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Skills are the performance specifications of your product-- you
An important part of marketing
your skills to employers is taking stock of what you have to offer so that
you don’t undervalue yourself. Skills come from many different sources.
Not all skills are gained by way of paid employment. You may have also
gained significant skills as a volunteer where you were not paid. These
skills still have value and could be in demand. As you analyze your
skills, do not just think about the job titles you have held. Think about
the specifics you did on each job. Consider the skills you possess, the
skills you do not possess, and the skills you want to develop or refine.
Compare your skills with the skills required in the jobs that interest
you. This will enable you to understand how well you qualify for a
position. Also, you will know what additional training or experience you
need.
You probably don’t realize how many skills you have. In fact, you probably have more than you
think. Employers want to know what skills you will bring to the job. You
must be able to identify and give examples of your skills. Of all job
seekers, 80-85% cannot describe their job skills in an interview. Knowing
what you can do is an important part of your job search and your life.
There are three areas of
skills to consider:
Self-Management
These are the skills you
use day-to-day to get along with others to survive. They are the skills
that make you unique. Sincerity, reliability, tactfulness, patience,
flexibility, timeliness, and tolerance are all examples of self-management
skills. Motivational attributes and attitudes are also self-management
skills. Persistence, drive and cooperation are more examples. Do not
underestimate self-management skills, especially those that show
motivation and a good work attitude. Employers look for these skills to
determine how a candidate will fit into the organization. How a person
will "fit in" is an important consideration for employers.
Transferable
Transferable skills are the
tools that enable you to move seamlessly from industry to industry, from
career to career. Transferable skills can clearly illustrate to a
prospective employer that:
- You’ve done this
before and you can do it again
- You’ve done something
similar and you can adapt
Simply put, they are skills
you possess that can be used in an array of work situations. The skill
sets required will vary considerably from industry to industry, and by
work responsibilities. They can be derived from a variety of sources: your
accomplishments, both personal and professional; your diverse work
experiences; at-work training and educational background.
Having many transferable
skills is sort of like being in a large, multi-model car dealer’s parts
department. The parts department may have thousands of parts, but if you,
the customer, (or employer) needs a part for your Chevy, then you need
that specific part. It doesn’t make a bit of difference if the car
dealer has the world’s largest inventory of Honda parts – you want
Chevy parts.
Job-Related
Job-related skills are those skills specific to a job or occupation. A secretary is skilled in
typing, word processing, answering telephones, company correspondence, and
filing. An accountant would list accounts receivable, performing accounts
payable, payroll, figuring taxes, using a 10-key adding machine, and
computer accounting programs. A salesperson would include customer
service, record keeping, order processing, inventory management, billing,
and product displays. Job-related skills are important to employers for
obvious reasons. They are the specific skills employers look for in a
candidate.
As you create your own unique inventory of skills:
- Don’t get hung up over
definitions or the process of how you identify your skills. The goal
is to generate a list of skills. Definitions and process are simply
tools to help you achieve that goal.
- Don’t limit yourself. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt.
- You do not have to be an expert to claim a skill. Include skills you may be just learning.
. . . most of what we know and what we’ve become
we’ve learned from others . . .
we are all students . . .
DESCRIBE YOUR SKILLS USING CONCRETE EXAMPLES
- State the SKILL or STRENGTH
- Give SPECIFICS (when, where, what and how)
- Show beneficial RESULTS
- LINK TO THE NEW JOB
Use the following format:
- SKILL or STRENGTH
"I am extremely reliable."
- SPECIFICS (when, where, what and how)
"Last summer my boss at Allied Distributing was in the hospital and I was responsible for
taking care of our customers for two months. I was the first to arrive and
the last to leave. I double-checked every order and I made follow-up calls
to each customer on a weekly basis."
- RESULTS
"During that time, our customers never experienced any delays or were inconvenienced and my
supervisor was reassured because she could count on me to take the
initiative and get the job done."
- LINK TO THE NEW JOB
"I believe my proven reliability would really enhance your company’s fine reputation for
excellent customer service."
DESCRIBE YOUR SKILLS USING CONCRETE EXAMPLES
WHAT CAN I OFFER AN EMPLOYER?
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