Your HND...what next? : Skills gained

Why do I need to identify my skills?

Understanding your skills is an important aspect of career development and can help you in the following ways:

• clarify your career focus;
• develop your motivation and self-confidence;
• help you refine and focus your job search techniques;
• improve your employability.

Careers guidance and psychometric testing can be useful methods of identifying skills and can raise your self-awareness. The more self-aware and confident you are of your skills, the more likely you are to attract employment of your choice. Take a look at psychometric tests.

You might also want to have a look at what jobs would suit me? and Windmills , both self-assessment tools which can help you identify your unique skills, strengths and motivation in relation to jobs.

What skills do I have?

According to years of national employer surveys, employers commonly seek the following skills:

• oral and written communication skills;
• networking;
• numeracy skills;
• IT skills;
• critical, analytical and problem-solving skills;
• organisation;
• time management;
• decision-making;
• self-discipline;
• teamwork;
• leadership;
• flexibility.

When planning your career, it may be useful to undertake a skills audit. A skills audit is a self-reflective process enabling you to identify your skills, strengths and qualities which may affect your employability. They might include some of the core transferable skills listed above.

A good way to start a skills audit is to draw a table with your skills listed by row. Against each skill, note your level of competency and think of examples or evidence that demonstrate your ability. Finally, identify areas where you may need further knowledge or training to reach the skill level that you need.

Consider the following when you conduct your skills audit:

• specific skills you have developed as a result of your qualification;
• work experience you have completed;
• job-specific and transferable skills you have acquired;
• skills you have developed through extracurricular activities, such as volunteering, art, sport or music;
• positive feedback you have received throughout your course and activities.

The skills audit will help you to recollect skills which you may not have thought of or which you may not have considered to be important or relevant. It will also help you to consider relevant real-life examples to demonstrate your skills. These examples may be useful for interviews with universities or employers.

Refer to options with your subject and explore types of jobs, to learn more about the skills acquired on your HND course that prospective employers may desire.

Marketing your HND to employers

Employability can be as much about qualifications as it is having the right skills and experience required in the labour market. Increasingly, employers value work experience as a measure of assessing a range of skills and industrial expertise which HND applicants can offer.

Studying at HND level offers Diplomates a wealth of both practical and technical skills and expertise, which when put together, can offer employers a good portfolio. With this in mind, it is important to be clear of your transferable and specialist skills when compiling a CV.

See the sample advert below and this example of a covering letter from an applicant with an HND.

For more information on how to market your skills, see getting a job