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Work search strategies

Identify what you have to offer

Because you are trying to sell yourself to potential employers, you should take the same approach as you would when trying to sell them a product: you must intimately know the product you are selling. In other words, to sell yourself well, you must know yourself well. This page will help you identify what you have to offer—what skills and personality traits you bring with you. Skills fall under three main categories:

Functional/technical skills
Transferable skills
Personal/self-management skills

Use the table below to help you analyze yourself. You may wish to have a pen and paper handy while you do this exercise. Our more detailed checklists (PDF files; you will need Adobe® Reader® in order to download and print these) can also help you identify your functional, transferable, and personal/self-management skills.

Technical skills
Functional/technical skills are those specific to a type of work. They can be learned on the job or through formal training and education.
Verbal and written communication skills	Displaying products or ideas Editing manuscripts or reports Public and motivational speaking Public relations; acting as a tour guide or media spokesperson Translating materials (foreign languages or technical jargon) Writing creative pieces, essays, press releases, articles, technical reports, correspondence or memoranda
Analytical skills and numeracy (the ability to work with numbers and data)	Budgeting, projecting, and analyzing costs Compiling data and preparing reports Develop computer applications to improve work systems Compiling numerical or scientific data Conducting tests and experiments Growing/cultivating plants, cultures Drawing or drafting; producing plans, blueprints, flowcharts, diagrams, or layouts Investigating hard-to-find data or information Managing money; reconciling statements Ordering/purchasing supplies; maintaining product or supply inventoryAnalyzing quantitative or statistical data Performing financial audits of a department or organization Troubleshooting problems; suggesting and implementing solutions
Evaluative skills	Appraising programs, strategies, services Determining the performance of individuals Developing models to explain phenomena Evaluating a book or journal Evaluating individuals' performance or assessing programs or activities
Leadership and management skills	Administering a department, program, activity or club Advising or counseling others Coordinating people, events, or information Delegating tasks and responsibilities Facilitating discussions; managing the dynamics of a group Interviewing Managing others; overseeing the productivity of a team Motivating others to reach goals Organize and plan events, conferences, trade shows Identify, recruit, and interview others to work in your organization Selling Public and motivational speaking Teaching others Maintaining and updating files, data, or reports Growing/cultivating plants, cultures Drawing or drafting; producing plans, blueprints, flowcharts, diagrams or layouts
Transferable skills
Learned throughout life and derived from a multitude of experiences, transferable skills are those you can carry from one job to another.
Work Ethic: skills which assist in promoting productivity and satisfaction in one's work	Cooperating with others Implementing decisions Enforcing policies Punctuality Meeting goals Enlisting help Setting and meeting deadlines Time management and prioritization Attention to detail
Organization, management and leadership: the ability to supervise, guide, and direct others in the fulfillment of tasks and goals	Initiating and implementing new ideas Attention to detail Team-building Teaching and/or coaching Counseling Advocacy Selling products or services Decision-making Conflict resolution Delegating responsibility
Communication skills: the skillful expression, trasmission and interpretation of knowledge and ideas	Speaking effectively Writing concisely Editing Listening attentively Expressing ideas Describing feelings Facilitating group discussions Providing appropriate feedback Negotiating Interviewing Persuading Reporting information
Researching and planning: knowing how to look for specific knowledge and how to conceptualize future needs and solutions for meeting those needs	Predicting, forecasting Creating ideas Identifying problems Proposing alternatives Solving problems Identifying resources Setting goals Extracting key information Defining needs Analyzing Evaluating strategies and results
Interpersonal skills: human relations to resolve conflicts, relate to others and help others	Establishing rapport Listening attentively Conveying feelings Motivating and persuading Counseling Sharing credit Asserting Perceiving feelings and situations Cooperating Showing support for others
Self-management skills
How do you describe yourself? How would your friends describe you to a stranger? What do you believe are your greatest strengths?
Adaptable Adventurous Ambitious Articulate Assertive Caring Charismatic Committed Compassionate Conscientious Cooperative Creative Dependable Discreet Dynamic Efficient	Empathetic Energetic Enterprising Friendly Flexible Genuine Goal-oriented Helpful Honest Humble Humorous Imaginative Independent Intuitive Methodical Meticulous	Motivating Neat Organized Outgoing Persuasive Precise Punctual Receptive Reliable Self-motivated Sociable Sympathetic Trustworthy Unique

Work search strategies

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