Some people terminate their job for a specific reason, whilst others have it forced upon them through downsizing or redundancy. People can quickly lose their confidence and self-esteem while they are unemployed. This is most acute with males who are more likely to define themselves by what they do for a living.
Sometimes the job markets are saturated, and employers seem to be expecting the Earth in exchange for small salaries. It may go against peoples’ nature to ‘blow their own horn’ at interviews, bigging themselves up against the opposition. There is a real need nonetheless for people to identify what their skills are, and to be confident in communicating them when applying for jobs. Let’s have a go at identifying some unexpected ones right now!
The Ability to Work Alone or In a Team
Anyone who can do both is above average. Some people lack the confidence to work alone, whilst others are terrible team players. If someone is good at either, many jobs will open up for them. One could read more here for a good example. People who train to become Aviation Protection Officers are expected to work independently and as part of the team. Trained workers may be alone at times, using hand held metal detectors or using explosive trace detectors (ETD) with passengers, non-passengers of checked luggage. At other times they will be standing alongside colleagues, having received team updates and guidance.
A Host of Business Skills
Anyone who has always worked in the same office may fear that their job is too specialised for them to have any transferable skills. Let’s explode that myth right now! If someone can use email and Word at home or work, they can do that in any other office too. Most people can either touch type or ‘hunt and peck’ at good speeds. This means they could be productive in an office environment. If a person has a mobile phone, they are already experienced and ready for training in a call centre.
People may discount themselves for having no line manager experience, yet be successful parents. If someone has created or overseen a project in one job, they can use the same skills elsewhere, no matter how different the work is.
A person who previously started a small business needs to recognise the range of skills and experience they may unconsciously be holding. Do they understand entrepreneurship, websites, branding and sales and marketing? Are they familiar with self employment and bookkeeping? Someone may be applying for a totally different type of job, but the principles will be the same.
A Sense of Humour
Having a sense of humour can be a great asset in the world of work, because it is possible to combine humour with professionalism. People who are also good at writing may end up helping with work bulletins, injecting some much needed humour into otherwise boring material. Humorous people can lighten the atmosphere of workplaces. One small quip can be enough to make several colleagues laugh, as they experience a rush of endorphins. Jokes can become great icebreakers with new staff or training events. In response, people relax and get more out of their day.
Any sports and social club at work will also appreciate the value of someone with a creative imagination and a sense of humour. They can help with fundraising ideas and themed clothes days for charity.
Good Communicators
If someone is good with people, has great listening skills and can get their message across, they are sitting on gold. They could do teaching, training, presentations, counselling and so on. People who enjoy Facetime, Zoom and Skype calls can be extremely useful when it comes to business calls and video conferences. These apps help people be more efficient and clear when communicating with other people through long distances.
A Strong Sense of Responsibility
Women who say, ‘I’m just a mum’ are destroying their own sense of worth. People who have responsibility and maturity as a personal strength are the ones managers can rely on. They are unlikely to arrive late to work or leave tasks to other people. They might be more likely to worry than ignore an issue, but they could also be absolute gems in schools where safeguarding is paramount.
All a person needs when job hunting is to list their previous history of work, and identify their portable skills. Other life skills and qualifications may also be relevant here. There are great gains to be made in asking friends and loved ones to identify these too, as many may be invisible to you.
When a person realises their value, they will be self assured with interviews and job applications, and effective in their new job. Why not sit down and write a list now? You have more than you think.
