Know Your Skills

A skill is the ability to do a certain task well. Skills can be a natural ability and can also be learned over time. You can gain or expand your skills with practice or training. It is important to assess your skills at all phases of your career since you develop new skills at work, school, and through extracurricular activities.

There are different ways to group your skills.

Technical skills: These skills are specific to occupations. Welders need to work with special equipment. Nurses need to understand medical terms. The descriptions of occupations will list required skills.
Transferable skills: These are skills that can be used in almost every industry and in a lot of different jobs. There is a short list of common transferable skills below, but you should explore other online skill assessments.

Read over these skills and think if you have or need to gain any of them. Start your skill assessment by looking at these groups. Ask people close to you for feedback.

**Common Technical and Transferable Skills**
Skill Set	Examples
Key Transferable Skills	Meet deadlines Ability to delegate Ability to plan Results oriented Customer service oriented Supervise others Increase sales or efficiency Accept responsibility Instruct others Desire to learn & improve	Good time management Solve problems Manage money/budgets Manage people Meet the public Organize people Organize/manage projects Team player Written communications Work independently Computer skills
Other Transferable Skills	Use my hands Assemble or make things Safety conscious Build, observe, inspect things Construct or repair Off-bearing or feeding machinery Follow instructions	Operate tools and machinery Drive or operate vehicles Repair things Good with my hands Use complex equipment Use equipment
Dealing with Data	Analyze data or facts Investigate Audit records Keep financial records Locate answers or information Balance money Calculate, compute	Manage money Take inventory Classify data Compare, inspect, or record facts Count, observe, compile Research Detail-oriented
Working with People	Patient Care for Persuasive Confront others Pleasant Counsel people Sensitive Demonstrate Supportive Diplomatic Supervise Speak in public Help others Tactful Insightful Teach	Interview others Anticipate needs High energy Open minded Kind Take orders Listen Serving Trust Work with others Negotiate Understand Adaptable Outgoing
Using Words, Ideas	Articulate Innovative Communicate Logical Prefer details Remember information Accurate	Research Create new ideas Understand the big picture Design Speak in public Edit Write clearly
Leadership	Arrange social functions Motivate people Negotiate agreements Decisive Plan Delegate Run meetings Direct others Explain things to others Self-motivated	Get results Share leadership Think of others Direct projects Team builder Solve problems Mediate problems Take risks Empower others
Creative, Artistic	Artistic Dance, body movement Music appreciation Perform, act	Draw, sketch, render Present artistic ideas Play instruments Expressive

You can take free skills assessments online at:

Career Planning Model

Know Your Skills

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