Identifying Your Skills, Knowledge, and Personal Characteristics

Before you can market your skills to a potential employer you need to assess the skills you now possess.
Go through the list and check those items where you feel competent. Indicate whether you have acquired the skill through work, school, volunteer activity, etc.
Refer to this list as you write your resume or prepare for interviews.

SKILLS CHECKLIST

Administrative Management Skills

  • Able to establish priorities in accordance with management objective and to meet deadlines
  • Able to work independently: self disciplined
  • Able to set goals
  • Able to use effective time management
  • Able to reach sound logical conclusions based on information at hand; good judgment
  • Effectiveness of organization of own activities and those of a group
  • A knowledge of business principles and practices
  • Able to plan, organize, execute assignments to meet deadlines
  • Problem-solving skills - evaluate, analyze, negotiate and recommend alternatives
  • Able to review pertinent materials
  • Effective planning skills
  • Able to delegate
  • Able to take calculated risks based on sound judgment
  • Flexibility - ability to modify management style and behavioral approach to reach goal
  • Decision-making skills

Artistic Skills

  • Able to prepare art work effectively, quickly, to meet deadlines
  • Understand the use of the elements and principles of design
  • Creativity
  • Able to adapt art work to various production methods
  • Able to use various art media such as drafting tools, pen and ink, commercial lettering
  • Able to target art work for specific audience
  • Understand psychological influence of line and shape, color and texture

Computer Skills and Literacy

  • Able to interpret computer data sheets
  • Able to operate computer
  • Able to develop programs for computer application
  • Understand computer hardware and software availability and terminology
  • Understand computer application to business
  • Understand computer application to families and individuals
  • Able to identify advantages of computer applications

Educational Skills 

  • Basic understanding of educational principles and techniques
  • Able to plan , research and develop educational and informational materials and implement programs
  • Knowledge of consumer education techniques
  • Able to develop new skills and keep abreast of new knowledge
  • Able to use audio-visual materials and equipment
  • Able to design and develop educational materials for specific audiences
  • Understand needs, expertise and expectations of various audiences including students, educators, consumers, salespeople and customers
  • Able to communicate technical information in consumer language

Financial Skills

  • Understand free enterprise system and basic economics
  • Understand budgetary process
  • Understand financial reports
  • Understand statistics and mathematics
  • Understand various financial vehicles such as stock market and investments
  • Able to develop budgets
  • Able to interpret financial data and annual reports
  • Able to develop economic forecasts
  • Able to explain label information, pricing and universal product code

International Skills

  • Proficiency in a foreign language
  • Understand public policy
  • Understand international law
  • Able to appreciate people whose values, goals and manner of living may be quite different from your own
  • Understand democratic process
  • Able to make use of available resources
  • Knowledge of life/family patterns in other cultures
  • Experienced in foreign travel
  • Understand world monetary, economic system

Interpersonal Skills

  • Able to work cooperatively with a wide variety of people
  • Professional attitude in regard to motivation, cooperation, flexibility, confidentiality, ethics and personal development
  • Strong listening skills - able to identify important information in oral communication
  • Sensitivity - able to perceive and respond sensitively to the needs of others
  • Capacity for dealing with people both inside and outside the company/organization
  • Maturity
  • Able to direct people
  • Able to motivate people
  • Able to formulate objectives
  • Effectiveness in getting ideas accepted and in guiding a group or individual to accomplish a task
  • Able to delegate

Marketing/Sales Skills

  • Understand marketing, advertising, promotion and sales
  • Able to develop sales forecasts
  • Knowledge of sales principles
  • Understand market research
  • Understand market segmentation
  • Understand retail marketing
  • Understand merchandising principles
  • Able to handle sales calls including "cold calls"
  • Salesmanship - ability to organize and present material in a convincing manner
  • Able to develop marketing plans; set objectives
  • Awareness of marketing trends

Mass Media Skills

  • Recognize media needs (radio, television, magazines, newspapers)
  • Understand available communication channels and techniques, which will increase consumer awareness
  • Understand layout, design, photography and other art-related subjects
  • Understand mass communication
  • Able to produce effective, imaginative and creative materials and meet public expectations
  • Able to write press releases, television, or newspaper interviews
  • Understand difference between public relations and advertising
  • Able to relate public relations functions to the total marketing program and evaluate the results in qualitative and financial items
  • Able to discern fact from fiction advertising hype
  • Able to operate audio-visual equipment

Personal Skills

(These skills are important in all career clusters)
  • Flexibility
  • Loyalty
  • Determination
  • Professionalism/honesty/personal integrity
  • Tenacity
  • Creativity
  • Motivation
  • Self-direction
  • Able to create a good first impression, credibility
  • Decisiveness
  • Cooperation
  • Able to achieve and sustain a high activity level
  • High work standards with a desire to do a good job for its own sake
  • Broad range of interests including concerns for personal, organization and community environment
  • Willingness to participate in and support professional organizations
  • Willingness to develop additional skills and knowledge by attending workshops and seminars
  • Positive attitude
  • Patience
  • Sense of humor
  • Maturity
  • Trustworthiness

Personal Administration Skills

  • Interviewing and hiring skills
  • Able to evaluate employee performance
  • Understanding of state and federal personnel laws (Equal Employment Opportunity EEC)
  • Able to develop and write job descriptions
  • Able to train and coach employees
  • Sensitivity to other employees' needs
  • Strong listening skills
  • Understand company/organization goals, policies, procedures

Research Skills 

  • Knowledge of product testing and analytical methods
  • Able to plan research, execute and evaluate
  • Knowledge of laboratory procedures and records
  • Knowledge of basic scientific and experimental techniques, experimental design and statistics
  • Understand product development
  • Understand evaluation techniques
  • Understand relationship between laboratory and consumer testing
  • Able to analyze test data and results
  • Problem analysis and effectiveness in seeking pertinent data and determining the cause of the problem
  • Knowledge of research and survey techniques
  • Knowledge in computer operation

Speaking Skills 

  • Knowledge of communication and demonstration techniques
  • Able to communicate with ease on a professional level
  • Able to make a persuasive, clear presentation of ideas or facts, given time for preparation
  • Effective expression in individual or group situations including gestures and nonverbal communication
  • Able to identify and motivate various audiences
  • Able to effectively communicate in technical and lay language
  • Able to answer telephone inquiries effectively
  • Experience in television and radio presentation