Last week we got back from our two-week family trip to Minnesota. I just finished unpacking, so luggage is on my mind. Your career is a journey and along the way you gather more and more valuable items you can bring with you to your next destination.
Here’s some examples of skills I’ve picked up during my journey that have served me well later.
- Communication – From my time as a TV meteorologist, I gained the ability to take complex concepts and explain them in a simple, yet accurate way. When I moved into working as a presenter at the Science Center of Iowa, this skill was extremely helpful.
- Punctuality – My time in working in television taught me be punctual (though having two young children has severely impacted that skill lately). You don’t get to ask whether you can start the 6pm newscast a few minutes late because you’re still working on the script for your story. You just make it work. I’ve had many colleagues and collaborators note that I’m the most reliable person they know when it comes to starting virtual meetings on time.
- Coordinating – When I was an office specialist at the University of Arizona, I mastered the art of coordinating the complex schedules of faculty members trying to hold committee meetings. I learned whose Outlook calendar was regularly updated, who had an administrative assistant I needed to work through, and whose door I just needed to knock on to get an answer. Since then, I’ve successfully led the efforts to coordinate meetings for numerous collaborations utilizing that skill.
- Flexibility – I can pivot on a dime…think on my feet…build the plane while flying it…whatever cliché you prefer, I can do it while staying calm, productive, and professional. This skill has been honed through many work experiences including breaking TV news, technology breakdowns in the weather center, and summer camp plans thrown awry by canceled fieldtrips. And when the world was upended by a global pandemic, I had numerous organizations reaching out for my help with just this.
I just checked, and I have 51 positions listed in my LinkedIn profile! I’ve gained something from each opportunity that helped me later, but you DON’T need dozens of jobs to have a full skillset suitcase.
You DO need to make sure future employers know about the skills that you have. The places where this comes up in the hiring process are in the cover letter and interview.
Here’s how to do that:
- In the job description, look for words like “flexible” and “punctual” or responsibilities like “coordinating meetings” that align with your past experiences. It can be from a job or it could be volunteer work you’ve done.
- In your cover letter, follow the journalist’s mantra of “show, don’t tell.” Instead of saying, “I’m a flexible person who can think on my feet during evolving situations”, briefly tell a story of a time when you did this. Ideally include the positive response you received regarding your effort.
- In a separate document, flesh out your story even more. Think through it and look up any details you can’t remember (years, locations, names etc). Practice telling the story out loud (no notes) with someone you trust. You don’t have to memorize it, but this dress rehearsal will make you sound more confident when you tell the story during your interview.
Your skillset suitcase is likely overflowing with skills that would make you a great candidate! Just make sure you unpack them for any potential employer.
