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A parent of a teen asked me this question recently and it is an important one since employers focus on abilities and skills in their search for workers who can perform certain job functions and produce desired results. While interests can point you towards preferred industries and career fields, skills dictate what you will actually be doing each day on the job. Given the amount of time spent weekly at work, it’s easy to see why the topic of skills is so critical to satisfaction and career success. One place to start with assessing the skill strengths of a teenager is by considering a type of skill I call ‘Suitcase Skills’. Suitcase Skills are also referred to as transferable or functional skills (does the term ‘functional resume’ ring a bell?). Suitcase Skills are highly portable skills that you can take with you from one job (campus activity, volunteer experience, etc.) to another. They are action oriented (they’re all verbs) and fall into one of four basic work task categories: work with people, data, things, or ideas.
Now a teen can have an aptitude or natural talent to perform a certain Suitcase Skill yet that doesn’t mean that he or she will enjoy using that skill. To prove my point, think about the teens (and adults) that you know. Chances are you know of someone with so much potential in a certain area but with absolutely no interest in it. No matter what others say, this individual refuses to apply those inherent talents. On the flip side, a high level of motivation can compensate for mediocre skills since a motivated person is more inclined to put in the time it takes to reach a certain level of competency in that skill area. So, while both you and your student can identify his or her skill strengths, I suggest paying special attention to enjoyment when conducting skills assessments. While anyone can leverage skills they don’t enjoy using, there will be greater satisfaction, more motivation, and, ultimately, greater success over time when someone enjoys the day to day functions of their work.
Below you will find an activity that can be used to introduce a teen to the topic of skills. It offers a place to start with skills assessment. It also offers an opportunity to open up a discussion about skills and to share your own career experiences involving skills that you have enjoyed and those you disliked using.
Here is a sample list of Suitcase Skills. Highlight all the Suitcase Skills that you enjoy. Then pick your 6 favorite out of those you highlighted.
Do I like to work with People?
counsel - listen to others and provide support with their problems or decisions
meeting the public - meet and talk with new people
sell - describe an idea, plan, product, service, etc. and convince one or more individuals of its value
take care of others - care about and act to improve the physical or emotional well being of others
supervise - assume leadership in a group by directing and checking activities
train/instruct - teach or explain special information to others through words or actions
mediate - resolve or settle differences between two or more individuals
Do I like to work with Things?
build/construct - form or make by putting together materials, parts, etc.
operate equipment - control the use of tools, appliances, and machines
use body coordination - play sports, dance, or doing something physical that requires agility, strength, and stamina
repair/restore - fix what is wrong with a toy or a mechanical or electrical piece of equipment
grow/tend - take care of plants, flowers, or animals
hand dexterity - use hands with skill and precision with objects, tools, and machines or to create arts and
modify/engineer - come up with a better way to make, build, or do something
Do I like to work with Ideas?
design - come up with a scheme or plan and turn it into a written form, outline, product, program or invention
perform - express myself through singing, acting, or playing an instrument
analyze - examine in detail an idea, an object, or human situations; separate into parts or elements to find out nature, function
research/investigate - gather information in a systematic way to discover or apply certain facts or principles
conceptualize - able to understand and form new or creative ideas, theories or processes
create - develop new ideas, or produce new forms such as an original piece of art, music, or writing
use intuition - rely on insight or hunches to understand or to know
Do I like to work with Data?
plan - determine the steps that are necessary to meet goals and objectives
manage records - collect, organize and keep accurate records either with or without use of a computer
categorize - organize information or objects into groups or classifications
budget - manage the finances for a community group, social club, church group, etc.
determine policy - develop guidelines and strategies to carry out an action plan
organize - put different elements together into an orderly and structured system
calculate - use simple math operations to get an exact amount
Once you’ve picked your favorite 6 Suitcase Skills, brainstorm a list of jobs that use your favorite skills. Ask friends or relatives to help you brainstorm and explore career possibilities.
By Susan Posluszny, OPTIONS for Career & Life Planning LLC