When it comes to marketable skills, I will be the first to admit that instead of actually thinking about my unique skills and talents, I think of what everyone else would say. I ponder what would sound good, I google it, and I’ll go so generic that when reading my resume, even I don’t know who I am.
I started to step back from the situation and really take a birds eye view of myself. Am I lost in a sea of people or am I Waldo, standing out once you focus your eyes to see that the oddball in the red and white striped sweater may seem to be part of the crowd, but he is different. Waldo has all the requirements for the job; red and white striped sweater, cool beanie, nerd glasses. If you look through the crowd you may see some Imposters… A guy in a red and white striped shirt in a baseball cap, a guy with a beanie and nerd glasses, all meant to draw the eye but none are the real deal.
When I think of my marketable skills in terms of a job search I think, “ok step one, experience…aka the red and white sweater….check.” Then I think “step two, MBA. There’s the beanie hat.” So when looking in to the sea of potential employees there are a few of us. But then there are the finer details, the things that make me the one that makes it seem like a beam of light is pointing me out… There she is! There’s Waldo!
Who am I and what am I doing to let my light shine daily? Am I taking credit for my successes and accomplishments or brushing them off and blending in? I think we all are constantly trying to figure this out, and the constant evolution of our lives can change those marketable skills daily. The key is to be your own cheerleader, even to yourself. Keeping a running list of why you are the best makes it easier for you to rattle this off to others to prove it.