4 Skills developed through work
By now, you are beginning to see that all the roles in your life require you to have certain skills. Some of these roles may have been in a social context, others in paid or unpaid work situations. In this section, you will focus on roles connected to work in some way. All ‘work’ counts for the purpose of this section.
Have a look at the example of Myo below. Notice that it is not clear from Table 4 whether the jobs Myo did were paid or voluntary. This is not important since you acquire the skills whether or not someone is paying for your work. The table also shows when Myo has done similar types of job, but that her responsibilities might have been different, and so she was able to extend the skills she had developed.
Dates | Employer/organisation (include clubs, community groups, etc.) | Title | Responsibilities, duties and activities | Training (include formal training, coaching and workshops) | Skills developed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000–2002 | Ocean Supermarket | Store Assistant | Greeting customers and assisting with customer queries Demonstrating new product features to customers Maintaining sales records and stocktaking | Customer service Product knowledge | Customer care Numeracy Presentation and communication Self-motivating Active listening |
2003–2005 | Shwe Phon Co., Ltd | Cashier | Checking payments from customers Issuing receipts, refunds Handling merchandise returns and exchanges Resolving customer complaints and providing relevant information | Cashier training Use of cash till | Bookkeeping Handling cash Listening and questioning Interpersonal skills Attention to detail |
2006–2008 | ILBC School (International Language & Business Centre) | Teaching Assistant | Setting up equipment, helping to prepare the classroom for lessons and tidying up afterwards Providing support to children who need additional help with their work Looking after children’s personal needs, including dealing with playground accidents and caring for children who are upset Helping with school trips, events and outings | Supporting teaching and learning English Language | Managing challenging behaviour Basic computer skills Time management Conflict resolution |
2009–2011 | Brahmaso Humanitarian Aid Organisation | Aid Worker | Assessing emergency situations Distributing humanitarian aid to people who have been hit by natural disasters Coordinating and supporting the work of volunteers and staff Liaising with government officials and donors | Basic First Aid Project management | Team work Empathy Networking Motivating others Collaborating |
2012–2014 | AA Medical Products Ltd | Sales Representative | Presenting, promoting and selling products Performing cost-benefit and needs analysis to meet customers’ needs Establishing and maintaining positive business and customer relationships | Handling customer orders Using stock recording system | Persuasive skills Negotiation skills Prioritisation Organisational skills Confidence using computer and sales record software |
2015–2017 | Rainbow Bridge Distribution Co., Ltd. | Sales Supervisor | Supervising the sales team Analysing the current market conditions and competitor information Monitoring, reviewing and reporting daily on the operation sales system | Leadership training | Leadership Critical thinking Analytical skills Report writing Problem solving skills Expertise using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint & Excel |
2018–2020 | Rainbow Bridge Distribution Co., Ltd. | Manager | Overseeing and leading the company’s operations Recruiting and managing the employees Planning and evaluating activities Training new employees | Business administration and management | Managing budgets Decision making Multitasking Developing business strategy |
Use this example to help you with the next activity.
Activity 4 My work and personal achievements
This activity helps you to look back over your own work and personal achievements and to decide what skills they have helped you to develop.
Copy a blank version of Table 4 into your notebook or you can also complete this in your Resource pack.
Comment
After completing this activity, pause and allow yourself to feel proud of the abilities you have already developed. It is important to value what you can do. It will help you to present yourself positively to people who can offer you work opportunities.
Of course, work experiences are only part of the story. Any experiences that have helped you to learn can be just as influential in developing your capabilities. The next section, therefore, encourages you to review these too.
3.1 Evidence of my abilities