Skills with Tangibles  (Worksheet 3.1)

An effective way to help you to identify your skills is to think about skills from different perspectives. This technique often uncovers those you might not have initially thought about. Skills with tangibles is one way to identify your skills using a different perspective.

In this worksheet, you start by identifying a tangible, something you can see and touch. Think about some tangibles that are in your life and think about something you like doing with those tangibles. Here are some examples of tangibles you can use to start your thinking: (You can find a longer list in Chapter 3, Figure 3.1 of 12 Steps to a New Career .)

animals antiques automobiles chemicals clothing computers

electronics food furniture machinery medical products metals

musical instruments office equipment plants plastics sports gear wood

To get started, list some tangibles that resonate with you and then think about what you like to do with them. Start with an action word (verb) that best describes what you like doing with the tangible you chose.

For example, suppose you said furniture as the tangible because you seem to have some affinity towards seeing open office spaces and figuring out how best to create an efficient layout that maximizes worker productivity, encourages interaction, yet provides privacy when needed. Since you might not have identified Designing as one of your skills, you might use that skill word in this situation. Alternatively, you could use developing, creating, or another word that resonates more with what you believe you are skilled at doing with the tangible furniture.

Tip: If you have difficulty thinking of tangibles, visualize physical objects or things that surround you or that you enjoy using at work, at home (such as hobbies), or in organizations or associations in which you participate.

Download a worksheet you can use to list your skills with tangibles: Worksheet 3.1 – Skills with Tangibles Template