Top 12 Documentation Specialist Skills to Put on Your Resume

Information flies. Teams change course. Documentation Specialists stitch the story together so others can trust, reuse, and act on it. When you shape your resume, spotlight the skills that keep content structured, searchable, and safe across tools and outputs.

Documentation Specialist Skills

1. Markdown
2. DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture)
3. MadCap Flare
4. Adobe FrameMaker
5. Microsoft Visio
6. Confluence
7. Git/GitHub
8. XML
9. HTML/CSS
10. Snagit
11. Jira
12. SharePoint

1. Markdown

Markdown is a lightweight markup language for writing in plain text and converting to HTML or other outputs. It keeps authoring fast, readable, and version-control friendly.

Why It's Important

Markdown lets you produce clean, structured docs quickly and consistently, without wrestling with heavy formatting. It plays nicely with wikis, code repos, and static site builders, so your content goes further with less friction.

How to Improve Markdown Skills

Sharpen structure. Trim fluff. Keep it portable.

1. Know the syntax cold: headings, emphasis, links, images, quotes, code, tables, task lists.
2. Use consistent patterns: predictable heading levels, list styles, and code formatting.
3. Lean on reference-style links and footnotes when needed; keep URLs centralized for easy updates. Syntax: [Text][id] with [id]: URL.
4. Adopt linting rules (e.g., markdownlint) for spacing, heading order, and style checks.
5. Preview everywhere: ensure render parity across your target platforms (wikis, Git hosting, static sites).
6. Write for scanning: short sections, clear lists, purposeful code fences.

Good Markdown guides readers without calling attention to itself.

How to Display Markdown Skills on Your Resume

2. DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture)

DITA is an XML-based framework for modular, topic‑oriented content that can be reused and published across many formats through maps and specializations.

Why It's Important

It enforces structure and reuse. That means faster updates, consistent voice, and multi-channel publishing without duplicate work.

How to Improve DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) Skills

1. Master core concepts: topics, maps, specialization, keyrefs, and conrefs.
2. Standardize templates: define topic shells, naming, metadata, and folder conventions.
3. Design for reuse: chunk content logically; prefer keys over hard links.
4. Validate aggressively: use schemas and build checks to keep structures clean.
5. Plan outputs: configure transforms for HTML, PDF, help, and localize with minimal rework.
6. Govern taxonomy: consistent metadata drives findability and intelligent reuse.

Structured authoring pays off when scale and complexity show up.

How to Display DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) Skills on Your Resume

3. MadCap Flare

MadCap Flare is an authoring and publishing platform for complex help systems, knowledge bases, and multi-format technical documentation.

Why It's Important

It centralizes content, styling, reuse, and multi-channel builds so you deliver consistent docs at speed.

How to Improve MadCap Flare Skills

• Get the fundamentals right: project structure, TOCs, targets, mediums, and master pages.
• Exploit reuse: snippets, variables, and conditions to support variants without duplication.
• Tighten presentation: CSS, page layouts, and skins for accessible, branded outputs.
• Streamline builds: batch targets, build events, and integrated QA checks.
• Scale collaboration: reviews, source control integration, and content governance.
• Measure and iterate: search analytics, feedback loops, and incremental improvements.

How to Display MadCap Flare Skills on Your Resume

4. Adobe FrameMaker

Adobe FrameMaker is built for long, complex documents and structured authoring, including DITA and XML. Think technical manuals, policies, and books.

Why It's Important

It handles scale—big files, rigorous structure, precise layout—while keeping updates manageable and outputs consistent.

How to Improve Adobe FrameMaker Skills

1. Lean into structured authoring: element definitions, EDDs, and validation workflows.
2. Design once, reuse often: templates, master pages, variables, and reference pages.
3. Control variants: conditional text and text insets for audience/product/version differences.
4. Navigation excellence: cross-references, hypertext, robust TOCs, and indexes.
5. Automate the dull work: ExtendScript for repetitive tasks and batch operations.
6. Publish cleanly: tune PDF and HTML settings, fonts, and accessibility tags.

How to Display Adobe FrameMaker Skills on Your Resume

5. Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Visio creates diagrams—process flows, org charts, networks, architecture views—using shapes, stencils, and data-driven visuals.

Why It's Important

Complex ideas land faster when people can see them. Clear diagrams reduce ambiguity and speed decisions.

How to Improve Microsoft Visio Skills

1. Build with structure: layers, containers, and shape data for tidy, maintainable diagrams.
2. Customize your toolkit: tailor stencils, master shapes, and themes to your standards.
3. Make it live: link to data sources for status-aware visuals and auto-refresh.
4. Obsess over alignment: grids, guides, auto-layout, and consistent spacing.
5. Be keyboard-savvy: shortcuts speed everything.
6. Export smart: SVG/PNG/PDF with the right resolution and transparency for reuse.

How to Display Microsoft Visio Skills on Your Resume

6. Confluence

Confluence is a collaborative workspace for creating, organizing, and sharing documentation and knowledge across teams.

Why It's Important

It centralizes content, keeps versions in check, and encourages contribution—so knowledge doesn’t scatter.

How to Improve Confluence Skills

1. Design your spaces: clear hierarchies, intuitive page trees, and purposeful homes.
2. Template everything: repeatable page templates and blueprints for consistency.
3. Label with intent: labels, index pages, and Page Properties reports for discoverability.
4. Use macros wisely: tables of content, excerpts, status, and structured metadata.
5. Mind permissions: protect sensitive areas while keeping collaboration fluid.
6. Govern content: owners, review cadences, and archiving policies.
7. Connect the stack: link pages to Jira issues and surface docs where work happens.

How to Display Confluence Skills on Your Resume

7. Git/GitHub

Git is distributed version control; GitHub hosts repositories and wraps collaboration around them: pull requests, issues, actions, and wikis.

Why It's Important

Docs change often and many hands touch them. Git/GitHub preserves history, supports review, and automates publishing.

How to Improve Git/GitHub Skills

1. Get fluent in core flows: branching, merging, rebasing, stashing, tagging.
2. Write meaningful commits: concise, scoped messages; consider Conventional Commits for clarity.
3. Use pull requests: peer review, required checks, and protected branches.
4. Automate: GitHub Actions for builds, link checks, linters, accessibility tests, and deployments.
5. Organize work: issues, labels, milestones, and project boards to track doc backlogs.
6. Version your docs: branches or tags per release; surface version switchers in published sites.
7. Choose the right format: Markdown or AsciiDoc with consistent conventions and linting.

How to Display Git/GitHub Skills on Your Resume

8. XML

XML is a structured, extensible format for representing data and documents in a human‑ and machine‑readable way.

Why It's Important

It enables schema-driven content, validation, transformation, and reliable interchange across systems.

How to Improve XML Skills

1. Name things well: meaningful elements and attributes beat clever ones.
2. Validate everything: XSD or DTD for structure; keep schemas source‑controlled.
3. Keep it tidy: consistent indentation, attribute order, and comments for tricky bits.
4. Manage namespaces: avoid collisions and clarify intent in multi-vocab documents.
5. Transform with XSLT: reliable pipelines to HTML, PDF, or other XML.
6. Query with XPath/XQuery: fast navigation and extraction.
7. Think scale: stream large docs (SAX/StAX) and split logical modules.

How to Display XML Skills on Your Resume

9. HTML/CSS

HTML structures content. CSS shapes presentation. Together, they make documentation readable, accessible, and responsive across devices.

Why It's Important

Clean markup and thoughtful styling drive usability—navigation, typography, contrast, and layout determine whether content lands or gets lost.

How to Improve HTML/CSS Skills

1. Use semantic HTML: meaningful elements, correct headings, alt text, and labels.
2. Design for everyone: accessibility first—color contrast, focus states, ARIA only when necessary.
3. Go responsive: CSS Grid and Flexbox, fluid type and spacing, smart media queries.
4. Manage CSS at scale: consistent naming (e.g., BEM), variables, and modular files.
5. Prepare for print: print stylesheets for PDFs and export-ready layouts.
6. Optimize assets: lean images, cautious web fonts, and minimized CSS for speed.
7. Test broadly: browsers, devices, zoom levels, and reduced-motion preferences.

How to Display HTML/CSS Skills on Your Resume

10. Snagit

Snagit captures screenshots and quick videos, then layers on annotations that make instructions unmissable.

Why It's Important

Visuals cut through confusion. Crisp callouts, steps, and short clips turn dense procedures into do‑this‑next guides.

How to Improve Snagit Skills

1. Standardize with templates: repeatable layouts for how‑tos and release notes.
2. Annotate with purpose: arrows, highlights, shapes, and blur—nothing extra, nothing missing.
3. Use video when motion matters: quick narrations, trims, and captions for clarity.
4. Speed your flow: capture presets, profiles, and hotkeys.
5. Number the path: the Steps tool for clean, sequential walkthroughs.
6. Keep brand tight: consistent colors, fonts, and styles across assets.

How to Display Snagit Skills on Your Resume

11. Jira

Jira tracks work: issues, sprints, workflows, and reporting for agile and beyond. It’s where tasks live and progress becomes visible.

Why It's Important

Documentation work benefits from the same rigor as code. Jira aligns tasks, feedback, and deadlines across teams.

How to Improve Jira Skills

1. Model your process: custom issue types and workflows for drafting, review, localization, and publish.
2. Signal with structure: components, labels, and fields that drive dashboards and filters.
3. Automate the nudges: rules for due-date reminders, status transitions, and assignments.
4. Make status obvious: dashboards with SLA widgets, review queues, and release readiness.
5. Connect the dots: link issues to Confluence pages and releases so context travels with the work.
6. Secure sensibly: permission schemes that protect drafts while enabling collaboration.

How to Display Jira Skills on Your Resume

12. SharePoint

SharePoint is a Microsoft platform for document management, collaboration, and secure content storage integrated with Microsoft 365.

Why It's Important

It gives teams governed spaces to create, store, version, and discover documentation with clear permissions and audit trails.

How to Improve SharePoint Skills

1. Design information architecture: sites, libraries, and metadata first—folders only where they add clarity.
2. Define content types: standard fields, templates, and policies for each doc class.
3. Version with intent: enable major/minor versions, check‑in/out, and approval where needed.
4. Tune search: managed metadata, properties, and curated results for high‑value content.
5. Automate flows: Power Automate for intake, approvals, and notifications.
6. Right-size access: groups and inheritance that honor least privilege.
7. Governance lives: training, retention labels, and periodic content reviews.

How to Display SharePoint Skills on Your Resume