How Do I Know What Skills I Have: 6 Easy Steps

A job interview is a chance for you to sell yourself to the hiring manager. It would be best to let them know what makes you unique and what you can offer the company. In other words, you need to talk about what skills you are bringing to the table.

The more you know your skills, the more articulate you can be during that crucial job interview, but even identifying your skills can sometimes be a struggle. If you have been asking yourself, "What are my skills for a job?" and "How do I know what skill I have?" read on.

Identifying Your Skills

Taking inventory of your skills is a critical element of job hunting, and there are a few ways you can do it.

1. Dig deep

   When you think to yourself, "How do I know what skill I have?" you are essentially asking yourself what exactly you're good at. It is a question that is harder to answer than you think. You will need to venture within yourself to find an answer you are confident with and confront yourself on what you aren't good at, which is a struggle for anyone.

   When you examine yourself deeply, you grow more confident and resilient to the opinions of others.

2. Do not settle

   When you think about the questions "What are my skills for a job?" and "How do I know what skills I have?" an answer might instantly come to mind. Although what you came up with may be your obvious answer, you need to consider thinking again since it's easy to fool yourself; false memories can lead you to believe something about yourself that isn't grounded in reality.

3. Involve others

   Since you can have blind spots about yourself, consider asking someone you trust, like your job hunting buddy , "What are my skills for a job?" Their perspective may even illuminate an answer you might not have even considered.

4. Do not give in to desperation

   Self-reflection and job hunting are hard, and answering the question, "What are my skills for a job?" can stress you out. But it is normal to wish things were easier.

   When the question "What are my skills for a job?" overwhelms you, take a deep breath and consider using the RAIN method to help you manage your emotions.

5. Be patient

   Practicing patience and self-care while you are still on the hunt is essential. Do not rush it. It takes time to have confident answers to know your skills, just like it also takes time to find a job.

6. Reference the job description

   When you're drawing a blank while trying to answer "What are my skills for a job?" or "How do I know what skills I have?" try referring to the job description to see what the company is looking for in the first place. It can help jog your mind about your strengths and weaknesses.

   Understanding what the company is looking for will help you market your skills better.

Marketing Your Skills in the Interview

While identifying your skills is a great first step to breezing through the job interview, you will also need to know how to present them to the hiring manager.

Suppose your skill is video editing. Instead of saying that you are proficient in navigating a video editing software, you can cite instances where your skill helped in the past. For example, you might say you edited a short video that generated more signups for your organization.

Citing instances lets the hiring manager know how hiring you can potentially benefit their company, making you stand out from other interviewees.

Finding Opportunities with Your Skills

Identifying your skills involves digging deep within yourself, being thorough, and having patience for the long haul. A concrete answer to the questions "What are my skills for a job?" and "How do I know what skills I have?" helps narrow your search and identify which job opportunities suit you the best.

Once you know your skills, visit Career.com to discover job opportunities where you can apply them.