As a print production manager, you likely have a range of technical skills that are essential for the role. Make sure to highlight these prominently in your skills section. Some key skills to consider including are:

• Print Production: Offset printing, digital printing, screen printing, letterpress
• Software: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), QuarkXPress, Microsoft Office
• Color Management: Color calibration, color correction, Pantone matching
• Prepress: Preflighting, imposition, trapping, proofing

By listing out your technical skills in an easy-to-read format, you make it clear to hiring managers that you have the necessary expertise for the job.

One mistake job seekers often make is using the same generic skills section for every job they apply to. To stand out, you need to customize your skills to the specific job you're targeting.

Start by carefully reviewing the job description and noting any skills or qualifications that are called out as requirements or preferences. Then, make sure to include as many of those skills as possible on your resume (as long as you actually have them).

For example, if a job description for a print production manager specifically mentions experience with large format printing, your skills section might look like:

• Print Production: Offset printing, digital printing, large format printing, screen printing
• Software: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), QuarkXPress, Microsoft Office
• Color Management: Color calibration, color correction, Pantone matching

By tailoring your skills section to the job, you signal to hiring managers that you're a strong match for the role.

Hiring managers don't just want to know what skills you have - they also want to understand your level of proficiency. One way to convey this is by using descriptors like "expert", "advanced", "proficient", or "beginner" next to each skill.

Here's an example of what this might look like in practice:

• Print Production: Offset printing (expert), digital printing (advanced), screen printing (proficient)
• Software: Adobe InDesign (expert), Photoshop (advanced), Illustrator (proficient), QuarkXPress (beginner)
• Color Management: Color calibration (advanced), color correction (proficient), Pantone matching (expert)

By providing this level of detail, you give hiring managers a much clearer picture of your capabilities, which can help you stand out from other candidates.

However, be honest in your assessment. Don't claim to be an expert in a skill unless you truly are. Getting caught in a lie would be far worse than having a lower proficiency level.

When it comes to your skills section, it's best to focus primarily on hard skills - that is, specific learnable abilities like software knowledge or printing techniques. Soft skills, like communication or leadership, are better demonstrated through your work experience or achievements.

Too often, job seekers make the mistake of padding out their skills section with vague or irrelevant soft skills, like this:

• Strong communication skills
• Detail-oriented
• Team player
• Microsoft Office
• Adobe Creative Suite

While skills like communication and attention to detail are certainly important, they don't tell a hiring manager anything specific about your capabilities as a print production manager. Worse, including skills like "Microsoft Office" can make you look out of touch, since familiarity with basic office software is assumed these days.

Instead, a strong skills section for a print production manager should look more like this:

• Print Production: Offset lithography, flexography, gravure, screen printing, saddle stitching, perfect binding
• Software: Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Pitstop
• Color Management: GMG ColorServer, X-Rite i1Profiler, color calibration, ICC profiles
• Workflow: Agile methodology, Kanban boards, Asana, Slack

By focusing on specific, relevant hard skills, you paint a much more compelling picture of your qualifications.