Skill Set

Here's the good news: everyone has a skill set. That is, everyone has a list - some long, some short - of things they can do. For instance, I know how to make toast. Also, I am able to type,  mow the lawn, read, and, on a good day, find my parked car at a shopping mall without too much trouble. Perhaps I am leaving out one or two other things, and, granted, it may not be the most impressive of lists, but nonetheless those things represent an itemizing of skills I have. Are they strong enough to make someone want to hire me? Are they even relevant to a prospective employer? To be honest, probably not. My challenge, then, is to put together a revised list of my skill-set that is accurate and makes me potentially employable.


Though such a task may seem easy, it is one that many job seekers struggle with. This is because such a list, though very personable, must be compiled with others in-mind. As I just demonstrated, any one can produce a list of their skills or things they can do. By the same token, any one can speak or share their thoughts or perspectives. But the real challenge is found in speaking in a way that others can understand and find to be relevant and of interest. Such a fundamental communication challenge is no different when it comes to producing a skill set list which speak to the needs and interests of others.


Communicating is all about connecting with others. Attempting to generate interest in one's employment potential falls under the umbrella of effective communication. Specifically, it calls for being able to view things from the perspective of others. This requires research. It also requires embracing the reality that effective communication is not only about striving to meet one person's needs. Job seeking is about more than the job seeker. Communicating well is about all involved in a communication exchange.