Recognizing the marketability of your skills is crucial in the ever-changing world of work.
With each new job, a person learns new skills. You might be surprised to find the number of skills you possess.
"There are two basic principles that determine why a person should be considered for employment," says Al King, a career adviser with The Workforce Network in Eugene, Ore. "A person needs to have the skills that match the occupation available, and the person must be a good fit for the company.
"Skills are what is required to perform the job duties, while being a good fit for the company is based more on personal preferences and whether you will fit in with the company's values."
Skills are technical or attitudinal. Technical skills are required to perform a specific task and include proficiency in equipment such as computers, power saws, a cash register or a backhoe. Technical skills also include specialized knowledge such as counseling techniques, computer software programs or accounting systems.
Attitudinal, or soft, skills are traits that reflect on your personality. They include accuracy, dependability, professionalism and friendliness.
When you leave a job, you take your skills with you. Do not define yourself by your prior job titles, but by the skills that made up those positions.
Taking an inventory of your transferable skills is the first step in assessing your marketability. Every job can be broken into individual skills called a "skill set." Most people have trouble recognizing their skills.
Take a moment to reflect on all the skills you have acquired not only from your jobs, but also from hobbies, volunteer work and life experiences. Then think of all the jobs you might qualify for if you picked combinations of skills from your list. The Oregon Labor Market Information System has a Web site, www.olmis.org, with tools for selecting your skills. The site can even recommend careers that match your skills.
Once you have developed a list of skills, you can create a "skill statement" to show an employer what you can do. This is a way to advertise yourself, and, like an advertising jingle, the message you send will be remembered.
Employers want to hear specific examples of your skills. So use the following format: Say what you did. Examples include "designed and implemented," "researched and developed," or "hired, supervised and trained."
Use numbers whenever possible. Include how many, what length of time, percentages, degree of difficulty, or dollar amounts.
Talk results. How did your actions benefit the employer? Results include "increased productivity by ..." "Decreased operating costs by ..." or "increased sales by ... ."
Create a short statement that you can use in your interview. A skill statement might say: "I am an accounting clerk with 10 years of experience in a busy tax preparation company. I am a team player, I have excellent mathematical skills and I am proficient with all office equipment. At my last position I added 32 new customers in six months, increasing annual revenues 122 percent."
Make your skill statement your hallmark.
2003, The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
