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Today, 87% of employers have difficulty finding the right employees. That’s a significant percentage, and it’s all because of skill gaps.

Hiring managers aren’t entirely sure if someone fits the job well because the crucial information isn’t exactly front and center. Sometimes, it’s not there, making it even worse.

Good thing this article breaks down the best hard skills for resumes, explains why they matter, and tells you how to showcase them best.

So whether you’re just starting your career or looking for a fresh start, this guide will help you make a good impression on potential employers.

What are hard skills?

How to Showcase Hard Skills on Your Resume

Hard Skills to Show on Your Resume

What are hard skills?

Technically, your hard skills are actions you must complete to get things done on any given day. They are skills that you pick up over time, throughout your career, and eventually consider muscle memory.

This could be through routine tasks, on-the-job training, or even continued education funded by the company.

Whatever the case, hard skills are essential because they allow potential employers to see what you can do quickly. It saves everyone time, including you.

How to Showcase Hard Skills on Your Resume

Showing off your hard skills on your resume is necessary to stand out. Unfortunately, most resumes fall flat — only 59% focus on hard skills. Here are some tips for showcasing your hard skills on your resume.

1. Tailor your resume to the job description.

It seems obvious, but you must tailor your resume to fit the job. Otherwise, hiring managers will gloss over your resume, like the other 54% of job applicants who don’t tailor their resumes for each employer or position.

So look for the hard skills mentioned in the job posting and show off your experiences that match up. Use keywords from the job description so employers can quickly see you have the chops for the position.

2. Use bullet points to showcase your hard skills.

Using bullet points is a great way to make your skills pop on your resume. Keep it clear and snappy when you talk about your skills and achievements, and throw in some numbers to show off the impact of your hard skills.

This gives employers solid proof of what you can do.

3. Include specific examples of how you’ve used your hard skills.

Share specific examples of how you’ve put your hard skills to work in past roles or projects. This helps show you know your stuff and gives a bit of background on your accomplishments.

For instance, if you’re a pro with a certain software program, talk about how you used it to nail a tricky project or make a process run smoother.

4. Provide evidence of your hard skills through certifications and training.

If you have certificates from training programs, pop them on your resume to back up your hard skills and show you’re all about growing and learning. This will highlight the relevant skills needed for the job.

Remember, putting your hard skills front and center on your resume is critical to showing potential employers you’re the real deal. Follow these tips to make sure your hard skills get noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.

Hard Skills to Show on Your Resume

1. Programming Languages

Programming skills like Python, Java, and C++ are highly valuable in today’s tech industry. Employers are looking for candidates with specific expertise, so include this skill if it’s relevant to your position.

Best for: Software developers, data analysts, and IT professionals.

Pro tip: Provide specific examples of projects you’ve worked on using each language to demonstrate your proficiency.

2. Data Analysis

The ability to analyze data is becoming increasingly important across various industries, so showcasing this hard skill can help you when applying for similar positions in different industries.

Best for: Data analysts, business analysts, and marketing professionals.

Pro tip: Demonstrate your data analysis skills by sharing examples of how you’ve used data in the past.

3. Project Management

Proficiency in project management software such as Asana, Trello, and Jira can effectively showcase your ability to manage tasks, timelines, and resources. For companies who use this software, the time they will need to invest in your training will be substantially less if you already know how to use them.

Best for: Project managers, team leaders, and coordinators.

Pro tip: Provide examples of successful projects you’ve managed, including the scope, timeline, and outcomes achieved.

4. Graphic Design

Whether or not your primary role was graphic design, the ability to create visually appealing designs for various mediums using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign is worth sharing on your resume. Be sure to mention which programs you’re proficient in.

Best for: Graphic designers, web designers, and marketing professionals.

Pro tip: Include your best design work portfolio to showcase your skills and creativity.

5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Excellent skills in SEO tools and techniques can improve your website’s visibility and traffic. Elaborate on the specific aspects of SEO you’re an expert in to display how your skills match the company’s needs.

Best for: Digital marketers, web developers, and content creators.

Pro tip: Highlight successful SEO campaigns you’ve managed, including increased traffic, higher rankings, and improved conversion rates.

6. Public Speaking

Public speaking skills demonstrate your ability to present ideas, persuade, and engage audiences. Considering that most people fear public speaking, it’s valuable for you to share this skill if you can use it in your workplace.

Best for: Sales professionals, executives, and educators.

Pro tip: Describe specific presentations you’ve delivered, including the topic, audience, and outcomes.

7. Financial Analysis

Financial analysis skills can demonstrate your ability to interpret and analyze financial statements and make informed decisions. This skill is vital if your role has any connection to finances.

Best for: Financial analysts, investment bankers, and accounting professionals.

Pro tip: Provide examples of financial analyses you’ve conducted, such as financial modeling, forecasting, and trend analysis.

8. Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing proficiency demonstrates your ability to create and implement effective campaigns that boost brand awareness, engagement, and conversions.

With over 93% of businesses on social media, this skill is critical for most marketing strategies.

Best For: Digital marketers, social media managers, and PR professionals.

Pro Tip: Include examples of successful social media campaigns you’ve managed, including increased followers, engagement rates, and conversions.

9. HTML/CSS

HTML/CSS knowledge demonstrates your ability to design and develop websites. Most customers first discover a company or brand online, but many small businesses still don’t have websites.

This is an excellent skill if you’re looking to improve existing sites or help small businesses launch one.

Best for: Web developers, UX designers, and digital marketers.

Pro tip: Provide examples of websites you’ve designed or developed, including the coding languages and tools you used.

10. Email Marketing

An understanding of email marketing can demonstrate your ability to design and execute effective campaigns that drive engagement and conversions.

Email marketing remains a core channel for brands to reach their audience, so highlight this skill if it’s part of your background.

Best for: Digital marketers, email marketing managers, and e-commerce professionals.

Pro tip: Highlight successful email campaigns you’ve managed, including open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.

11. Sales

Sales experience demonstrates your ability to prospect, pitch, negotiate, and close deals.

Sales is a complex process that includes many skills, so be sure to name specific ones, such as product and policy knowledge, the ability to prospect, pitch, and qualify leads, and your research skills.

Best for: Sales professionals, business development managers, and entrepreneurs.

Pro tip: Give specific examples of successful sales campaigns and deals you’ve closed, including revenue generated and customer satisfaction.

12. UX/UI Design

Proficiency in UX/UI Design can showcase your ability to create visually appealing and easy-to-use user-centered designs.

Best for: UX/UI designers, web designers, and product managers.

Pro tip: Provide examples of designs you’ve created, including wireframes, prototypes, and final designs.

13. Video Production

Creating high-quality video content that tells compelling stories and engages audiences shows video production proficiency. Be specific when listing the skills you have surrounding this process.

Best for: Video producers, filmmakers, and marketing professionals.

Pro tip: Include your best video work portfolio to showcase your skills and creativity.

14. Content Creation

Knowledge of content creation can demonstrate your ability to write, edit, and produce blogs, articles, videos, and social media posts.

Mention the types of content you’ve made and the fields you’ve created content for so hiring managers can see if your experience is a good fit.

Best for: Content creators, copywriters, and digital marketers.

Pro tip: Share examples of content you’ve created, including the topic, audience, and outcome.

15. Leadership

Leadership skills demonstrate your ability to inspire, motivate, and guide teams. Be sure to back this up with evidence in your resume and compelling anecdotes in your interview.

Best for: Managers, executives, and team leaders.

Pro tip: Give specific examples of teams you’ve led, including the challenges faced, the accomplishments, and the impact.

16. Mobile App Development

A solid understanding of mobile app development allows you to design projects for various platforms. Apps are competing to be one of the main ways customers connect with businesses, so there are many promising job opportunities with these skills.

Best For: Mobile app developers, software engineers, and product managers.

Pro Tip: Provide examples of mobile apps you’ve developed, including the coding languages and tools you used.

17. Event Planning

Experience in event planning can demonstrate your ability to plan, coordinate, and execute successful conferences, trade shows, and fundraisers. Events can be complex, so showing yourself to be an efficient and effective planner is important.

Best for: Event planners, marketing professionals, and project managers.

Pro tip: Describe specific examples of events you have planned, including their scope, timeline, and results.

18. Data Mining

Proficiency in data mining can demonstrate your ability to extract valuable insights and patterns from large datasets.

Best for: Data analysts, data scientists, and business analysts.

Pro tip: Highlight successful data mining projects you’ve managed, including the insights gained and the impact on the organization.

19. Digital Advertising

Knowledge of digital advertising can demonstrate your ability to create and manage effective online advertising campaigns, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads. Be sure to mention your specific areas of expertise.

Best for: Digital marketers, PPC managers, and advertising professionals.

Pro tip: Include examples of successful digital advertising campaigns you’ve managed, including the click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI.

20. Network Administration

Maintaining, configuring, and troubleshooting computer networks and systems can demonstrate your expertise in network administration.

Best for: Network administrators, IT support specialists and system administrators.

Pro tip: Explain the tools and technologies you used to perform network administration tasks.

21. Email Management

Email management skills demonstrate your ability to handle incoming and outgoing messages efficiently. This is an essential skill for jobs that require dealing with a large volume of emails daily, especially for interacting with clients.

Best for: Administrative assistants, customer service representatives, and virtual assistants.

Pro tip: Talk about how you managed large volumes of emails, prioritized tasks, and responded to customers.

22. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Understanding SEM can demonstrate your ability to manage Google and Bing Ads campaigns.

SEM can be an important part of companies’ marketing strategies, so having experts who can create suitable ads and navigate bidding is key to their success.

Best for: Digital marketers, PPC managers, and advertising professionals.

Pro tip: Include examples of successful SEM campaigns you’ve managed, including the click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI.

23. Database Administration

Proficiency in database administration can demonstrate your ability to design, implement, and maintain databases to store and organize large amounts of data.

Best for: Database administrators, data analysts, and IT professionals.

Pro tip: Give details about the database projects you have managed, including their size, technology, and performance.

24. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

CRM skills demonstrate your ability to organize and analyze customer data and create targeted marketing campaigns. They are essential for companies to improve customer communication and grow their business.

Best for: Sales professionals, customer service representatives, and marketing professionals.

Pro tip: Highlight specific CRM tools and techniques, and provide examples of successful campaigns you’ve managed.

25. Statistical Analysis

A solid understanding of statistical analysis can demonstrate your ability to analyze data and extract meaningful information.

Best for: Data analysts, data scientists, and research professionals.

Pro tip: Include examples of successful analyses that use specific statistical tools and techniques.

26. Technical Writing

Technical writing skills can help you create clear and concise technical documentation, including user manuals, training material, and technical reports.

Best for: Technical writers, instructional designers, and subject matter experts.

Pro tip: Share examples of technical documents you’ve created, including audience, purpose, and outcome.

27. Brand Management

Brand management skills can demonstrate your ability to develop and manage an identity that differentiates your company from others.

Brand identity is how companies set themselves apart from competitors, so they must continue to deliver on-brand messages to their customer base.

Best for: Brand managers, marketing professionals, and entrepreneurs.

Pro tip: Demonstrate successful branding campaigns you’ve managed, including the brand’s identity, the target audience, and the impact they had on revenues and market share.

28. Data Visualization

Data visualization skills can demonstrate your ability to create compelling visual representations of complex data, making it easier to understand.

This skill is vital. You can create visualizations so data can be easily communicated to those less statistically savvy.

Best for: Data analysts, data scientists, and business professionals.

Pro tip: Highlight specific data visualization tools and techniques, and provide examples of successful visualizations you’ve created.

29. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing expertise shows you can design, deploy, and manage scalable and cost-effective cloud-based solutions to business challenges.

Best for: Cloud architects, IT professionals, and software developers.

Pro tip: Include examples of successful cloud computing projects you have managed and the platforms and services you have used.

30. Content Management Systems (CMS)

CMS capabilities demonstrate your ability to create, manage, and publish digital content across multiple platforms, such as websites, social media, and email.

Best for: Content managers, digital marketers, and web developers.

Pro tip: Provide examples of successful content management projects, and specify which CMS platforms and tools you’ve worked with.

31. Agile Methodology

Proficiency in Agile methodology can demonstrate your ability to manage projects using an iterative and collaborative approach, delivering value to the customer faster and more efficiently.

Best for: Project managers, software developers, and IT professionals.

Pro tip: Describe the Agile methodologies and frameworks you’ve used, along with successful examples of work you’ve done.

32. Software Testing

A solid background in software testing can demonstrate your ability to ensure software quality and reliability using various testing methods and tools.

Best for: Quality assurance professionals, software developers, and IT professionals.

Pro tip: Highlight specific testing methods and tools, and provide examples of successful testing projects you’ve managed.

33. Web Analytics

Web analytics skills demonstrate your ability to analyze website traffic and user behavior. Using this data, you can improve the user experience and help increase company visibility and revenue.

Best for: Digital marketers, web developers, and data analysts.

Pro tip: Include specific web analytics tools and techniques you’ve used and examples of successful analyses.

34. Supply Chain Management

Proficiency in supply chain management can demonstrate your ability to manage the flow of goods and services from the supplier to the customer, optimizing the supply chain performance and reducing costs.

Since this is a complex process, specify particular skills you have that serve the whole.

Best for: Supply chain managers, logistics professionals, and business analysts.

Pro tip: Provide examples of successful supply chain projects you have managed, including supply chain design, optimization, and performance measures.

35. Business Development

Business development skills demonstrate your ability to identify and pursue new business opportunities using various business development tools and techniques.

Also, name specific skills you have that fit this category since it can be a catch-all for many things. Draw out the particulars to strengthen your resume.

Best for: Business development managers, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs.

Pro tip: Provide examples of successful business development projects you’ve managed, including market analysis, business model development, and sales strategy implementation.

36. Database Design

Database design skills demonstrate your ability to design and implement database systems that meet business requirements and protect data.

Best for: Database administrators, IT professionals, and software developers.

Pro tip: Highlight specific database platforms and technologies you’ve worked with, and provide examples of successful database design projects you’ve managed.

37. Data Warehousing

Experience designing and implementing data warehouse solutions that can handle large volumes of data and support advanced analytics can demonstrate your skills.

Best for: Data architects, data engineers, and IT professionals.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience with specific data warehousing tools and describe how you’ve designed and optimized data warehouses to meet business needs.

38. Network Security

With the increasing importance of cybersecurity, the ability to implement and maintain network security measures is becoming more critical.

Best for: Cybersecurity professionals, network administrators, and IT professionals.

Pro tip: Provide examples of specific network security measures you’ve implemented to demonstrate your proficiency. Also, highlight your knowledge of network architecture and protocols and your ability to troubleshoot network issues.

39. Information Architecture

Information architecture skills involve organizing, structuring, and labeling content in a way that is intuitive and user-friendly for website visitors.

Best for: Web developers, UX designers, and digital marketers.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience developing information architecture plans and creating wireframes to demonstrate your proficiency in this area.

Provide examples of how your information architecture has improved the user experience for website visitors.

40. Market Research

Market research skills can help businesses identify customer needs and preferences. You can then make informed decisions about product development, pricing, and marketing strategies.

Best for: Market researchers, business analysts, and marketing professionals.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience with different market research methodologies, such as surveys, focus groups, and consumer interviews.

41. Business Strategy

Developing and executing effective business strategies is crucial for long-term growth and success. All successful businesses rely on strategy, so having the ability to create that vision for a company is extremely valuable.

Best for: Business development managers, consultants, and executives.

Pro tip: Provide past successes in developing and implementing business strategies. Highlight your ability to anticipate industry trends and competitive landscapes.

42. User Research

User research skills can help businesses understand the needs and preferences of their target audience — and develop products and services that meet those needs.

Best for: User experience (UX) researchers, product managers, and marketing professionals.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience with different user research methods, such as usability testing, interviews, and surveys, and provide examples of how you’ve used those insights to inform product development.

43. Front-end Development

Front-end development skills can help businesses create visually appealing and user-friendly websites and applications.

Since so many customers expect to connect with brands online, having easy-to-use digital assets is imperative for companies to succeed.

Best for: Front-end developers, web designers, and UX professionals.

Pro tip: Showcase your proficiency with front-end development technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and provide examples of visually appealing websites or applications you’ve created.

44. Back-end Development

Back-end development skills are essential for building and maintaining complex software systems and databases.

Best for: Back-end developers, software engineers, and IT professionals.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience with back-end development technologies such as Python, Ruby on Rails, or Node.js, and provide examples of software systems you’ve built or maintained.

45. Cloud Architecture

Cloud architecture skills can help businesses optimize their cloud computing technologies and reduce costs associated with on-premise infrastructure.

Best for: Cloud architects, IT professionals, and software engineers.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience with cloud computing technologies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure, and provide examples of how you’ve optimized cloud infrastructure to meet business needs.

46. Process Improvement

Process improvement skills can help companies streamline operations, reduce costs, and increase efficiency and productivity.

Best for: Operations managers, business analysts, and process improvement specialists.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience in analyzing and improving business processes using methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma. Then, provide examples of the results you achieved.

47. Administrative Support

Administrative support skills can help companies run smoothly and efficiently by assisting with scheduling, data entry, and document management.

Best for: Administrative assistants, office managers, and executive assistants.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience with different administrative tasks and software tools, such as Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and project management software.

48. Data Entry

Proficiency in data entry can demonstrate your ability to accurately and efficiently enter data into databases and systems.

Best for: Data entry clerks, administrative assistants, and researchers.

Pro tip: Highlight your typing speed, accuracy, and experience with different data entry software tools and databases.

49. Photography

Strong photography skills can help companies create high-quality visual content for marketing, advertising, and branding purposes.

Best for: Photographers, marketing professionals, and graphic designers.

Pro tip: Highlight your experience with different types of photography, such as portrait, landscape, and product photography, and your proficiency with photo editing software tools.

50. Audio Production

Audio production skills allow you to record, edit, and produce high-quality audio content, such as podcasts, music, commercials, and films.

Best for: Audio engineers, producers, musicians, and podcasters.

Pro tip: Showcase your experience with industry-standard audio software and equipment, and provide examples of audio projects you’ve worked on, including any notable achievements or recognition received for your work.

Ready to Revamp Your Resume?

To boost your chances of landing your dream job, make sure you shine a spotlight on your relevant skills and qualifications. The hard skills examples from this post should help.

Also, keep your resume short and sweet, and concentrate on the skills that matter most for the job you’re after.

Knowing how to sort in Excel can feel like a superpower. But unfortunately, many go through the tedious route of sorting and organizing data manually.

However, like many operations on Excel, there’s a workaround to sorting and organizing data with a few clicks.

In this guide, we’ll show you the different ways to use Excel’s sorting feature that you may not know about — so you can start using Excel like a pro.

Let’s start with the basics.

Table of Contents

How to Sort in Excel
How to Alphabetize in Excel
Sorting Multiple Columns
Sorting in Custom Order
Sorting a Row
Sort Your Conditional Formatting

1. Highlight the rows and/or columns you want to be sorted.

To sort a range of cells in Excel, click and drag your cursor across your spreadsheet to highlight all the cells you want to sort — even those rows and columns whose values you’re not sorting.

For example, suppose you want to sort column A, but there’s data associated with column A in columns B and C.

In that case, it’s essential to highlight all three columns to ensure the values in Columns B and C move along with the cells you’re sorting in Column A.

In the screenshot below, we will sort this sheet by the last name of Harry Potter characters. But each person’s first name and house need to go with each last name that gets sorted, or each column will become mismatched when we finish sorting.

2. Navigate to ‘Data’ along the top and select ‘Sort.’

Once you’ve highlighted all the data you want to sort, select the “Data” tab along the top navigation bar (you can see this button on the top-right of the screenshot in the first step above).

This tab will expand a new set of options beneath it, where you can select the “Sort” button. The icon has an “A-Z” graphic, as you can see below, but you can sort it in more ways than just alphabetically.

3. If sorting by column, select the column you want to order your sheet by.

A setting window will appear once you hit the “Sort” button. This is where you can configure what you’d like sorted and how you’d like to sort it.

If you’re sorting by a specific column, click “Column” — the leftmost dropdown menu, shown below — and select the column whose values you want to be your sorting criteria. In our case, it’ll be “Last Name.”

4. If sorting by row, click ‘Options’ and select ‘Sort left to right.’

If you’d rather sort by a specific row than a column, click “Options” at the bottom of the window and select “Sort left to right.”

Once you do this, the Sort settings window will reset and ask you to choose the specific “Row” you’d like to sort by in the leftmost dropdown (where it currently says “Column”).

This sorting system doesn’t quite make sense for our example, so we’ll stick with sorting by the “Last Name” column.

5. Choose what you’d like sorted.

You can sort cells by more than their value.

In the middle column of your Sort settings window, you’ll see a dropdown menu called “Sort On.”

Click it, and you can choose to sort your sheet by different characteristics of each cell in the column/row you’re sorting by. These options include cell color, font color, or any icon included in the cell.

6. Choose how you’d like to order your sheet.

In the third section of your Sort settings window, you’ll see a dropdown bar called “Order.” Click it to select how you’d like to order your spreadsheet.

By default, your Sort settings window will suggest sorting alphabetically (which we’ll show you shortcuts for in the subsequent process below).

However, you can also sort from Z to A or by a custom list. While you can create your own custom list, there are a few preset lists you can sort your data by immediately. We’ll discuss how and why you might sort by custom list in a few minutes.

To Sort by Number

If your spreadsheet includes a column of numbers rather than letter-based values, you can also sort your sheet by these numbers. Select the column in the leftmost “Columns” dropdown menu to do that.

This selection will change the options in the “Order” dropdown bar so that you can sort from “Smallest to Largest” or “Largest to Smallest.”

7. Click ‘OK.’

Click “OK,” in your Sort settings window, and you should see your list successfully sorted according to your desired criteria.

Here’s what our Harry Potter list now looks like, organized by last name in alphabetical order:

How to Alphabetize in Excel

To alphabetize in Excel, highlight a cell in the column you want to sort by.

Click the Data tab along the top navigation to see buttons for sorting in forward or reverse alphabetical order.

Clicking either button will order your sheet according to the column of the cell you first highlighted.

Sometimes you may have a list of data that has no organization whatsoever. For example, say you exported a list of your marketing contacts or blog posts.

Whatever the case may be, you might want to start by alphabetizing the list — and there’s an easy way to do this that doesn’t require you to follow each step outlined above.

To Alphabetize on a Mac

Select a cell in the column you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar and look for the “Sort” option on the left.
If the “A” is on top of the “Z,” click that button once. If the “Z” is on top of the “A,” click on the button twice. Note: When the “A” is on top of the “Z,” your list will be sorted alphabetically. However, when the “Z” is on top of the “A,” your list will be sorted in reverse alphabetical order.

To Alphabetize on a PC

Select a cell in the column you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see Sort options in the middle.
Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked. If it is, click “Cancel.”
Click on the button that has the “A” on top and the “Z” on the bottom with an arrow pointing down. That will sort your list alphabetically from “A” to “Z.” If you want to sort your list in reverse alphabetical order, click on the button that has the “Z” on top and the “A” on the bottom.

Sorting Multiple Columns

What if you want to sort more than one column?

Let’s say you want to organize all your blog posts in a list by the month they were published. And you want to organize them by date and then by the blog post title or URL.

In this example, I want to sort my list by houses and then last names. This would give me a list organized by each house and alphabetized within each house.

To Sort Multiple Columns on a Mac

Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar and look for the “Sort” option on the left.
Click on the small arrow to the left of the “A to Z” Sort icon. Then, select “Custom Sort” from the menu.
A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
You will see five columns. Under “Column,” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown menu. (In this case, it is “House.”)
Then, click on the “+” sign at the bottom left of the pop-up. Under where it says “Column,” select “Last Name” from the dropdown.
Check the “Order” column to ensure it says A to Z. Then click “OK.”

To Sort Multiple Columns on a PC

Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” options in the middle.
Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” You will see a pop-up appear. Ensure “My data has headers” is checked if you have column headers.
You will see three columns. Under “Column,” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown menu. (In this case, it is “House.”)
Then click “Add Level” at the top left of the pop-up. Under where it says “Column,” select “Last Name” from the dropdown.
Check the “Order” column to ensure it says A to Z. Then click “OK.”

Sorting in Custom Order

Sometimes you want to avoid sorting by A to Z or Z to A and instead sort by something else, such as months, days of the week, or some other organizational system.

In situations like this, you can create your custom order to specify precisely the sort you want. (It follows a similar path to multiple columns but is slightly different.)

Let’s say we have everyone’s birthday month at Hogwarts, and we want everyone to be sorted first by Birthday Month, then by House, and then by Last Name.

To Sort in Custom Order on a Mac

Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You’ll find “Sort” on your far left.
Click on the small arrow to the left of the “A to Z” Sort icon. Then, select “Custom Sort” from the menu.
A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
You will see five columns. Under “Column,” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown menu in your spreadsheet. In this case, it is “Birthday Month.”
Under the “Order” column, click on the dropdown next to “A to Z.” Select the option for “Custom List.”
You will see a couple of options (month and day). Select the month list where the months are spelled out, as that matches the data. Click “OK.”
Then click on the “+” sign at the bottom left of the pop-up. Next, under “Column,” select “House” from the dropdown.
Click on the “+” sign at the bottom left again. Then, under “Column,” select “Last Name” from the dropdown.
Check the “Order” column to make sure “House” and “Last Name” say A to Z. Then click “OK.”

To Sort in Custom Order on a PC

Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” options in the middle.
Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” You will see a pop-up appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
You will see three columns. Under “Column,” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown. In this case, it is “Birthday Month.”
Under the “Order” column, click on the dropdown next to “A to Z.” Select the option for “Custom List.”
You will see a couple of options (month and day) and the option to create your own custom order. Select the month list where the months are spelled out, as that matches the data. Click “OK.”
Then, click “Add Level” at the top left of the pop-up. Then, under “Column,” select “House” from the dropdown.
Click on the “Add Level” button at the top left of the pop-up again. Then, under “Column,” select “Last Name” from the dropdown.
Check the “Order” column to make sure “House” and “Last Name” say A to Z. Then click “OK.”

Sorting a Row

Sometimes your data may appear in rows instead of columns. You can still sort your data with a slightly different step when that happens.

To Sort a Row on a Mac

Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” on the left of your screen.
Click on the small arrow to the left of the “A to Z” Sort icon. Then, select “Custom Sort” from the menu.
A pop-up will appear: Click on “Options” at the bottom.
Under “Orientation,” select “Sort left to right.” Then, click “OK.”
You will see five columns. Under “Row,” select the row number you want to sort from the dropdown. (In this case, it is Row 1.) When you are done, click “OK.”

To Sort a Row on a PC

Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” options in the middle.
Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” You will see a pop-up appear.
Click on “Options” at the bottom.
Under “Orientation,” select “Sort left to right.” Then, click “OK.”
You will see three columns. Under “Row,” select the row number you want to sort from the dropdown. (In this case, it is Row 1.) When you are done, click “OK.”

Sort Your Conditional Formatting

If you use conditional formatting to change the color of a cell, add an icon, or change the font color, you can sort by that, too.

In the example below, I’ve used colors to signify different grade ranges: If they have a 90 or above, the cell appears green. Between 80-90 is yellow. Below 80 is red.

Here’s how you’d sort that information to put the top performers at the top of the list. I want to sort this information so that the top performers are at the top of the list.

To Sort Conditional Formatting on a Mac

Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” on the lefthand of your screen.
Click on the small arrow to the left of the “A to Z” Sort icon. Then, select “Custom Sort” from the menu.
A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
You will see five columns. Under “Column,” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown. In this case, it is “Grades.”
Under the “Sort On” column, select “Cell Color.”
In the last column that says “Color/Icon,” select the green bar.
Then click on the “+” sign at the bottom left of the pop-up. Repeat steps 5-6. Instead of selecting green under “Color/Icon,” select the yellow bar.
Then click on the “+” sign at the bottom left of the pop-up. Repeat steps 5-6. Instead of selecting green under “Color/Icon,” select the red bar.
Click “OK.”

To Sort Conditional Formatting on a PC

Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” options in the middle.
Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
You will see three columns. Under “Column” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown. In this case, it is “Grades.”
Under the “Sort On” column, select “Cell Color.”
In the last column that says “Order,” select the green bar.
Click on “Add Level.” Repeat steps 4-5. Instead of selecting green under “Order,” select the yellow bar.
Click on “Add Level” again. Repeat steps 4-5. Instead of selecting yellow under “Order,” select the red bar.
Click “OK.”

There you have it — all the possible ways to sort in Excel.

Ready to sort your next spreadsheet? Start by grabbing nine different Excel templates below, then use Excel’s sorting function to organize your data as you see fit.

So far, 2023 has been a challenging year for Bud Light.

In April the beer brand partnered with transgender actor and TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney on a sponsored social media post promoting Bud Light’s “Easy Carry Contest.” Mulvaney’s video (her second post in collaboration with Bud Light) featured a custom can of beer with her photo on it that read “Cheers to 365 Days of Being A Woman” as a nod to Mulvaney’s “Days of Girlhood” TikTok series that documented her transition.

Since going live, the ad drew criticism from conservative audiences, with some social media users posting footage of themselves pouring out Bud Light and calling for a boycott of the brand. In response, the company’s leadership tried to distance the brand from the partnership.

This move drew more backlash, this time from the LGBTQ+ community, causing some LGBTQ+ bars to stop serving products from Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light’s parent company.

By May, Bud Light experienced a 23% drop in sales compared to the prior year, and a dip in stock price. It’s worth noting, the controversy may not be the only deciding factor of Bud Light’s declining sales. Alcohol consumption has been on the decline for some time, especially among younger millennials and Gen Z.

This series of events has been dubbed the “Bud Light effect” which may give companies some pause when it comes to sharing controversial topics.

Bud Light’s New Summer Ad

In an attempt to overcome the controversy, Bud Light just released a new ad called “Easy to Summer” that has already racked up over 279k views in less than a week. But if the comments are any indication the new ad may have missed the mark.

Some snippets of the ad feature comedic moments like a man falling off a paddleboard, and another walking through a screen door and spilling a tray of snacks. In the comments, users expressed disdain for the ad, claiming Bud Light wants to make male consumers of the drink appear dumb or incompetent.

One comment reads, “So Bud Light is telling us Bud Light drinkers are stupid. Got it. This ad makes me want to reach for anything but Bud Light.”

That’s not the conclusion any marketer wants a viewer to come to after seeing their content. Here are a few lessons marketers can learn from Bud Light’s missteps:

Lessons Learned from Bud Light

The importance of standing behind the statements you make.

Despite what critics of the Mulvaney ad may say, Bud Light has a long history of LGBTQ+-inclusive marketing. The brand has been in partnership with GLAAD since 1998, has sponsored multiple Pride celebrations, and ran an ad in 2016 depicting the wedding of a same-sex couple.

Additionally, earlier this year Alissa Heinerscheid, VP of Marketing for Bud Light, said in an interview that her focus was to continue promoting inclusivity to attract younger customers. The initial posts with Mulvaney could have been an opportunity for the brand to walk the walk with these claims of inclusivity.

However, by downplaying the partnership with Mulvaney the brand makes its prior inclusive marketing efforts appear inauthentic, further alienating customers.

Knowing your audience.

The reaction to the “Easy to Summer” ad highlights how important it is for brands to understand the segments of their audiences. It’s worth noting that there’s a big difference between customers feeling like they’re in on the joke versus customers feeling like they are the joke, and this distinction needs to be made with comedic content.

Because Bud Light’s audience was already on high alert, the comedic tone of the ad was lost when members of the audience felt like they were the butt of the joke.

We’ll see if Bud Light can overcome these missteps in time to make it to summer barbecues this year.