Who feels like they have no qualifications?

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K_Kelly
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31 Jul 2015, 4:52 am

I have no known qualifications or natural ability to announce at job interviews or an actual job. I am at a loss for words whenever someone asks "what are you good at?"

Is their any better advice out there?



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Deinonychus
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31 Jul 2015, 5:53 am

That's a tough question to answer, but there must be something that you are good at?
What did you do at your previous job, and what did you do at school?
Having a qualification doesn't mean that you have to be good at it - it only means that you know how to do it.



zer0netgain
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31 Jul 2015, 6:33 am

I hate those questions. It's the kind of thing you have the perfect answer for 5-10 days after you needed it. :lol:

A lesson I learned from resume writing....

You think of things you've done (as resumes should highlight accomplishments and not just mundane job duties...anyone who is a secretary can probably do dictation, but if you managed 150 files single-handed, that latter bit is more intriguing to an interviewer).

It doesn't have to be something you got paid for. Something you do for yourself or volunteer work counts. If you've done something most people don't do that might be interesting, write it down and later look back and see if any of it might apply to a work situation.

In time, you have a "mental list" of unique things you've done that might impress an interviewer. I can claim to have managed upwards to $3,000,000 in court-held funds because at one point, the total we had in all accounts was just over $3,000,000. Nobody needs to know that was for a short time and later it was rarely over $500,000. Sounds more impressive than saying I noted quarterly interest earned on 100+ files every three months as part of my job.



Adamantium
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31 Jul 2015, 7:49 am

Another thing to bear in mind is that they don't necessarily always mean specific skills, but sometimes more general abilities. "I am very good at analyzing complex systems." "I can sustain focus for long periods of time, so I am good with detail and precision." That kind of thing.

If you feel that you don't have sufficient experience with specific skills and need that, volunteering is a great idea.

Another thing is to research the potential employer. What sort of jobs do they do? If the interviewer asks why you are interested, you want to be able to talk about that business a bit. They might also ask what you hope to accomplish in the job, what career goals you have. It's a good idea to have prepared an answer for that kind of question ahead of time.



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Velociraptor
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31 Jul 2015, 8:28 am

I used to get stumped on this too. I now say my qualifications are:

1. I am punctual and reliable. (without this your other skills don't really matter)
2. Detail orientated. I don't let things get sloppy.
3. I can follow instructions to the letter.
4. I take genuine pride in everything I set out to accomplish, from high pressure set-ups to sweeping the floor.
5. I can start today.

The question, "What are your qualifications?" seems like a kind of trick question designed to make you squirm. It puts you on the spot and shows them how you react to pressure.



MissMee
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31 Jul 2015, 5:21 pm

K_Kelly wrote:
I have no known qualifications or natural ability to announce at job interviews or an actual job. I am at a loss for words whenever someone asks "what are you good at?"

Is their any better advice out there?


What job were you interviewing for? What kind of experience do you have?