| Most people feel a bit uneasy when it
comes to talking about (or talking up) what they do well. No one likes
a braggart; so few people feel comfortable bragging about themselves.
If we hold dear what our mothers taught us, we might never find a job
- because we would forever be imagining ourselves as less qualified
than the next guy or gal.
Since you are the right person for the job, however, the rules can
be bent. During the job search, the motto is this: It's okay to boast
as long as you have something to boast about. Still feel like you
don't have anything much to talk about? You are not alone.
But you are mistaken: Like most people, you have hundreds of
skills. How can this be? You never learned how to boast, to explain
the myriad skills you have or to express your own aptitude to others.
The fact is, you probably take for granted many things you do well
that others would find hard or even impossible to do. That is what
sets you apart from others and makes you valuable to prospective
employers.
A note on skills vs. duties...Many people find it
difficult to distinguish their skills from their duties. Duties are
the basic functions of an activity, while skills are the tools by
which one accomplishes those functions. Duties or functions are part
of any organized activity, whether it is work or play.
A simple way to illustrate the difference between duties and skills
is to consider the management of a lemonade stand. The basic duties of
a lemonade stand owner might be: "To manage lemonade operations,
including marketing, distribution and finances."
There are many skills he or she might need to carry out these
functions. Some examples of those skills are: mixing, measuring,
planning, sales, customer service, writing, cash handling, record
keeping, maintenance, timeliness, dependability, accuracy, and
motivation. A complete list of skills would be very long, but the
important point to remember is that it takes a number of skills to
accomplish even the most simple duties or functions.
Developing Your Skills Language
In order to identify your skills, you must know where to look for
them. There are three areas that you should inquire into: previous
jobs, personal traits and specific talents. Each area corresponds to a
particular type of skill.
- Job-Related Skills. These are the skills you need to do a
specific job, and the ones you have developed in or for past jobs.
An auto mechanic, for example, needs to know how to tune engines,
repair brakes and use a variety of tools. These are all skills that
he or she would need to repair cars. They are job-related skills,
and most people think of job skills when they are asked what kind of
skills they have.
- Adaptive Skills or Self-Management Skills. These
skills can also be defined as personality traits or personal
characteristics. Such skills are those that you use day by day to
get along with others or to adjust to a particular situation. They
are skills that make you unique. For example, honesty and enthusiasm
are traits that employers look for in a good worker, as evidence of
how he or she will "fit" into the organization. While many job
seekers do not emphasize these skills in Resumés, employers look for
them.
- Transferable Skills. These are skills that can transfer
from one job or occupation to another. Because most people do not
find jobs identical to their previous ones, it is important to
determine how your skills transfer into other opportunities. Writing
clearly and the ability to organize things are two examples of
transferable skills that you can employ in almost any work
situation.
Transferable skills generally fall into five categories:
- Communication: the skillful expression, transmission and
interpretation of knowledge and ideas
- Research and Planning: the search for specific knowledge
and the ability to conceptualize future needs and to devise
solutions for meeting those needs
- Human Relations: the use of interpersonal skills for
resolving conflict, helping and relating to people
- Organization, Management and Leadership: the ability to
supervise, direct and guide individuals and groups in the completion
of tasks and fulfillment of goals
- Work Survival: the day-to-day skills that assist in
promoting effective production and work satisfaction.
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