Focusing your skills

Author: The Windmills Programme, GIEU - Graduate Into Employment Unit

In today's changing world you need a variety of skills. The first step is to decide which skills you already possess. You should then consider which are your strongest ones and which ones you like using most.

Analysis of years of national employer surveys suggests the desired skills for graduates fall into four broad areas:

1. Self-reliance skills

• Self awareness - purposeful, focused, self-belief, realistic
• Proactivity - resourceful, drive, self-reliant
• Willingness to learn - inquisitive, motivated, enthusiastic
• Self-promotion - positive, persistent, ambitious
• Networking - initiator, relationship-builder, resourceful
• Planning action - decision-maker, planner, able to prioritise

2. People skills

• Team working - supportive, organised, co-ordinator, deliverer
• Interpersonal skills - listener, adviser, co-operative, assertive
• Oral communication - communicator, presenter, influencer
• Leadership - motivator, energetic, visionary
• Customer orientation - friendly, caring, diplomatic
• Foreign language - specific language skills

3. General skills

• Problem-solving - practical, logical, results orientated
• Flexibility - versatile, willing, multi-skilled
• Business acumen - entrepreneurial, competitive, risk taker
• IT/Computer literacy - office skills, keyboard skills, software packages
• Numeracy - accurate, quick-thinker, methodical
• Commitment - dedicated, trustworthy, conscientious

4. Specialist skills

• Specific occupational skills - relevant knowledge, e.g. languages, IT
• Technical skills - professional expertise in journalism, engineering, sales, accounting for example

Discover your hidden skills
Don't undersell yourself when assessing your skills. It's easy to just take your abilities for granted.

Look beyond your mainstream work skills and think about the ones you've acquired without thinking about it - eg through part-time work, voluntary help, home work or community activities.

Play to your strengths
Once you've listed your skills, highlight the ones you're best at and which you would like to use most in the future. These are your core strengths.

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