Most of us reading this blog have something to do with workforce or career development. Some readers work in the school system and help young people with the transition from middle school to high school … or high school to college or workforce. Others work in one-stop career centers, workforce centers, or employment security offices. And still, others are in business or the private sector. Regardless of your background, and in spite of your individual mission, we all share the common goal of workforce or career development.
With that said, there is an important point we should all understand. It is practically impossible to consistently help others unless we clearly understand this point ourselves. And here is the point — when it comes to career development and professional growth, it’s all about “skill sets”.
Many of us have never truly reflected on that statement. Today we will share with you an idea that could help build a strong, new foundation for your future in workforce and career development.
It’s possible that there are really only three skill sets a person can have. Everything a person learns and does — or fails to learn and do — impacts at least one of those skill sets. When a person sees career development in light of these three skill sets, that person will be better prepared to market themselves and is more likely to enjoy a career with pathways and ladders that lead to a lifetime of success.
Here are the three skill sets we have identified. No doubt, you are familiar with all of them. They include:
- Job Skills (also called occupational or vocational skills).
- Soft Skills (also called personal skills or self-management skills).
- Transferable Skills (skills that are in demand across industries and occupations).
When the people you serve understand their identity (who am I?) in the context of job skills, soft skills, and transferable skills, they will be much better equipped to answer the most difficult questions in a job interview. They will also be better suited for a pattern of lifelong learning and able to better perform in the most challenging and rewarding occupations in the workplace — today and tomorrow.
Teach them to think in terms of job skills, soft skills, and transferable skills It’s a lesson that will serve them for a lifetime.
I really liked this article…short, sweet & to the point. I’d never thought about career development in terms of skill sets. When you try to understand yourself in terms of these three, job skills, soft skills, & transferable skills, it sure makes it easier to understand what makes you tick. If you haven’t figured out who you are by now, these certainly help clarify that. I feel better prepared to go into a job interview now, & hopefully after I’ve gotten the job, I will be able to pass these life skills on to my students. Sometimes I make things so complicated, but this article seems to make things so much easier to figure out. Thanks.
Thanks, Kimberly. Beth and I just love things that are “practical” and “useful”.
I like this article because it is a valuable tool to know what your skills are. A person must know their skill sets in these three categories in order to find a job that they will enjoy, grow in to and be successful at. I am not comfortable around small children, thus I probably should not be an elementary teacher. When I decided to get my teaching degree I had to look deeply into myself and decide on what level I could relate to older students. I discovered things about myself that ensured that I would enjoy working with older students. I am a licensed History teacher but I chose to become a Youth Career Coach instead because it turns out that it fits my personality and skills set better. In a roundabout way I thought about these three skills before I chose a career path.
Yes, mostly we do think of these skill sets, but unless we are faced with them directly, we don’t do it so intentionally. As a result, many of us lose a lot of precious, productive time in our careers and lives — often floundering — just trying to figure out who we are and where we fit in. Sounds like you made some very good decisions in your life!!!
I have been employed as a case manager in a work force center for a very short period of time. I agree with your three skill sets observation. The clients I have dealt with are pretty confident about job skills (my job is important and people are looking for me). They usually are sure that their experiences on their previous job can be used in other companies. Perhaps these points would be true if they had been faithful to the soft skill set. The assumption that one does not have to grow and change as the world grows and changes is definitely not managing his/her career path. Assisting clients to grow their soft skills first usually helps them to see the need to grow the other skill sets as well. It seems to work for me.
Right on, brother! All the way …
I personally am a big believer in SOFT SKILLS as the deal maker in a person’s career. Most employers can teach most people how to make their widget. What they cannot do is teach them how to be a good team player or servant leader. I think this starts at a very young age, but can be learned at any time that a person has a soft heart and an open mind.
Blessings!
Wow . . . what an eye opener! Never looked at career development in this light. Now you’ve got me thinking about my own career path that I am about to take and the standard I should use to address interview questions. This small article I will review again and again until I feel certain that I know how to adequately convey my three skill sets during the interview process. That’s what they’ll be looking for. I agree with Kim–this article is short, sweet and to the point. Great job! Going forward, I will also use this information to help clients in their own career development process. Thank you and God bless!
Thanks! Look forward to seeing your success and the success of those you serve!!!