Skills
Skill is defined
as the ability to do something well, especially as a result of experience.
Most skills are transferable to other work settings and can be grouped
in many ways. One way is to show functional skills of working with
people, data or information, and things or objects. Another way is
to look at intellectual, aptitudinal, creative, leadership and problem
solving skills.
The following
seven skills are necessary for meaningful work: (a) technical and
technological skills, (b) visionary skills, (c) organizational skills,
(d) persuasive skills, (e) communication skills, and (f) ability to learn.
The current and future labor market will require mastery and application
of: (a) basic skills, (b) learning, skills, (c) advanced technical skills,
(d) communication skills, and (e) skills working with others. Skills
related activities important to success in the workplace are: (a)
identify and build your personal database of skills, experience and education,
(b) create customized resumes using the database of skills identified,
(c) learn attitudes that empower you, (d) strengthen your core abilities,
including reading, math, problem solving and more, (e) learn the basics
of marketable job skills on your home computer, (f) communicate your skills
and verbalize your accomplishments, and (g) market your skills.
(The environment
analysis report in RSCCD's Master Plan, 2000b; Swanson, and Hurd, p. 1;
Herman and Gioia, 1998, p. 1)
Employers are
interested in knowing which skills you can bring to their organization.
Examine your jobs, both paid and unpaid, as well as your academic and personal
activities to determine your skills. Think of your skills in terms of
action verbs. Do not underestimate the skills obtained in a "liberal"
education. Examples: oral/written communication through essay and
report writing, presentations, and seminars; organization of time by having
to meet deadlines and of ideas in order to present material logically;
research by searching and locating information; problem solving by analyzing
and finding alternate solutions to a problem.
Job and Task
Analysis
An important
key to a future direction often lies in your past experiences. It
is especially important to recognize positive experiences or accomplishments
which you have already achieved. They are the ones most likely to
suggest vocational areas that you may wish to pursue in the future.
They are also the ones that employers are interested in hearing about.
Job and task analysis are used to define the skills needed for success
in varied fields.
JOB
AND TASK ANALYSIS
Identify
Your Skills
Organize your
skills into the following three groups. Choose six skills for each
category. Put an x in the column if you would like to use that skill
in future work (L) and if you currently have a sufficient level of proficiency
(P) for employment. Select five skills you most want to use from
the 18 you list. Give a good example of the circumstances when you used
each skill and the outcome of your action.
The first group
will be specialized skills required in a particular job (analyzing statistics,
debugging computer programs, designing machinery, refereeing sports, repairing
equipment, appraising fitness levels).
The second group
will comprise your communication/interpersonal skills (writing, mediating,
training, liaising, hosting, motivating).
The third group
will include those general skills needed in most jobs (initiating, improving,
resolving, compiling, organizing, scheduling).
Life Experience
Profile
Use this page
to compile a list of your previous experiences. Include previous employment,
volunteer and academic experiences, significant recreational activities,
or other important roles you have played. Examples: trainer of new
staff at fast food emporium, volunteer fundraiser, leader of school study
group, contributor to school newspaper, creator of project for science
display, roadside
monitor for 10K race, organizer of parents' 25th anniversary party, member
of church choir on three-week concert tour of Europe, prizewinner in math
contest. Then, answer the following questions about each of these
experiences: What did I do, what did I learn, what did I enjoy, what
did I dislike, what did I accomplish, and what did others commend me for.
Personal
Achievements
The most important
items on your experience profile are those which you enjoyed and in which
you achieved success. Review your life experience profile and summarize
your personal accomplishments. These reveal areas of personal strength
that are important to consider when you are developing your vocational
direction. This list will also provide a useful reminder of those
things that you will likely want to highlight during your job interview.
Links for
More Information
Skills Assessment
http://online.onetcenter.org/skills/
SCANS Skills
Non-Detailed List
http://www.scans.jhu.edu/NS/HTML/SkillsSimple.htm
Detailed List
http://www.scans.jhu.edu/NS/HTML/SkillsDet.htm |
