SKILLS & PERSONAL QUALITIES

Talking about yourself is a little bit difficult for everyone. In some cultures, it is not polite to talk about yourself and how well you can do things. For a job search here in Canada, you must learn to talk about your skills clearly. You must show Canadian employers that your jobs in other countries developed the right skills.

Learning to describe your skills will help you to: - introduce yourself to an employer -write your resume and cover letter -prepare a calling card -answer interview questions

Types of Skills Job Specific Skills Transferable Skills Skills Most Canadian Employers Want Personal Qualities or Attributes

Job Specific Skills/Transferable Skills What can you do? I can……………… Personal Qualities or Attributes What kind of person are you? I am………...

Job Specific Skills sometimes called hard skills or technical skills skills that we use for one job skills that we usually learn from courses at school or training on the job

Examples of Job Specific Skills Preparing statistics with SPSS software Navigating an airplane Drafting blueprints Operating a chainsaw

Transferable Skills sometimes called soft skills or personal management skills general skills that you can use for many jobs skills that you learn from your family, your life experience, your hobbies or at work and in school very valuable for employers

Examples of Transferable Skills organizational skills Nurses, delivery drivers, accountants, all need to be well organized.

Skills Canadian Employers Want Academic Skills Personal Management Skills Teamwork Skills communicate positive attitude work with others think responsibility plan and make decisions in a group learn adaptability show leadership

Skills for Survival Jobs Sometimes New Canadians need to take any kind of job to pay the bills for a short time. These are called survival jobs. If you are a professional looking for a survival job, you will need to think about transferable skills. For example a nurse has good skills working with people, good communication skills and good organizational skills. These are skills for a survival job in a store.

Personal Qualities When you have the right personal qualities, you will fit in to the organization. Sometimes we call these personality traits or attributes.

Examples of Personal Qualities patient creative empathetic accurate persistent calm A calm and persistent troubleshooter Accurately processed documents Patiently instructed clients with disabilities

Nurse Job Specific Skills starting an intravenous taking a blood sample sterilizing equipment recording patient charts   Transferable Skills good oral and written communication skills well organized and able to multi-task  Personal Qualities empathetic, gentle, trustworthy

Gas Station Attendant Job Specific Skills knowledge of all safety regulations and WHMIS Symbols processing credit card and debit card transactions check oil  Transferable Skills fixing and repair machinery working well without supervision anticipate problems   Personal Qualities polite, outgoing, reliable   Gas Station Attendant

Scientist Job Specific Skills laboratory procedures scientific calculations chemical properties   Transferable skills handling dangerous materials safely planning troubleshooting   Personal Qualities innovative, methodical, open-minded  

Receptionist Job Specific Skills operate a multi-line phone use a computer and appointment scheduling software identify the names and functions of all departments in the company   Transferable Skills working under pressure good communication skills solving problems  Personal Qualities cheerful, friendly, courteous Receptionist

Lifeguard Job Specific Skills swimming 100 metres life saving techniques first aid and CPR  Transferable Skills thinking clearly in a crisis calming people problem solving  Personal Qualities alert, conscientious, energetic  

Musician Job Specific Skills reading a score of music knowing all major and minor scales understanding tempo   Transferable Skills listen intently cooperate as a team member  Personal Qualities creative, disciplined, focused  

Resources Choices Computer Software Internet Sites Library and Resource Centre Books Talking to people who work in different jobs.