Skills
Skills are abilities you possess, or learn, that help you succeed in work and in life. It’s important to understand what skills you possess and which skills you require for growth. It’s also important to know what you’re not good at.
Types of Skills
Transferable
These are skills that will help you in this class and in whatever career you decide to pursue. Transferable skills can include the ability to stay organized, solve problems or communicate effectively.
Personal
These are skills unique to who you are – your natural talents, in other words – like being independent, focused or having tremendous patience.
Knowledge Based
These skills include specific abilities that contribute to a particular task – like art, web design, accounting or construction abilities.
How to Identify Your Skills
- Discover what hobbies and interests you have and determine what skills are needed to enjoy these hobbies
- Do an online skills quiz
- Think about what classes you enjoy the most and the skills that help you succeed in that subject
- Have you received an award? Determine what skills helped you get the award
- Ask others what skills they think you possess
- Ask for feedback from your teachers, mentors and family about what you do well and what skills you need to improve
Building Skills
If you have identified skills that you would like to learn or strengthen, there are a number of ways to develop them.
- Set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound (S.M.A.R.T.) to learn and strengthen these skills
- Find new problems to solve
- Challenge yourself with something new
- Find a mentor that possesses the skills you want to strengthen and listen to their advice
- Network and get advice from people outside of your school who you respect
- Search for courses and training opportunities (inside and outside of school, online and offline) that will help you acquire new skills
- Read articles and skill-focused newsletters (Substack is a great resource) that will keep you informed about how specific skills are being utilized in the workforce
Part One
Complete this quiz to discover your top skills:
Part Two
Now answer these questions:
- List the top three skills you believe you possess and add a brief description of how and where you’ve best used them.
- Talk to a friend and ask them for feedback. Do they agree with your assessment?
- Are there any skills listed above that you wish you possessed? How do you think you can build these skills?
- Find someone in your class who possesses a skill that you struggle with and want to get better at. Ask them to mentor you to strengthen that skill over the next few weeks.
Part Three
Passions
What do you love doing? What gets you out of bed every morning? (and don’t say it’s just coffee ☕️)
What are you really good at doing?
What is your favourite school subject(s)?
What is something you look forward to doing?
What could you talk about for hours?
What types of TV shows are you most into?
What is something that, when you hear about it or see it, you want to know more about?
What are you afraid of doing/trying?
What makes you upset?
If you’re into gaming, what games are your favourite? Are they strategy games? Do they require specific knowledge? Do you have to solve a puzzle?
What do you want to get better at doing?
What are you doing when you lose track of time?
What does your perfect day look like?
If you had an extra hour in the day, what would you do?
What makes you feel engaged and focused?
Who inspires you the most? Why?
Reflecting on your answers, do a bit of research and determine what visual art medium and style is best-suited to your skillset. And start thinking about what colours and styles fit your personality.
Part Four
Which kind of person are you? Someone who likes:
People Person
- Helping others
- Caring for people in need
- Communicating ideas to others
- A natural leader
- Listening to the thoughts of others
Information Person
- Problem solving
- Learning new skills and researching information
- Knowing how something works before interacting with it
- Enjoying a good puzzle and thinking of different ways to solve it
Hands On Person
- Working with your hands
- Inventing and designing things
- Working with materials rather than people
- Repairing things
- Physical and manual labour
Now look closely at the category that best fits your personality. List jobs that might require this type of personality. Do any of these jobs appeal to you? How might skills acquired in this class be useful to these jobs?
Resources to help you reflect:
Top Skills Needed for Careers in Art and Design
What Types of Skills Are Best for an Arts Major?
15 Must Have Skills Every Art Student Should Master
How To Add Artist Skills to Your Resume
Important Job Skills for Graphic Designers
Advertising Executive Skills For Your Resume And Career
20 essential skills for successful web designers