Knowing The Right Skills

How do you know you have the right skills?

Do you ever feel like you have many skills but can’t quite match the skills required of you? It’s not unusual to land that coveted interview for a position you’ve been dreaming of, only to find you fall short.

Before you feel that pang of rejection, take a moment to assess the “right” skills you already possess!

Each of us comes equipped with a unique set of skills. You are a combination of inherent traits that inform your personality, as well as the hard skills you’ve honed with education, practice, and experience. You’ve persevered and persisted and you know you have a lot to offer.

Here are a couple of tips on how to show you have the right stuff:

1. Know Yourself/Ask yourself: What are your core values? What are your key motivators? How do you connect with others? How do you appear to others? What is your communication style? What is your relationship style? What is your ideal work role? What is your ideal work environment? What is your teamwork and leadership style? Knowing yourself and the answers to these questions is key to articulating the valuable transferable skills prospective employers seek.
2. Find a Career Coach: A career coach can bring clarity to your specific strengths and styles. This is an important first step in preparing and negotiating for your dream position. A career coach can help identity your skills sets, both soft and technical, as well as support you in overcoming any barriers to your personal development.
   

Remember, choosing a career that is personally meaningful and allows you to live out your core values is rooted in the skills you already possess. Careerships can help you maximize your potential, develop additional skills and experience, improve your interview performance, and ultimately transform your career pathway.