Building Your Skills Arsenalcommunication style. Being technologically literate and
able to utilize the latest forms of written and electronic
communication.- Ability and willingness to learn. A willingness to attend
professional development workshops and seminars.
The ability to self-correct and alter one’s own behavior.
Having a propensity to pursue outside sources of formal
and informal education, and taking personal responsibil-
ity to remain abreast of advances in one’s field or occu-
pation.
I once had the CEO of a high-tech company tell me that, he per-
sonally considered adaptability to be the most important quality
any of his employees could possess and that he would not hire
(and would even fire) those who could not demonstrate it!
Employers are very unlikely to ask you directly whether
or not you possess these skills, yet they will be looking for them
in your demeanor, in the stories you tell, and in the way you tell
them.
You’ll be taking an inventory of your competencies in the
next chapter, where I’ll ask you to provide an example or “story”
about how you’ve used each of them. In Chapter 4, you’ll learn
how you can adjust your competencies to match those most val-
ued by the company by aligning them with the company mission
and company culture.
Your Gift
The last skill I would like to talk about is simply what I call a
“gift.” It’s not something you learned or something you read
about. It’s much more about who you arethan what you do. It may
have been with you since birth. Perhaps it’s genetically inscribed,
divinely bestowed, or perhaps part of the fabric of very early
childhood experiences.
What’s important about knowing your gift is that, conscious-
ly or not, it’s the most compelling thing about you. It’s like the
sun around which all the other stars and planets of your skills
revolve. Your interviewer may not be able to give it a name, but
he or she will feel it when you are relaxed, easy, and natural,