Relating your skills to jobs

Each position that you consider will have a required set of skills. One way to determine whether you have the general and specific skills necessary for the positions is to read actual advertisements and generic job descriptions.

For example, if you were interested in a position as a journalist, a typical job ad might read: "Requires 1—2 years experience, organisational and interpersonal skills, imagination, drive, and the ability to work under pressure.”

A job guide might then be able to indicate what these skills are used for, as well as additional skills: "... journalists also develop marketing plans, write and edit promotional material, work with staff, designers and photographers, and must have a through knowledge of current trends and public fairs."

Your general skills will be valuable for any number of jobs, but many specific skills will also be transferable to other types of positions. For example, speaking Japanese might be a required skill for a tour guide, someone involved in international trade or a diplomat.

The employment sections of newspapers, the internet, company websites and professional associations are all good resources for job ads, while the La Trobe University Careers Service maintains a resource centre with generic job descriptions for a variety of positions.

Activity

Begin building a comprehensive list of required skills with the first job description you read. Exploring advertisements and descriptions for several types of related positions will reveal a core of necessary skills. In building this list, include both general and specific skills. On a separate sheet of paper, try to generate a comprehensive list of required skills for at least one job you are considering.

Activity
Review the list of skills that are required for the jobs you are considering. Check off those skills that you know you possess. You should refer to these specific skills in the résumé that you prepare for this type of job.