Applying Your Skills
DESCRIBING YOUR SKILLS
During this term you’ve developed a wide range of skills, and you’ll want to remember what these skills are, how you developed them, and what they helped you accomplish. Why? Describing your skills on a résumé, on a job application, on a scholarship application, or during an interview can help you stand out from the crowd. For practice describing your skills, both verbally and in writing, follow the steps below.
Select three of your top skills, and list one skill in each response box below. If you need ideas about which skills to spotlight, review Figure 14.1, Table 14.4, the Connect to Career skills you’ve recorded on your Personal Success Plans, or this book’s table of contents.
For each skill you’ve listed, describe in detail how you demonstrate that skill. For example, if you select “working with others” as one of your top skills, write down what you do at school or work to show that you have this skill. Maybe you approach group work with an open mind, use conflict-management strategies to work through disagreements, and listen to the ideas of others.
Reflect on what each of the skills you’ve chosen to highlight has helped you accomplish. Continuing the example of “working with others,” you might say, “This skill helped me successfully lead a project team that delivered high-quality work on time and earned the team members a glowing letter of recommendation.”
In order to become more comfortable describing your skills and accomplishments out loud, ask a friend or family member to help you practice talking about your top skills.
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