Technology-Leadership FAQ

Your skills sets part 2

Broad Examples of Skills Sets
Installing - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs
to meet specifications.

Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed
tools.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for
the needs of the audience.

Organizing

Communicating

Motivating a Team

Coordinating - Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the
strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions
or approaches to problems.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and
reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options
and implement solutions.

Time Management - Managing one’s own time and the time of
others.

Marketing-Making clear the features and benefits of a product

Selling-Selling the company product effectively to bring in revenue.

Skills
Employers review skill sets when considering job applicants. A worker with the ability to step into a position with minimal training often gets the job when time and training budgets are tight.

Describing your skills can sometimes be difficult. List the skills you possess that are relevant to the position you are seeking. They should be ranked by importance to the potential position.

For example, if it is a sales job, selling and marketing will be more important than complex problem solving or critical thinking.

If you are new to the workforce, or making a career transition, your list of relevant skills may be brief. If you lack related skills, you can emphasize the “soft” skills you possess (such as organization and communication).

Being a good people person and team player with a good work ethic can often go a long way as compared with the egomaniac who is like a wind-up toy charging to his or her goal without regard for anyone else.

References

Do not provide contact information for those current or previous employers you do not want contacted by your potential employer. This is especially true if you are looking to jump ship without telling anyone at your company.

If applicable, contact the personnel department of your current employer to inform them they may be contacted for purposes of verifying your employment.

You should assume a potential employer will thoroughly research your work history based on the information you provide.

Certain companies have rules and regulations about what information they will provide. Often they will do no more than confirm factual information like dates.

It will therefore be up to you to secure a letter of recommendation which speaks directly of your skills, contributions and experience.

If you are on the outs with your boss, try to think of any other person working with you directly, a client, higher up superior, and so on, who can directly comment on your professionalism.

Never diss your boss—say there are professional differences of opinion and leave it at that if you are called upon for any explanation.

If you are blessed enough to have multiple references, include only those most relevant.

Always make sure you put them on a separate page from your resume, so you can update it frequently and only offer it when you have got closer to the interview and potential hiring stage.

Result Statements
An effective way to highlight your accomplishments is by using
results statements.

Result statements explain what situation you faced at work, what action you took, and the outcome. It is another way of giving specific examples of your accomplishments and how they benefited your employer.

Think about your successes or the problems you have solved. Be specific.

The statement “works well under pressure” is general and does not tell the prospective employer anything in detail. Instead, give an example where you performed well under pressure.

If your result is that you “completed the project before the deadline and also under budget,” be sure to state how much percentage under budget.

The goal of these statements is to show an employer you have a proven track record of providing results.

You can use results statements to both paid and unpaid employment.

Work Experience

This is the most important section of any resume. The others were fine-tunings, of the resume, but this part must really be clear, concise, and stand out.

Your work history reveals prior dates of employment and positions held with previous employers. It gives prospective employers a quick view of your employment patterns, experience, and career progression.

When providing your work history, be accurate with starting and ending dates, job titles, and employer contact information.

If you have gaps in your employment history, be prepared to explain them during an interview.

A large gap in your work history, such as time off to raise a family, can also be addressed in your cover letter.

If applicable and relevant, you should include volunteer activities and unpaid internships, although paid work experience should take precedence.

If you are a college student seeking first-time employment, list any work experience you may have. This work may include volunteering and internships during college, high school, and summer breaks.

It can also include sports and other school clubs.

This will let employers know you have had exposure to a structured work environment.

Work Experience
Friendly Markets - Pittsburgh, PA 9/8/2007 - present
Inventory Assistant, part-time

ACME Corporation - Burbank, CA 4/23/2001 - 7/16/2005
Product Tester

For the chronological resume, start with the present, and work your way backwards.

For the combined, do the same, especially if you have switched careers. Start with the material which is most relevant to the job you are currently applying for.