Skills
Cartographer Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in cartographers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do cartographers need?
Cartographers need technical skills such as gis, cartographic design, and remote sensing, plus people skills like attention to detail and visual design. They also use tools such as ArcGIS Pro and QGIS.
Technical (hard) skills
- GIS
- Cartographic design
- Remote sensing
- Photogrammetry
- Spatial analysis
- Python scripting
People (soft) skills
- Attention to detail
- Visual design
- Problem-solving
- Communication
Tools, equipment and technology
- ArcGIS Pro
- QGIS
- Python
- Lidar software
- GPS
- Adobe Illustrator
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how cartographers put their skills to work:
- How to design a clear map layout
- How to choose the right map projection
- How to process lidar into an elevation model
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “GIS” and “Cartographic design.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “attention to detail,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as GISP near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our cartographer glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Cartographer training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.