What skills have you developed from your job?

I'm thinking about changing my job

What skills have you developed from your job?

In order to stay employable, you have to be able to describe your talents and experience to a potential employer in generic terms, yet specific enough to apply to the job. Those terms are skills.

To become good at "skills speak" you have to be able to identify the skills you have and provide examples to demonstrate your competency. You have to be able to understand from a job description what skills an employer wants and then show how your skills correspond with the employer's needs.

Employers consistently look for certain types of skills in their applicants. Find out here What skills employers want. How many of these skills have you already developed? Write down examples to demonstrate your skills.

What experience have you gained from your job?

What specific knowledge and experience have you gained from your current job?

laboratory procedures
practical engineering techniques
detailed legislation and its application
Financial accounts
preparing and delivering lessons to groups of children or adults
art and design work

How does your specific knowledge relate to the jobs that you're targeting? Is the same knowledge required or a variation or more complex version? Your CV may be read first by a personnel specialist who may not fully appreciate the relevance of your experience. Try to describe your experience in terms that can be easily understood by everyone who will handle your application.

Changes in the world of work

Remember that the world of work is changing. To remain 'employable' you will have to continue learning and develop new skills throughout your entire working life.

Companies are relying on international strategic alliances to compete globally
Organisations are contracting out (or out-sourcing) non-core activities
Every job requires technology know-how
The majority of new jobs will be in the services sector
Companies are adopting a strong customer focus
The world of work is global and companies need employees with international skills and mobility
Employers are moving from hierarchical structures to flatter, more democratic structures
Fewer graduates are entering traditional graduate jobs
There's no such thing as a job for life - you can expect to change job up to six times in your life
More graduates are working in small and medium-sized businesses
More graduates are becoming self-employed
Change is becoming part and parcel of working life and you will have to expect and plan for change

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