• Go

Section Menu

 

Consider Your Skills

Summer Youth Employment Program When preparing for a job search use the following steps to identify your skills and interests.

Step 1
Review Skills and Interest Types:
Employers are looking for three types of skills to estimate your potential level of job performance.

Review Types of Skills

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.
Step 2
Identify Your Skills and Interests:
Learn about job skills that make workers good employees and compatible co-workers.

Identify Your Job Skills

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.

Identify Your Career Interests

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.

Identify Your Transferable Skills

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.


Summer Youth Employment Program


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 External link opens in a new window. This survey can help you select career choices. Follow these steps to take the Career Cluster Inventory:
  1. Go to http://www.ilcis.intocareers.org/jrsurvey/JrSurvey_intro.aspx External link opens in a new window
  2. Use option 3 (Town/ZIP/Area code) to enter the interest inventory
  3. Click on "Rate the activities" and complete the survey
  4. View and print your results
Step 3
Use your Skills to Market Yourself to Employers:
Plan how you will share your skills and accomplishments while networking and interviewing for a job.

Share Your Skills and Interests

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:

Networking to find a Job

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.
External Address (Url)
Flash Animation1
To control the size of the flash movie, you can use the property window and replace the description with the width and height in parenthesis. For ex (300, 400)

Basic Skills

Having basic skills such as math, reading, and writing can be the main factor in getting the job you want. To review or practice basic math, reading, and writing skills visit the links below.

  • Math.Com The World of Math Online External link opens in a new window - provides a review of Basic Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and much more.
  • Homework Spot External link opens in a new window - provides resources according to grade level and by subject - Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, Math, Life Skills, and many more.
  • Wonderlic self-assessment quizzes External link opens in a new window helps identify gaps in your knowledge of math, measuring, and reading, so you can better prepare for interviews and employment.
  • Computer & Technology Skills- Learn for FREE OnlineExternal link opens in a new window - GCF offers free online tutorials covering the basics of computers, the Internet, Microsoft Office 97 through 2003, and life skills and provides free online classes covering Microsoft Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and more...
  • TypingTest.com External link opens in a new window - provides a free typing test, which measure speed and accuracy, and take only a couple of minutes to complete (the website also provides four free typing games).
  • Get Local Information

    Change zip code to view other local promos on this and other pages.

       

  • Statewide Interest

    Free Online Digital Literacy Courses
    Microsoft Digital Literacy courses are designed to teach you basic computer skills that can be used in everyday life and on the job. Click here to review or print a Microsoft Digital Literacy Online Basic Computer Concept Courses information sheet (PDF)

    The free online courses and the Digital Literacy Curriculum External link opens in a new window are available in English and 31 other languages.

    Click here to learn more about this an other options to improve your basic computer
    skills.

  • Job Corps: education and training programs for young adults.
    Job Corps Logo Welcome to Job Corps Chicago Region, dedicated to helping youth aged 16 yrs - 24 yrs find success through education and career technical training. Whether you are a student, parent, or employer we invite you to explore this site to learn more about how the Job Corps program can benefit you. The federally funded program serves the entire United States, including the 18 centers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin, known as the Chicago Region. Click here to learn what can Job Corps Do for You? External link opens in a new window

  • Serve Illinois
    Serve Illinois The Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service has developed the Serve Illinois website so you can easily find information about:
    • AmeriCorps,
    • Senior Corps,
    • Learn and Serve Program,
    • volunteer programs
    • resources for volunteers of all ages,
    • how to sign up for training opportunities
    • service day events in your area.

    Finding a place to serve by selecting an area of interest or by using a ZIP Code search. Click here. External link opens in a new windowYou can also call (800) 592-9896 (voice) or (888) 261-2713 (tty).


  • Spell Check Your Work Online
    SpellChecker.net SpellChecker.net External link opens in a new windowallows you to paste in your work and then run a spell check or type your work directly into the spell checker for potential corrections as you write. This tool is useful for creating resumes, proofing emails or blogs, and any other work which may be presented to a potential employer.

  • Senior Corps
    National Senior Service Corps Senior Corps is a volunteer program for adults over age 55. The program assists seniors in finding volunteer opportunities through the Foster Grandparent Program, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Senior Companion Program. By volunteering with Senior Corps, senior adults across the country are making a difference in their community every day. Click here External link opens in a new window to learn more about service opportunities through Senior Corps.

  • Youth Service Providers

    Workforce Investment Act programs are offered to youth between the ages of 14-21. Youth services providers offer programs to assist young people in reaching individual academic goals (high school diploma recovery or GED) and developing basic job skills as they make the transition from being older youth to young adults. All WIA services for youth are offered at no cost to the participant.

    All Local Workforce Area’s have at least one provider of services to this group of people. The statewide WIA Youth Services Providers List gives the provider’s name, contact info, city in which the provider is located, and a brief listing of the services provided. Click here to see the list of Youth Service Providers External link opens in a new window


  • Could this be YOUR LIFE?
    Could this be Your Life logo

    Ever wonder how those everyday life choices could affect your career, family life, and choosing a place to live?

    If so, then check out this online interactive game brought to you by the Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support, and take the journey through Could this be YOUR LIFE.  This interactive game will teach you about the consequences of making career and life choices.

    To access this interactive game, visit the Could this be YOUR LIFE External link opens in a new windowweb site.


  • Looking for Free Online Courses to Improve your Computer Skills?
    GCF logo

    If you answered Yes to the above question, then take a look at the Goodwill Community Foundation (GCF) Global Learning website.  Sponsored by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACT), Global Learning offers free online tutorials covering the basics of computers, the Internet, Microsoft Office and life skills.  GCF Global Learning also offers free online classes covering Microsoft Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

    For more information and to access this free online site, visit the Goodwill Community Foundation (GCF) Global Learning External link opens in a new windowweb site.


  • Looking for Wage Information in the State of Illinois?
    IDES Wage Information Logo

    The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) provides information on entry level, median, and experienced hourly and annual wages for occupations in the State of Illinois.

    Wage information is available for Illinois, Metropolitan Areas, Economic Development Areas, counties and Local Workforce Areas.  To access this information, visit the IDES Wage Information External link opens in a new windowwebsite. 


  • Visit Career Coach
    Career Coach a free online personalized career counselor for women and men.  Find the right career and make a step-by-step plan to reach your goals.  Visit the Career Coach web site to learn more External link opens in a new window.
values: no - before after

Footer

Copyright © 2006 - 2010 Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

Illinois workNet Centers are an equal opportunity employer/program. At Illinois workNet Centers, auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this website may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment by calling TTY (800) 785-6055 or 711.