1 Module 1 | IDENTIFYING YOUR CAREER PROFILE

2 Module 1 | IDENTIFYING YOUR CAREER PROFILE

Lesson 5: Evaluating Your Skills:

Accentuate Your Assets

SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES

In this lesson, you are expected to:
1. identify your personal constellation of skills;
2. identify and describe the skills used in your accomplishments;
3. determine the skills and experience needed for a career area;
4. recognize the power of the transferability of your skills;
5. explain how skills are developed to meet job competency;
6. discuss the value of skills in your career search.
7. write accounts of significant experiences in your life;

PRE-ASSESSMENT
Instruction: Read each question carefully, and then encircle the answer that best fits the question .
1. Skills acquire from training or education.
a. Proficient
b. Hard Skills
c. Soft Skills
d. Transferable Skills
2. Which transferable skill most lends itself to usage of creativity, flexibility, a positive attitude, and
patience? HINT: Working towards a goal even when things change.
a. initiative
b. adaptability
c. empathy
d. time management
3. Being able to share, send, and receive information to others:
a. Initiative
b. Adaptable
c. Communication
d. Employable
4. What are transferable skills?
a. your favorite activity
b. Skills necessary to do a particular job
c. the ability to perform a task due to training and experience
d. General skills used in school and various types of jobs that are always necessary regardless
of the career you choose
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5. What would best define a soft skill?

a. Skills as abilities and talents
b. Easier to learn than hard skills
c. Skills not valued in the workplace
d. Valued interpersonal skills (people skills)
6. Specific attributes, talents, and personal qualities that we bring to a job as well as the tasks we learn
on the job.
a. Talents
b. Values
c. Interest
d. Skills
7. Those that may or may not be associated with a specific job, such as maintaining schedules,
collecting data, and diagnosing and responding to problems.
a. Functional skills
b. Work-content skills
c. Adaptive or self-management skill
d. Transferable Skills
8. These are personal attributes; they might also be described as personality traits or soft skills.
a. Functional skills
b. Work-content skills
c. Adaptive or self-management skill
d. Talents
9. Which one is not a transferable skill?
a. communication
b. reading the newspaper
c. teamwork
d. planning
10. Which is an example of an organizational and planning skill?
a. playing an instrument in a band.
b. Reading stories to a child.
c. Registering for classes for the upcoming school year.
d. Talking on your cell phone.
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LESSON MAP

Defining Skills

Identifying Your
Skills
Identifying
Transferable
Skills
Most Valuable
Asset: Your
Personality Traits

The diagram above presents the next step in the career-planning process is to
identify your skills that includes recognizing the different types of skills and
describing own skills and their transferability in the workplace.

CORE CONTENTS

ENGAGE:
Identify your Top 5 transferable skills, skills you are good at, and those skills you wish to learn or develop
further.

Top 5 Skills I Enjoy Using Top 5 Skills That Come Naturally Top 5 Skills I Want to Learn
1
2
3
4
5
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EXPLORE:

Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation deters mines what
you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.
~ Lou Holtz

Defining Skills
Skills include the specific attributes, talents, and personal qualities that we bring to a job as well as the
tasks we learn on the job. We also develop our talents simply through the process of living, by interacting with
others and going through our daily routines. Our personal preferences often affect our skills and abilities. We
tend to be motivated to use skills repeatedly that are part of enjoyable activities. Our recurring use of and
success with certain preferred skills identifies them as our self-motivators. Self-motivators are skills we enjoy
and do well.

By learning the vocabulary of skills, you can recognize the hundreds of skills that may be within your
grasp. Skills are generally divided into three types: functional, work content, and adaptive. All of these can be
considered transferable.
• Functional skills are those that may or may not be associated with a specific job, such as maintaining
schedules, collecting data, and diagnosing and responding to problems. They are called functional skills
because they are used to accomplish general tasks or functions of a job.
• Work-content skills are specific and specialized to one job (e.g., bookkeeping is done by
bookkeepers, assigning grades is done by teachers, interpreting an electrocardiogram is done by
specific medical practitioners).
• Adaptive or self-management skills are personal attributes; they might also be described as
personality traits or soft skills. The ability to learn quickly, to pay close attention to detail, and to be task
oriented, self-directed, congenial, and cooperative are some examples of adaptive skills.
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Identifying Your Skills

Your goal now will be to recognize the many skills you possess that make you valuable in the job
market. You have acquired hundreds of skills just by virtue of your life experiences, and, paid or not, they are
part of your portfolio!
Once you begin to recognize your skills, you will become more aware of your identity as extending
beyond the narrow limits you tend to apply to yourself. We all unconsciously tend to categorize ourselves too
narrowly. For instance, you might typically answer the question “Who are you?” with statements such as “I am
a student,” “I am a history major,” “I am a graphic artist,” “I am a conservative,” or “I am a homemaker.” The
problem with these labels is that they tend to stereotype you. This is especially true when you are interviewing
for a job. If you say you are a student, the interviewer might stereotype you as not having enough experience.
If you say you are a secretary, the interviewer may consider you only for a secretarial job or may insist that you
start as a secretary. But suppose you say your experience has involved public speaking, doing organizational
work, coordinating schedules, managing budgets, researching needs, problem solving, following through with
details, motivating others, resolving problems caused by low morale and lack of cooperation, and establishing
priorities for allocation of available time, resources, and funds. Not only does this sound impressive, but you
appear eligible for many positions that require these skills.
Homemakers and the long-term unemployed face a particular challenge because they have been out
of the job market and often believe they have no transferable or marketable skills. To the contrary, homemaking
and working out of your home (while looking for full time employment) is a full-time job requiring a wide range
of skills that can translate into paid employment. In fact, “stay at home” parents develop skills in the areas of
management, leadership, coaching, personnel, finances, logistics, event planning, asset allocation,
negotiations, mediation, and purchasing (just to name a few).
If you are currently working, think of ways to use those skills as your self-motivated skills as often as
possible to give you job satisfaction. Talk to your supervisor and identify additional ways to use these skills
now or in the future. For example, if you were hired because of your computer or technical skills, you might
suggest that you become the company expert on formatting documents and reports to give them a consistent
look. If your people skills are one of your strengths, make sure your boss keeps you in mind for office
supervisor, or as a member of a committee, or as the company liaison with an important client. Don’t take your
skills for granted and don’t let others do so! Employers look for employees who are task oriented and who think
and talk in terms of what they as employees can do to make the employer’s operation easier, better, more
profitable, and more efficient. The best way to describe what you can do for an employer is to talk about your
skills and how they apply to the job. People tend to discount their accomplishments and their related skill
development. Here’s your opportunity to become more aware of the skills you already have that are part of
your success profile. They will give you a competitive edge in the job market. Although climbing a mountain
and running a four-minute mile are noteworthy accomplishments, so are the following:
• raising a child • using a software program
• raising funds for a cause getting into • getting a job
college • repairing a car
• giving a speech • consoling a child
• delivering papers on a route • playing sports
• writing a term paper
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• graduating from high school • mastering a sport

• designing a costume • planning a surprise party
• planning a trip and traveling • overcoming a bad habit
• developing a blog • creating a webpage designing a website
• working as a food server • completing a degree
• completing a computer course

In reviewing this list, you may be thinking that some of these activities are simple, no big deal. Some
are activities you can do without much thought or preparation. However, just because they don’t take much
preparation does not mean they aren’t accomplishments that are filled with skills. Start thinking of goals that
you have set and then later met as accomplishments!

Analyze Your Accomplishments

You can begin to recognize your skills by identifying and examining your most satisfying
accomplishments; indeed, it is your skills that led you to those accomplishments. By analyzing these
accomplishments, you are likely to discover a pattern of skills (your self-motivators) that you repeatedly use
and enjoy using. Again, accomplishments are simply completed activities, goals, projects, or jobs held.
There are several ways to analyze accomplishments. One way is to describe something that you are
proud of having completed, and then list the skills that were required to complete it.
Another shorter method to identify skills is to simply write a story about one task completed and then
list the skills used. Dick Bolles popularized this approach in his Quick Job-Hunting Map (2006), a booklet that
lists hundreds of skills. Following is an example of one student’s project and the skills involved. The student’s
classmates listened to her story and helped her identify 21 skills.

Completing a Team Research Report

It was necessary for me to learn new software and Web-based tools to communicate to my team and to
format my findings on a spreadsheet. As the team leader, I had to find a time when all members could meet
in person to share findings and formulate the final report before the due date. The skills used in this team
research project include the following:
1. Learn quickly
2. Display flexibility
3. Meet challenges
4. Direct self and others
5. Follow through
6. Face new situations
7. Proof and edit
8. Translate concepts
9. Use technology
10. Organize
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11. Get the job done

12. Display patience
13. Attend to detail
14. Overcome obstacles
15. Communicate clearly
16. Work under stress
17. Display persistence
18. Ask questions
19. Use new software and web-based technology
20. Exercise leadership skill
21. Manage time effectively

Identifying Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are skills and abilities that are relevant and helpful across different areas of life:
socially, professionally and at school. They are ‘portable skills’.
People usually think about their transferable skills when applying for a job or when thinking about a
career change. Employers often look for people who can demonstrate a good set of transferable skills.You
already have transferable skills – you’ve developed such skills and abilities throughout your life, at school and
perhaps at university, at home and in your social life, as well as through any experience in the work-place. It
is often important that you can identify and give examples of the transferable skills that you have developed -
this will go a long way to persuading prospective employers that you are right for the job.

Most people will have at least three different careers during their working life and
many of the skills used in one will be transferable to another.

Lack of direct experience is not necessarily a barrier to a new job.

You may think that a lack of relevant, industry-specific experience will stop you from getting a job but
this is not always the case. If you are changing careers, have recently graduated, or are looking for your first
job, you’ll be pleased to learn that employers are often looking for potential. It is vital, therefore, that you sell
your potential by demonstrating the transferable skills that you have developed already.
Employers are usually looking for abilities and qualities that they recognise to be present in the most
effective employees. These soft skills, such as being able to communicate effectively in a variety of situations,
showing initiative, creativity and integrity, and having a good work attitude, are valuable across all industries.

Transferable Skills You Need

All skills and abilities can be transferable – depending on where they are being transferred to and from.
When applying for a job you should remember, however, that the type of transferable skills you highlight
in a letter of application or in your CV or résumé should be related to the position for which you are applying.
You may think it appropriate to list and give examples of transferable skills that are not included in the following
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list – there are literally thousands of words and phrases that can describe transferable skills and we include
only some of the most common.
Remember that employers will be looking at your potential. There is always an element of risk when it
comes to employing new people so think carefully about the type of skills you wish to emphasize and pick
examples you can demonstrate to minimize the perceived risk of employing you.
• Problem Solving
• Analytical Reasoning
• Critical Thinking
• Leadership
• Adaptability
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Writing
• Listening
• Creativity
• Attention to Detail
• Project Management:
• Project management
• Relationship Building
• Computer Skills
• Management

The above is just some of the transferable or soft skills that are helpful and relevant throughout many
different areas of our lives. Think back on your own life and experience to identify other personal skills you
possess that are not included here.

Your Most Valuable Assets: Your Personality Traits

We’ve talked about transferable skills that were learned or acquired at school, work, or home, or
through leisure and volunteer activities. Many of your skills may have come to you naturally, without training or
education. We call these skills natural abilities. We’re referring here to aspects of your personality such as the
ability to stay calm in a crisis, the ability to manage many things at once, a natural ability with math and
numbers, and/or a natural ability with words. More important, we’re referring to personal characteristics such
as enthusiasm, a good attitude, persistence, confidence, a sense of humor, and many other qualities that
contribute to success in the workplace.
These abilities will help you sell yourself and your talents. These personal characteristics, called
adaptive skills, may in the end separate you from other qualified applicants and enable you to get the job, top
evaluations, raises, and promotions. They may even help you keep your job in tough times.
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The Portfolio Employee

Your skills are your most valuable asset in the job market because they are transferable. For example,
the word processing and data management skills you use in your current job as administrative assistant or
insurance claims processor will be equally valuable in other jobs that you seek in the future, such as journalist
or lawyer. The more skills you develop, the more valuable and versatile you are in the job market. Such books
as You Majored in What? by Katharine Brooks (2009), and Free Agent Nation (2002) and A Whole New Mind
(2005) by Daniel Pink confirm that the number of portfolio workers will grow dramatically. Such workers will not
be a full-time part of one organization but instead will sell their portfolio of skills to several employers on a
freelance basis. Thus, the person who has graphic design and data management skills may work for more than
one firm in various capacities. An ever-growing number of people will be self-employed, and their job security
will come not from the traditional employer–employee relationship but from their ability to offer needed skills to
many employers. This increased trend toward self-employed portfolio employees means that it is essential for
each of us to identify our skills and determine which skills we want to use, improve, and develop to stay
competitive in the job market.
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EXPLAIN:
Activity: Short-answer Questions
Instructions: Answer the following questions below.
1. What is the importance of skills in your career search?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. How are skills developed to meet job competency?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3. How transferable skills relate to careers?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC SUMMARY
In this lesson, you have learned that:
• We all have our own special excellence, which is most likely to be demonstrated in experiences
that each of us considers to be accomplishments or life satisfactions. Your most memorable
accomplishments usually indicate where your greatest concentration of self-motivated skills
exist. Now that you have analyzed several such achievements, you have discovered a pattern
of skills.
• The more you know about these motivated skills, the better you will be able to choose careers
that require the use of these skills. Using these skills gives you a sense of mastery and
satisfaction. You will be happier, more productive, and more successful if you can incorporate
your motivated skills into your chosen work. You will also find that your skills transfer to many
different jobs.

REFERENCES
Books
• Powell, R. (2004). Career Planning Strategies: Hire Me!. Kendall Hunt Publishing Company
• Sukiennik, D. et al. (2013). Career Fitness Program: Exercising Your Options 10th Edition.
Pearson.
Web
• SkillsYouNeed (2011 - 2022). Transferable Skills . Retrieved at
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/general/transferable-skills.html Retrieved on April 2022.