When it comes to getting your first job or training opportunity, knowing what skills you have to offer can be even more important than your qualifications. You may not have noticed, but you could be improving useful skills (like being organised or working well with others) every day. We all have strengths and weaknesses to work on. Today is a great day to think about your skills. Let's see how you can build them, use them, and show them off to employers!

You already have these skills for life and work!

They are great to talk about in CVs, cover letters and interviews.

Problem solving

Problem solving means you can think outside the box and find answers to little and big problems. Being able to keep a clear head and use logic to find a solution means you can overcome challenges.

Communication

You can communicate by speaking, through your actions, and even your ability to actively listen. It helps you get your point across, and see the point of view of others too.

Self management

This means being your own boss. Self management is about being organised about taking responsibility so you can stay on top of everything and think ahead.

Teamwork

Teamwork means you can work well in a team by sharing your ideas and listening to others. You can support your teammates and share responsibility to reach a goal.

Self belief

Self belief matters! Having confidence in yourself helps you keep moving forward. Building confidence over time helps you feel motivated to reach your goals.

Michael Jordan on skills:

“My best skill was that I was coachable. I was a sponge and aggressive to learn.”

3 ways to explore skills TODAY

Free online course

Sign up for Young Professional free training (it only takes a minute) and try the free online course Your Skills for Life and Work. Explore your current skills, see what employers are looking for, and learn how to boost these skills and talk about them in your CV and job interviews.

Rate your skills

Rate each of your skills out of 5 to discover your strengths and where you could improve. If you need help identifying your skills, our Young Professional training or Skills Builder can help you spot and assess your strengths.

SWOT yourself!

Once you’ve identified your strengths and weaknesses, SWOT yourself! This quick technique helps you find personal ways to grow your skills.

Ask yourself:

  1. What skills am I best at?
  2. What skills would I like to improve?
  3. How could I do it?
  4. Which skills are most important to ME?
  5. Which skills are useful for careers I might enjoy?

If you're aged 14 – 22 with an interest in marketing and the inclusive sport of horseracing, you can join the Youth Collaboration Group with Careers in Racing. Build skills and confidence as you do everything from co-designing hoodies and videos to understanding what goes on in a racing yard!

Youth Collaboration Group Careers In Racing

Summer Jobs with Haven

Let’s make a SMART goal for skills…

Making a SMART goal is a good way to achieve your goals, no matter how big or small. You can break down your journey to success into small steps that fit your needs.

A SMART goal is:

  • Specific: What do you want to achieve?
  • Measurable: How will you know when you’ve achieved it?
  • Achievable: How can your goal be accomplished?
  • Relevant: Why is this goal worth the effort?
  • Timely: When do you aim to accomplish this goal?

Example of a SMART goal

“I will improve my public speaking skills by finding 3 opportunities to share my thoughts and views in front of a group of people in the next 2 weeks. This will help me to start building the weakest areas of my communication skills.”

Try this at home

Use the Get Job Ready SMART goals worksheet from McDonald’s to create some SMART goals that will help you step closer and closer to what matters to YOU.

Get worksheet

Career confidence tip for today

If you think you don’t have many strong skills at the moment, don’t worry. When we don’t feel confident in our ability it can make our goals seem impossible to reach, but with small, consistent steps in the right direction, anything is achievable.

An important skill to have is resilience. It can help you in any situation where a setback knocks your self-belief and makes it harder to keep positive. Try this quick confidence exercise in your mirror to boost your resilience and belief in yourself.

Overcoming barriers

If you’re struggling to find opportunities to build your skills right now, you can learn about pretty much anything that interests you online. Pick up a new instrument, learn to knit or build your digital skills! Look for free online courses, how-to videos, podcasts, and online guides.

Building skills locally

You can find opportunities to build your skills locally through volunteering, work experience, and training courses with #CreateYourFuture. It’s like a jobs board for young people!

Sign in to search for development opportunities in your local area.

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Get in touch

Want to know more about ways to get involved? We’d love to hear from you! info@youthemployment.org.uk

#YEW23 #YouthEmploymentWeek