The skills and interest types include:
- Self-Management Skills - skills that describe your work habits (a.k.a. soft skills)
- Transferable Skills - skills acquired from past jobs, volunteering, hobbies or life experience.
- Job Related/Technical Skills - skills specific to a job acquired through education (or training) and experience.
Learn about job skills that make workers good employees and compatible co-workers.
What skills are needed for any job? Workplace skills include personal qualities, habits, attitudes, and social graces. Click here for a list of self-management skill examples.
Take the SKILLS Profiler. This will help you identify your present job skills and identify occupations that match those skills. You will also learn what skills are needed for a given occupation, and find what training and skills you need for a particular job. It also may help you to recognize skills that transfer between occupations
You must be logged into Illinois workNet to access the SKILLS Profiler. To login or to setup a free Illinois workNet account, CLICK HERE.
To take the profiler, go to My Skills and Interests and click on SKILLS Profiler.
If you have questions about the results received from the SKILLS Profiler or wish to discuss your occupational interests in further detail, contact or visit the trained staff at a Local Resource Room near you.
Which careers match your interests? Are you artistic? Do you like science and math? Career clusters provide people who are unsure of their career goals an avenue to explore a wide variety of options. Use the Career Cluster Inventory to get a list of careers that match what you are interested in.
A Career Cluster is a grouping of occupations and broad industries, based on what they have in common. Sixteen clusters provide learners who are unsure of their career goals an avenue to explore a wide variety of career options.
You must be logged into Illinois workNet to access the Career Cluster Inventory. To login or to setup a free Illinois workNet account, CLICK HERE.
To take the profiler, go to My Skills and Interests and click on Career Cluster Inventory.
If you have questions about the results received from the Career Cluster Inventory or wish to discuss your occupational interests in further detail, contact or visit the trained staff at a Local Resource Room near you.
Another great way to identify your job skills is to make a list of skills you have learned from experience, including job experiences, education, internships, volunteer activities, and hobbies. Skill examples include working with people, making computations, writing, leadership, and creative skills.
Click here for a list of Transferable Skill examples
Listing job skills will help you develop your resume. To view resume examples, visit the
Prepare Your Resume section of Illinois workNet.
Take the Interest Profiler: Find out what occupations best match your job interests. The Interest Profiler helps to identify your strongest work-related interests. It also matches occupations to your job-related interests.
You must be logged into Illinois workNet to access the Interest Profiler. To login or to setup a free Illinois workNet account, CLICK HERE.
To take the profiler, go to My Skills and Interests and click on Interest Profiler.
If you have questions about the results received from the Interest Profiler or wish to discuss your occupational interests in further detail, contact or visit the trained staff at a Local Resource Room near you.
The following websites provide additional information and access to self-directed profiling tools:
- The Riley Guide - Learn about and access various profiling tools. Some tools are free and can be done on your own. Some require help and charge a fee.
- CareerOneStop: Skills Profiler- provides an online assessment that helps identify your skills, and occupations related to your skills
- O-Net - provides an online Skills Search that helps you use your skill set to explore
Also, consider taking the
Career Cluster Inventory 
. This survey can help you select career choices. Follow these steps to take the Career Cluster Inventory:
- Go to http://www.ilcis.intocareers.org/jrsurvey/JrSurvey_intro.aspx
- Use option 3 (Town/ZIP/Area code) to enter the interest inventory
- Click on "Rate the activities" and complete the survey
- View and print your results
Plan how you will share your skills and accomplishments while networking and interviewing for a job.
A job that allows you to work in your interest areas can be rewarding and enjoyable. Think about activities that you have done and accomplishments that have made you proud. Plan how you will share this information while networking and interviewing for a job.
Ask yourself..."What have I done?"
Example Answer: Maintained accurate records, evaluated programs, wrote reports. Click here for a list of job related/technical skills.
You can market your skills to find a job by:
Not sure who to share this information with?
Click here to learn Networking Basics. This information shows how to build your personal brand and gives tips for networking. This helps you find the right person to talk to and where you may find them.