even if you don’t have any experience, your skills can still make you stand out. 

What employers value more: skills or experience?

When it comes to which is more important to employers – skills vs experience – that depends on the individual role and the individual hiring manager. Some roles might require more technical skills, while others need more on-the-job experience. Some hiring managers might prefer applicants with no experience, who can be trained from scratch. 

For example, say a company is looking to hire a junior employee for an entry-level administrative role. In this case, admin skills like organisation, communication and computer literacy are enough, in addition to a basic qualification. Someone with years of experience will likely not be interested in an entry-level role (or salary), and their past experience might not apply to this particular company, so it won’t be a priority. 

Conversely, if an employer needs to fill a team leader position, they will look for someone with workplace experience, possibly someone who has already led a team or who has worked in their field for several years. Specific technical skills probably aren’t as important as on-the-job experience and a proven track record of success in that industry. 

In the case of emerging jobs, like those related to AI or blockchain, employers are more likely to value technical skills versus experience. In areas that haven’t been around for long, it’s not possible to find people with years of industry experience, so skills are by default more important. 

Presenting skills and experience in a resumé

Both skills and experience are crucial elements in your resumé that help you secure the kind of job you want. Any time you apply for a job, it’s important to tailor your resumé to list all relevant skills and experiences for that position.

In terms of resumé format, all your skills should be grouped together above the experience section. List them in bullet points in two columns, starting with the most relevant first. Your skills should be one or two words – there’s usually no need to include a description for each skill, unless you want to provide extra context or clarity. 

Example:

Skills

• Graphic design (Figma, Illustrator, InDesign)
• Photography (film and digital)
• Video editing (Adobe Premier)

In the experience section, list your jobs with the most recent at the top. Include the name of the position you held, the company, your employment period and what your main duties were. 

Example:

Experience

Graphic designer
ABC Agency | Oct 2021–present

Provided creative ideas and design solutions based on client briefs: website assets, brand campaigns, product packaging, videos/reels and all printed materials.

Key responsibilities:

• Project management with tight deadlines
• Design all brand elements for clients
• Create and update seasonal packaging 
• Collaborate with internal teams to deliver social media assets
• Campaign video editing

The skills section is a list of abilities you have, while the experience section shows how you used those skills in your past and current jobs. A hiring manager will scan your skills list first, to see if you have the basic abilities needed for the job, then read through your experience to gauge your level of expertise. 

Skills vs experience in job interviews

Once you get to the interview stage, you have a chance to provide more context about what you can do. This is where you can impress the interviewer with your can-do attitude if you don’t have much work experience.

An interviewer may refer to your resumé and ask about specific skills, or they might just ask you what you can bring to the role. If you have work experience, even if it’s not in the same industry, try to connect it to the criteria listed in the advertised role. Mention any transferable skills you have. 

For example:

I waited tables at a café while I was studying at uni, which taught me good time management and communication, as well as working under pressure. I really enjoyed the collaborative team environment there. 

If they ask you to talk about your skills, mention your ability level and how you’ve practised or honed your skills.

For example:

I taught myself how to edit videos when I was in high school, then got formal training in advanced video editing at arts college. Editing my own videos is something I do in my spare time, so I’d love a role where I could use and develop those skills.

By telling a story about your skills and experience, you can show your suitability and enthusiasm for the role. Sharing some of your unique backstory also makes you more memorable to a hiring manager.  

Gaining relevant experience

If you’re just leaving school you may not have much (or any) work experience, and you might feel as if this is hurting your chances of getting a job. But how can you get experience if you can’t get a job to get the experience? It’s a problem a lot of younger job seekers face. 

One strategy to break into the workforce is to first apply for casual or part-time jobs. Hospitality, retail and food service often hire inexperienced people to help during high seasons and holidays. Once you have a few months’ experience under your belt, you’ll be able to add many more skills to your resumé. 

Alternatively, seek out volunteering work to gain skills. Search job boards for volunteer positions and you might be surprised at the range of skills and experience they offer. Networking is another way to find your first job. The wider your professional network, the more access you have to upcoming opportunities. Joining networking events or conferences can help you meet people in your chosen industry. Adding a mentor to your network can also be part of your job-finding strategy. 

Improving skills for career advancement

Your learning journey doesn’t end when you get a job. Continued skill development is not just good for your future job prospects, it’s essential if you want to remain relevant and competent. By setting professional goals and committing to ongoing learning, you can stay ahead of industry changes and keep your skill set up to date. 

To build on your skills while you’re working, take any training opportunities or courses offered by your employer. Alternatively, you can seek out your own learning opportunities. Enrol in a course and get certified, join a special interest group, join hobby forums or start a passion project for DIY upskilling. 

Skills and experience: striking the right balance

When it comes to the skills vs experience debate, striking the correct balance takes conscious effort as you progress in your career. You may find once you’ve been working for a while that your years of experience are tallying up, but your skills are staying the same.

It’s important to keep finding ways of both broadening your skill set and your range of experiences, no matter how far you are into your career. Most industries change over the course of a lifetime, and the only way to stay head of the curve is to commit to continuous learning. Lifelong learning not only helps you stay current in your role, but has far-reaching benefits outside of work as well.  

There’s no simple answer to the skills vs experience question when it comes to a resumé. Both are essential in the job market, whether you’re looking for your first full-time role or you’re a veteran in your industry. The best approach is to continue upskilling and seeking out new experiences in your career, so you can fill your resumé with a great balance of both.