Make a list of the things you are good at or enjoy doing
Knowing what you are good at will help you understand what types of jobs you should apply for. It will improve your chances of getting a job and should mean you will enjoy the job more once you have started it.
Things that you are good at or enjoy doing are known as ‘strengths’. A strength could be something you have done in a previous job or something that you have done outside work.
Writing down your strengths will help to make sure that you have thought about everything that could help with your job search. Don’t worry about the exact words that you put down – this is just to remind yourself of all the things you can do well.
You should include anything that you think an employer might like about you. This could be qualifications or training you have done but should also include things about you and your personality that you’d like to use in a job. Do you like helping people? Are you always the one who organises things? Write it all down!
Below are a few ideas that may help you think about your strengths, but feel free to include things that are not listed here.
- Academic qualifications such as GCSEs and NVQs, or training courses you have completed.
- Leadership – Have you ever managed anyone? This could be in a previous job or maybe even in a hobby or sport. Have you been involved in running any groups or clubs?
- Communication skills – Have you worked in a customer-facing job? Or as part of a team? Do you find it easy to talk to people? Do you enjoy writing?
- Administration skills – Have you worked in a role where you have had to do lots of different tasks during the day? Are you good at planning how things should be done? Do you like organising things for other people?
- IT skills – Do you know how to use computer programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel? Do you send and receive emails?
- Other skills – This could be anything you enjoy or are good at. It may help you in the workplace and employers may find it useful.
If you are claiming Universal Credit why not talk to your work coach about your strengths? This kind of information will help them to think of jobs you could be good at. They could also help you to think of other strengths and experience that you may have missed. This is also the sort of thing that you can discuss in group information sessions at the jobcentre.
Once your list is complete, move on to Step 2.