Skill Types


There are basically three different types of skills, and they are as follows:

  1. Job-specific skills – skills related to a particular job
  2. Transferable skills – general skills that apply to many different jobs
  3. Self-management skills – personal characteristics that allow you to handle yourself and adjust to different situations

As you begin to look for work, remember that skills and accomplishments you have developed over the years are not always specific to one industry or job. Many skills are beneficial in any job for which you apply. For example, the ability to facilitate may be a skill beneficial to several different occupations.

In addition, some skills may be useful at a number of different jobs and essential in others. The ability to operate a computer is useful in some jobs and industries, but it is essential to other jobs, such as online retailers.

In our first activity designed to identify your skills, take a moment to complete the table below. Think of the skills you have that are job-specific (operating a forklift), transferable (team-work), and self-management type skills (patience). You can print this page, or simply having a pencil and some paper will suffice.

Job-Specific Skills Transferable Skills Self-Management Skills
Operating a forklift Team work Patient

This is our first step in identifying the skills we possess. As we identify different types of skills and how they can be related to different jobs or industries, we’ll be better prepared to find our next best job.

For assistance in this activity, visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook available at\oco. This online handbook is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and lists job descriptions for 200+ occupations. Use it to identify skills related to jobs you have performed or find interesting.

Coming Up In Tomorrow’s Blog: Determine YOUR Specific Skills.


Author: Blogforce
