Identify Your Strengths and Abilities

Start by clarifying the type of work you want to do and where you want to do it. Your answers to these questions will help you decide where you want to focus your energy.

• What work settings do I see myself in? Business? Education? Government? Nonprofit?
• What types of people do I want to work with?
• Why do I want to work internationally?
• Am I primarily interested in travel?
• Where do I want to work internationally?
  • Anywhere?
  • Only in certain regions of the world?
  • One specific country?
  • Primarily in the USA?
• Do I want to use a second language?
• Which countries use the language(s) I know?

Identify and analyze your skills.

Your skills and your ability to convey those skills to others are the key to employment in the international arena.

• Think about what you have to offer employers right now.
• What skills do you need to acquire to make yourself a more viable candidate?
• Did you study abroad? Click here for a list of unique skills you may have acquired.
• Use the list below as a starting point for identifying your skills.

Skills to offer employers:

• Adapting to new situation
• Analytic thinking
• Appreciating diversity
• Budget management
• Computer expertise
• Coping with deadlines
• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Defining and solving problems
• Foreign languages
• Helping others
• Investigating
• Managing
• Negotiating
• Organizing
• Public speaking
• Researching
• Selling
• Solving problems
• Supervising
• Surveying
• Teaching
• Working effectively despite conditions
• Working under pressure
• Writing (including proofreading, editing)

Having trouble identifying your skills?

Have you heard the word "skills" one too many times? Are you starting to get discouraged? Don't. You have lots of skills you probably haven't identified yet.
Most college students underestimate some of the skills they've acquired through their education and experience.
You can start acquiring new skills now while you're still in school. Note where you need more experience or training and seek it out.

• Take a class.
• Do an internship.
• Read. Reading is an excellent way to build your knowledge and skills.
• Take a standardized career tests such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or the Strong Interest Inventory. You can take these tests and others at the Career Center.
  
  

Content for this page provided by:
Dr. Kate Brooks, Director, Liberal Arts Career Services, University of Texas at Austin