You got Skills! (They're Multiplying!)

Do you know how to dance?

Most people KNOW how to dance. Maybe not well, and maybe not on beat, but you KNOW how to dance. A majority of those reading are ABLE to dance in one way or another. But having dance SKILLS is a different story.

Now think about your most recent job. When you think about your role, there are things that you are able to do, know how to do and others that you have the skill to do.

Most of us do not think about these things on a regular basis. When you are job searching however, you will be asked over and over again to recall your skills and be able to assess your level of expertise with those skills.

In order to prepare you for this, it is best to create a skills inventory. By building your skills inventory, you will get a better understanding on what jobs you are qualified for. You will also be better at answering questions about your job history when asked during an interview.

Most importantly, you will better understand your limitations, so you don't get in over your head in the job search.

What is a skill?

You know you have a skill when you have confidence in your knowledge and ability. They are the things that you KNOW that you know.

The good news is everyone has skills that have grown throughout their career and you are going to start building your list. If you do not know where to start, a great resource in identifying some of your skills is O-Net Online sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

After you have identified your skills, do a full inventory of what your skills are so that not only will you get a good idea of where to start your job search, you are also getting information you need to create your resume and as a bonus, it will help you prepare for your job interviews.

Please, as you start this exercise, be patient with yourself and take the time you need to do a full assessment. You may be surprised as to what you discover!

When you Know Better, You'll do Better

You may find that you have some items on your list that you do have the knowledge, but not quite the ability. And that is okay.

We are going to list those too. For example, I love data. I love stats! But charts, I freeze. This past summer when I was out of a job, I took a class to learn how to create great charts that tell stories.

By the time I had an interview, I had the confidence in my ability to use data to tell a story.

It is also a good idea to think about the skills that you don't have today, but that you would like to acquire in the future. If you can find a job that can help you gain the skills that you wish you had, that will be a bonus.

If you have multiple job opportunities, knowing that one can help you obtain skills that you didn't have could help you make a decision as to which job to accept.

The process of building a skills inventory can be a little bit daunting. But, I promise, if you take the time to do it right, you will feel better that you know plus have a clear path to where you need to grow during your job search!

Read on for more ways to make your job search a success: Find Growth Opportunities by Assessing Your Skills