Job Search 2.0 Week – Skills & things I don’t know

When a job seeker is filling out online application forms, often it is the category "skills" which makes him or her wish for more options. On offer are usually categories like "languages", "computer languages" and "MS Office", as well as corresponding attributes like "basic", advanced" or "expert".Though I know this is a standard procedure, I feel that these limited options do not do justice to anybody’s persons skills.

I speak two languages very good, German (native tongue) and English. I can be polite in a couple of other languages, but not beyond what my wife has termed "Pope level". I am also working on my French; however, this is not top priority for me at the moment.

I know my way around the internet, meaning on the one hand that I am a very resourceful, quick and effective researcher. On the other hand, and the RSS-technology is playing a major role in that, I am familiar with a lot of the things which are going on out there: new movements, new applications etc. You could certainly classify me as an early adopter.

I think few people can rightfully call themselves "experts" in the programs of the Office suite if you look at the amount of operations you can actually perform with them. Understood in the usual way, I’d say I am an expert in MS Word and pretty advanced in MS Excel. I know basic HTML, just enough to fiddle with the sidebars of my weblog lay-out, but I have no knowledge of SAP (though a training course is on my to-do-list), databases or other computer languages.

It is my perception that I have few design skills. There is a reason why this blog looks so simplistic, and it is not because I wanted to jump on a retro train (maybe just a tiny bit). If you show me three designs I can tell you which one I like best, or I can even have a design idea (like having the Umlaut inside the ‘o’ on pöbler.de), but if it goes beyond that, I will call somebody who knows what he or she is doing because I certainly don’t.

Which brings me to another skill: I know my boundaries. While I am continuously trying to learn more (which will be another post), I know when a task is above my abilities. However, in almost all cases, I know just where to look for information and whom to ask for help – that I am not afraid of.

I am a good test reader and program tester and will provide valuable feedback from a neutral perspective.

I work very good in a team, getting tasks done as well as bouncing ideas off one another in brainstormings. Superiors have complimented me on my ability to communicate, to organize and to be an all-around nice guy.

Finally, I am very patient and look ok in a suit.

This entry is part of the "Job Search 2.0 Week", you can find the introduction here and qualifications & references here.