I needed my tiny flathead screwdriver but my toolbox was a mess and I wasn’t having any luck finding it. I found a pipe wrench I forgot I owned, a bag of washers I needed last week (if I had known they were in the box), and a tiny Philips-head screwdriver. I wondered when I last used the Allen wrenches. Frustrated, I dumped the entire box on the floor. As the dust settled, I realized how much I had to offer as a “Ms. Fixit.” I had more tools than I remembered. And of course, at the bottom was the tiny flathead screwdriver I was looking for.

My toolbox fiasco made me think about resume writing. It’s time to clean up your job skills toolbox, dust everything off and take inventory of what you have to offer your next employer. Thoughtful demonstration of your personal skill sets may be the key to unlocking the heart of a new boss. Employers are looking for a specific set of skills for each position they are filling. Inventorying your skills will prepare you to demonstrate that you are the best candidate for the job.

When I work with clients to determine their job skills, many hesitate and respond with “I don’t know. I just do my job.” If you are stuck in a rut with your current job or if it has been a while since you’ve worked, you might also wonder what your job skills are. As you assess your skills, remember to go beyond the obvious, functional roles required by your position. An electrician can wire a lamp. A manager will manage people. A truck driver knows how to drive and navigate.
But what other skills do these experiences develop? The truck driver also knows how to plan and coordinate shipments, manage deadlines, communicate with internal departments and external customers, and is probably a logistics hound. The electrician may have experience creating contracts, negotiating and selling, and documentation. Think outside the box. Using the Experience Document you created from last month’s article, ask yourself, “What skills do I have that support the primary skill set required for performance of my job and previous experience?”

Job skills fall into two categories: universal and job-specific. Universal skills are required for most positions and are sometimes referred to as “soft skills.” Universal skills are transferable from field to field and between levels of hierarchy within an organization. These are the skills most employers expect from all employees at varying levels of competency depending on the position.

The most common universal skills are:
• Communication Skills: Do you speak effectively? Write clearly? Do you listen attentively? Can you speak confidently in public settings and lead group discussions?
• Teamwork: Do you play well in the work sandbox? Do you share information and support your colleagues? Is the greater mission a priority for you? Do you pick up the slack of others and pitch in when needed?

• Independent, Self-Starter: As much as employers want team members, they also want someone who is capable of working independently. Are you self-motivated? Capable of problem solving without a lot of direction?
• Computer Literacy: Very few jobs exist today without some sort of electronic connection. Even ranch managers are using smart phones and email to communicate with grain haulers and veterinarians. Restaurant servers use touch screens to place orders. Computer literacy is a must. If you don’t have it, get training ASAP! Check out the training directory on Bozeman Job Services’ website for classes (https://jobs.mt.gov/jobs/provider/provider.seek). The Bozeman Public Library offers computer courses (http://www.bozemanlibrary.org). At a minimum, learn how to use Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel).
• NOTE for older job seekers: Bolster your selling power by adding computer training courses to your resume. Or, if you have computer experience, make sure to mention it in order to prevent unwanted stereotyping.
• Interpersonal Skills: Do you work well with others? Are you flexible in working with a variety of personalities? Are you sensitive and considerate? Do you motivate? Handle conflict in a productive manner? Can you follow and give direction?

• Analytical and Organization Skills: How is your ability to manage deadlines? Can you research and problem solve considering different perspectives? Are you a solution magnet? Detail-oriented and punctual?
• The last universal skill set is more of a universal value set, but it’s worth mentioning. Employers want responsible, honest, dependable individuals. Know your work values and add them to your skill inventory.

Now that you have a universal (and transferable!) skill list, create a job-specific skill list. Job-specific skills vary widely. For example, manufacturing positions might include skills like inventory control, capacity planning, outsourcing, warehousing, and equipment operation (specify the equipment you have experience operating). A customer service professional may have experience with customer needs assessments, customer retention, key account management, order fulfillment, or call center operations.

Consider trainings and professional development experiences. What skills did you learn or develop? Other skill sources include volunteer experiences, hobbies, and sports. Do you manage your soccer league team? Do you coach, mentor, or lead other players? Do you have experience coordinating schedules and managing volunteers?

• HINT: Mothers returning to work after staying home for a few years should spend some time evaluating the skills they maintained or expanded managing a household. It’s not easy managing five different schedules, leading the PTA, and taking Brownies on a weeklong camping trip. Take credit for the skills you have.

Finally, evaluate your various skills for competence. Experience with a skill and comfort with a skill do not always go hand in hand. For example, I have hundreds of hours networking at events over my career but I’m an introvert by nature so working a crowd takes a lot of effort (and antiperspirant). Evaluate your level of competency for each experienced skill. I recommend a 1-10 rating. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Be honest, after all, no one is great at everything. Thanks to loads of practice, I would rate myself relatively well for networking (7-8), but I get a three for negotiating.

If you find yourself with a low-rated skill that is pertinent to the type of job you are seeking, make time to practice, get training, or seek out professional development opportunities. Request to participate with projects outside your typical work load in order to learn or expand skills.

It pays to spend some time identifying and evaluating what you have to offer your next employer before writing your resume. Unfortunately, simply listing your skills on a resume won’t hook you an interview. So tune in next month to learn how to take your newly inventoried and dusted off skills and match them with examples of results. Once we have pairings of skills and results, we’ll make powerful selling statements for your resume.

From her barn in Bozeman, Liz Williams helps job seekers land interviews with professionally-written resumes. Learn more at writerla.com and follow Liz on Facebook at facebook.com/writerla to get more tips on resume writing.