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Lesson 3: Employability Skills

Activity: Employability Skills Inventory

Key Considerations

To be successful at any long-term job or career you will need to master basic employability skills. Employability skills are also considered “transferrable skills,” meaning the skill sets all employers seek in employees are not specific to a particular job. These skills can actually be learned and practiced at any job. For example, regardless if you hold a job as a cashier, secretary, or pet groomer, you will need to have good communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. These are just a few of the employability skills you will need as you begin to search for and ultimately land your first job.

Basic employability skills include the following but are not limited to:

  • Organizational Skills
  • Problem-Solving Skills
  • Teamwork Skills
  • Communication Skills
  • Initiative
  • Self-Management Skills
  • Technology Skills
  • Interpersonal Skills

Directions

Use the Internet to research the definition and characteristics of each skill.

  1. What does it mean to have good “organizational” skills?

    Describe what you do to stay organized in your job as a student at school and as a family member at home.

    How would you apply those skills at a job (any job)?

    Why are organizational skills important to an employer?

    Is this a skill you need to improve?

    Ask a teacher, friend, or family member about your organizational skills. Based on their feedback, is this an area you need to improve in?

    If you need to improve your organizational skills, what is one thing you will do to improve those skills?

  2. What does it mean to have good “problem-solving” skills?

    Describe what steps you take to solve problems in your job as a student at school and as a family member at home.

    How would you apply those skills at a job (any job)?

    Why are problem-solving skills important to an employer?

    Is this a skill you need to improve?

    Ask a teacher, friend, or family member about your problem-solving skills. Based on their feedback, is this an area you need to improve in?

    If you need to improve your problem-solving skills, what is one thing you will do to improve those skills?

  3. What does it mean to have good “teamwork” skills?

    Describe what you do to work as a team member in your job as a student at school and as a family member at home.

    How would you apply those skills at a job (any job)?

    Why are teamwork skills important to an employer?

    Is this a skill you need to improve?

    Ask a teacher, friend, or family member about your teamwork skills. Based on their feedback, is this an area you need to improve in?

    If you need to improve your teamwork skills, what is one thing you will do to improve those skills?

  4. What does it mean to have good “communication” skills?

    Describe what you do to communicate in your job as a student at school and as a family member at home.

    How would you apply those skills at a job (any job)?

    Why are communication skills important to an employer?

    Is this a skill you need to improve?

    Ask a teacher, friend, or family member about your communication skills. Based on their feedback, is this an area you need to improve in?

    If you need to improve your communication skills, what is one thing you will do to improve those skills?

  5. What does it mean to have or take “initiative”?

    Describe what you do to take initiative in your job as a student at school and as a family member at home.

    How would you apply those skills at a job (any job)?

    Why is initiative in an employee important to an employer?

    Is this a skill you need to improve?

    Ask a teacher, friend, or family member about your initiative. Based on their feedback, is this an area you need to improve in?

    If you need to improve taking initiative, what is one thing you will do to improve your ability to take initiative?

  6. What does it mean to have “self-management” skills?

    Describe what you do to manage yourself in your job as a student at school and as a family member at home.

    How would you apply those skills at a job (any job)?

    Why are self-management skills important to an employer?

    Is this a skill you need to improve?

    Ask a teacher, friend, or family member about your self-management skills. Based on their feedback, is this an area you need to improve in?

    If you need to improve your self-management skills, what is one thing you will do to improve those skills?

  7. What does it mean to have “technology” skills?

    Describe your specific technology skills. Keep in mind that stating, “I am good on the computer” is not a factual or detailed description of your skills. Instead, you might state, “I can keyboard 55 words per minute. I am proficient in using Microsoft Word and have a certificate from a course I completed to demonstrate my word processing competencies”.

    How would you apply those skills at a job (any job)?

    Why are technology skills important to an employer?

    Is this a skill you need to improve?

    Ask a teacher, friend, or family member about your technology skills. Based on their feedback, is this an area you need to improve in?

    If you need to improve your technology skills, what is one thing you will do to improve or expand those skills?

  8. What does it mean to have “interpersonal” skills?

    Describe what interpersonal skills you use in your job as a student at school and as a family member at home.

    How would you apply those skills at a job (any job)?

    Why are interpersonal skills in an employee important to an employer?

    Is this a skill you need to improve?

    Ask a teacher, friend, or family member about your interpersonal skills. Based on their feedback, is this an area you need to improve in?

    If you need to improve your interpersonal skills, what is one thing you will do to improve those skills?