Millions of job seekers whether new, old, experienced, or inexperienced face the same challenge when it comes to market their skills. Well, most of them even don't know that they have more to offer to the companies than just their resume. Let's take a look at some basics about how to identify and market your hidden skills:
First of all understand to create a difference between your duties and your skills. Duties are job responsibilities you perform on the job as told to you such as generating reports, coordinating conferences, providing customer support, dealing with clients, taking and giving briefs etc. Skills are tools and technique you use to perform these duties such as computer, projector, some special software, your communication, leadership, motivation, strategy etc.
For example, if you have worked as an assistant in the administration department then you must have organized and arranged multiple meetings, seminars, and conferences. You will also have enough experience of drafting letters, emails, answering the customer query, dealing with clients, conveying the message of your bosses to others. In the course of performing your regular duties, apart from your technical knowledge and subject knowledge, you must have developed strong planning and communication skill suitable and required for any modern day job.
Before making final resume do consider these minute but crucial details regarding all your previous jobs. Carefully make a list of all the skills required to perform those jobs. You can even think about any part time work you would have done such as volunteer positions or serving as a president of your homeowners association which shows that you have leadership skills. Observe every single opportunity and chances are that you are going to reveal the hidden part of your skill sets.
You must know to market your extra skills:
Identifying and recognizing the hidden skill sets are only half the job done, you must learn to effectively market them to the companies in terms of getting better job. Simple rule is-always highlight the desired skill sets in your cover letter and resume which employer is looking for. In the process, consider every single question which may come in your mind: type of firm, type of industry, its culture, its background, board of directors etc. Answers to these questions will definitely help you out to jot down the relevant companies for your purpose.
For example, if you are a language expert then look for some multinational companies, if you are interested in advertising then show them your blog.
You can get better idea by the job descriptions companies post while publishing the jobs. For example, if a company is interested to hire administrative analysts who can help with their case reports, your previous experience of working on special projects with other research firms may prove helpful and get you job. You can also consult some specialized publication like Robert Half International's "Glossary of Job Descriptions for Accounting and Finance" to get better understanding of optimizing your skills.
However, in the process one should always keep in mind that hiring mangers only focus on the relevant skills sets. Hence, writing everything, on the cover letter and in resume, in the hope of getting something will get you nothing. Thumb rule for hiring managers are very simple- they only take serious and positive candidate with relevant skill sets only. Hence, if you have participated in the recent blood donation camp then better don't mention it.
So, do analyze all your previous jobs and duties in order to get better idea of your hidden skills. These skills make you more attractive in your resume, impress the hiring mangers, and also increase your chances of getting the dream job.
