Excel skills: what they are, who uses them and how to show them
Microsoft Excel is spreadsheet software for organising, calculating and reporting on data. O*NET lists spreadsheet software, with Excel named, among the technology skills for many occupations, from customer service to financial analysis. On a resume, name what you did with it, not just the word Excel.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Skill | Microsoft Excel |
| Source of the occupation data | O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor), accessed 31 October 2026 |
| Occupations in this guide that list it | 6 |
| Where to learn more | Our career guides and the O*NET pages linked below |
What is Microsoft Excel?
A spreadsheet holds data in rows and columns and lets you calculate on it with formulas. People use Excel to track budgets, reconcile lists, build reports and clean data exports. "Excel" on a resume can mean anything from entering data to building models, so say which.
Which jobs use it?
The occupation pages on O*NET OnLine list technology skills and top essential skills. These occupations from our career guides include this skill or closely related ones:
- Accountants and Auditors (ONET 13-2011.00): ONET lists accounting software, spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel) and office suites.
- Financial and Investment Analysts (O*NET 13-2051.00): spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel) alongside business intelligence tools such as Tableau and Microsoft Power BI.
- Customer Service Representatives (O*NET 43-4051.00): Microsoft Excel marked in-demand.
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive (O*NET 43-6014.00): spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets).
- Logisticians (O*NET 13-1081.00): spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel).
- Data Scientists (O*NET 15-2051.00): Microsoft Excel under office and reporting tools.
O*NET examples are illustrative, not a requirement for every employer. Read the postings for the role you want.
How do I show it on a resume?
- Name the task and the output: "built a monthly expense report in Excel" says more than "proficient in Excel".
- List specific features you actually used, such as formulas, lookups, pivot tables or charts, only if you can do them in an interview test.
- Mention the size of the data in plain terms only if you know it. Do not invent counts.
- If you use Google Sheets too, list both, as job postings write either.
See the accountant resume example and customer service resume example and data analyst resume example for layout, and our guide to an ATS-friendly resume.
On LiveRec, employers who find candidates for a job see up to five of your skills on your card, with the ones that match the job first. Use the exact name of the skill, as in which skills to put on a profile.
Where can I learn it?
We link only official sources we could verify. The O*NET Skills Search shows skills and examples, and each career guide above explains typical education from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ask your employer or school what training it offers, then add what you complete to your profile.
Frequently asked questions
Is Excel a hard skill? Yes. It is a tool skill you can show with examples and often test. Postings may ask for basic, intermediate or advanced, so describe tasks to make your level clear.
Should I put Excel on a resume if I only know the basics? Yes, if it is honest and the job lists it. Describe the basic tasks you do, such as entering and sorting data, so the reader sees your level.
Do I need a certificate to list Excel? No. O*NET and BLS do not require one for the jobs in this guide. A work example or a short test result is stronger than a certificate you cannot discuss.
Related guides
When you are ready, search jobs on LiveRec.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine, Accountants and Auditors, 13-2011.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-2011.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Financial and Investment Analysts, 13-2051.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-2051.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Customer Service Representatives, 43-4051.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-4051.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive, 43-6014.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-6014.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Logisticians, 13-1081.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1081.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Data Scientists, 15-2051.00: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-2051.00 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- O*NET OnLine, Skills Search: https://www.onetonline.org/skills/ (accessed 31 October 2026)