Skills audit

Kira Martin: u3281608

This activity helps you to identify and assess your current skills, as well as any gaps between the skills
you currently possess and what you’ll need to function effectively in your next professional role.
For each skill, decide whether you can confidently perform the task listed, are still developing your
ability to do so, or are not confident performing that task at all. Focus on developing the tasks you have
ticked as ‘Not Confident’ in your next professional experience.
Going through this process inevitably asks you to reflect on your experience and think of examples, in
which you have shown these skills. This reflective process is useful when writing applications and going
for interview, because employers want you to ‘prove’ that you can do the job by discussing examples.

How well developed are your skills?

Confident Still developing Not confident

Communication
I can express myself and my ideas clearly when speaking
and in writing ×
I change my language and how I communicate to suit the
understanding of my target audience ×
I can write in a variety of formats, changing my style
relevant to the context and purpose ×
I can create visually engaging material to present data
and communicate my message ×
I give my full attention to others when they are speaking
to me and ask for clarification when needed ×
I can present a well-structured and evidenced argument
orally or in writing ×
I ask questions to make sure my message was received
the way I intended ×
I can communicate in a foreign language (in writing and
verbally) ×
I possess high level literacy skills
×
Confident Still developing Not confident
Teamwork
I enjoy working as part of a team
×
I enjoy discussing ideas and brainstorming possible
solutions to problems as part of a group ×
When in a group discussing a topic that I have extensive
knowledge of, I prefer to take a leadership role ×
I can plan and make decisions using others’ input
×
I am willing to do what is necessary to achieve team
goals, even if I don’t entirely agree with the process ×

Confident Still developing Not confident

Problem solving & Analytical skills
I am able to develop practical solutions to problems
×
I am good at evaluating situations, especially for
feasibility and quality ×
I can work as part of a team to brainstorm solutions to
problems ×
I am able to identify potential problems in plans and
projects ×
Given several options, I can choose the most appropriate
strategy to solve problems ×
I can find the best sources of relevant information
×
I have the research skills that I need to find and organise
relevant information ×
I am able to independently make judgements about what
information is relevant and important to tackle problems ×
I possess strong numeracy skills
×
 Confident Still developing Not confident
Initiative and enterprise
I easily adapt to changes and new demands in work or
courses ×
I enjoy brainstorming multiple solutions to problems
×
When working on a project, I enjoy formulating
strategies to meet desired outcomes ×
I consider myself a creative person and can easily come
up with new ideas ×
I enjoy and am good at taking leadership roles
×
I recognise gaps or areas for improvement and find new
ways to respond to challenges and tackle problems ×

Confident Still developing Not confident

Organisation & Planning
I am able to manage my time and priorities by using
diaries, setting timelines, and coordinating tasks for ×
myself

I am able to set reasonable goals for myself and meet

them ×
I am able to manage my time by prioritising and
scheduling tasks to meet deadlines ×
I can work logically, sequentially and systematically
×
I can manage a variety of tasks and projects
simultaneously (multitask) ×
I can keep up-to-date records, logs, and data
×
I can quickly switch between multiple tasks without
forgetting what I have completed and what I need to do ×
next, without compromising accuracy
I can flexibly respond to changing priorities
×
 Confident Still developing Not confident
Self-management
I plan and prioritise my work to meet deadlines and
regularly reflect on progress and outcomes ×
I am open to feedback, and when I receive
unfavourable feedback I note areas that may need ×
improvement

I am able to adapt to changing requirements or

information, and incorporate those changes into long- ×
term projects

I generally do not rely on meetings with supervisors or

managers to keep my work on track ×
I am able to evaluate my skills and knowledge gaps and
take steps to bridge those gaps ×
I consistently strive to meet quality standards and
specifications ×
I know who to turn to for advice
×
I make sure I maintain a healthy work-life balance
×
I am able to collect data to provide evidence of
achievement ×

Confident Still developing Not confident

Learning
I use a range of resources to help me learn
×
I actively seek learning opportunities (classes,
workshops, etc.) that relate to my career interests ×
I am open to learning new ideas and techniques to
solve problems that I might face ×
I know how I learn best and try to find situations that
suit my learning style ×
I identify areas of knowledge and skills that I need to
develop and seek resources to improve them ×
 Confident Still developing Not confident
Technology
I can use a word processor to create and edit documents
– such as memos, letters, handouts and reports – that ×
effectively communicate information

Drawing on my knowledge of other software, I can

quickly learn how to use new programs ×
I am able to choose the most appropriate media (e.g.
multimedia presentations, web pages, reports) to ×
present information, findings or research

I am comfortable using technology in the workplace

×
I am able to do basic troubleshooting when technology
doesn’t work the way it should ×

Confident Still developing Not confident

Specialist Skills: Marketing
Customer relationship management:
×
I am able to harness my communication and
problem-solving skills to create connection and
manage satisfaction with individuals and/or
customer bases.

Trend forecasting:
×
I am able to do thorough research and data analysis
to make helpful market predictions and forecast
consumer trends

Prove it!
Employers won’t necessarily believe you when you simply state that you have great skills: you need to
prove it by providing examples in which you developed your skills.

For this next section, think of your studies, employment, volunteering, student club involvement,
community engagement, and other contexts. What are some examples of situations in which you have
used your skills?
Use the STAR approach to describe your examples. This is a common way to address selection criteria
(included in many application processes) and to answer interview questions. When you use the STAR
approach, you provide a complete indication of your skills and level of skills development.

STAR stands for: Situation, Task, Action and Result. In discussing your example, describe a Situation in
which you performed a Task, had duties or solved a problem. Then, describe the Actions you took to
perform that Task or duties or solved that problem. The Action element is the most important part of
your description: these are the transferable skills you take with you from the activity in which you used
and developed your skills to your next opportunity. Finally, include a Result or outcome of your actions.

Communication
Examples of situations that have developed my communication skills include:

1. Learning foreign languages including Mandarin and Italian has been beneficial to my
communication skills. Having to learn key communication concepts in a foreign language from a
classroom and a textbook put a lot into perspective about what parts of communication I do not
think enough about in my native language. Understanding the relevant cultural contexts when
learning a language helped me further analyse how I communicate and what specific
communicative skills are essential to my native language. Learning about character significance
in Mandarin and informal versus formal address in Italian were two instances in which I learnt
about catering your communication style to your audience. Despite not progressing to fluency in
either language, learning communication skills from the beginning again developed my skills and
understanding immensely.

Teamwork
Examples of activities I have participated in that have developed teamwork skills include:

1. For one of my final projects in year 12 I was involved in creating and putting on the end of year
fashion show for the entire school, working alongside the other year 12 textiles students. As a
group we discussed our visions and brainstormed what we could achieve together. We discussed
our greatest strengths and delegated different tasks depending on this. I often had to
compromise certain ideas and visions that I had in favour of the majority decisions. I made sure
to always clearly communicate with my team members my concerns and values, whilst also
doing the same for them. Our effective work as a team lead to us putting on the fashion show to
the standards we had aimed for. It was valuable to experience a form of non-competitive
teamwork as it really helped me understand what effective teamwork looks like.
Problem solving
Examples of situations that have developed my problem solving skills include:

1. When suddenly promoted to a management position in my casual job without adequate training
I was faced with the responsibility to manage customers, the staff members, and the stores
technology. On many occasions this something would go wrong. A staff member would not show
up, a customer would have a complaint, a piece of technology was faulty, and it was up to me to
problem solve. Specifically, when the technology such as tills or card machines would break. To
solve this, I would first assess the problem and the decide if I was able to solve it myself or if it
would be smarter to contact a professional for repairs. Often I was able to effectively
troubleshoot using my knowledge of computer systems. While redirecting customers and
communicating with staff on how to adapt. This gave me a greater understanding of the
technology in my workplace, and which helped me progress in my job.
-

Initiative and enterprise

Examples of times where I have shown initiative and enterprise include:

1. When calculating a budget for my overseas trip, I ended up working three separate jobs to
achieve my savings goal in time. The process of finding, applying, and keeping these jobs
required a lot of initiative. One of these jobs included pet sitting in which I would have to
advertise myself on a website. Understanding how to present myself in an appealing to the
public was a unique task that I struggled with, but persisted at until I became successful. All three
of these jobs involved constant changes. My pet sitting job involved changing houses and pets
every week and having to adapt to a new environment and animals' behaviour. My hospitality
job involved learning a broad range of skills such as barista training, room service, dishwashing
and bartending in a noticeably short period of time. Working all three jobs at the same time
helped me adapt quickly and develop a wide range of skills.

Planning and organisation

Examples of times that I have successfully planned and organised activities or events include:

1. I successfully organised a complete three-month itinerary for a four person Europe trip. This
included scheduling planning meetings with others to discuss their preferences and budget
limitations. Researching visa requirements and applying for those needed. Researching and
 planning the most effective means of transportation throughout Europe. Researching and
planning all needed accommodations and activities. Constantly budgeting throughout to ensure
affordability. Taking into account others preferences and requirements for the trip and
formulating plans and compromises to reflect as such. Planning and organising ahead of time not
only made the trip more organised, affordable and enjoyable but also taught me valuable skills
on how to manage large timelines and make decisions and create predictions based on other
data.

Self-management
Examples of activities and situations that have developed my self-management skills include:

1. Attending university whilst also having a casual job has greatly improved my self management
skills. Having a strict and mostly inflexible schedule in both places meant that I was forced to
manage myself and my schedule in more efficient ways. I took actions such as creating
timetables for both university and work that aligned with each other, but also worked for my
own lifestyle and work-life balance. Managing my transportation to and from each locations and
planning travel times accordingly. Scheduling specific times in which university study takes
priority. Taking these steps greatly assisted me in my day-to-day life by relieving stress, creating
organisation and improving my performance in both university and my casual job.

2. The transition from in person to online learning in the first lockdown in 2020 created a new
learning environment which required a lot of self-management. I ensured to create a schedule
which supported me to stay on task even while at home. I stayed up to date with the changing
lockdown information and requirements that related to my school work. I constantly sought out
feedback actively to ensure I could keep the same quality of work regardless of the setting. Doing
this helped develop my self management skills as I was tasked with managing my own study with
very little guidance as well as challenging my academic standards and quality of work without as
much pressure from an educational institution.

Using Technology
Examples of times where I have demonstrated my ability to use technology include:

1. In my high school graphics design class, I was taught how to use many different forms of
technology and software. The software that I was taught to use included photo editing,
publishing/page layout, animation and illustration. Learning many kinds of software meant I
 could often teach myself quite quickly as I already had transferable skills. Which allowed me to
create many forms of media including, photographic media, posters, flyers, digital illustrations
and GIFS/ animations. I was then able to use my knowledge of this technology when I received a
final assignment to create an advertisement raising awareness for a social cause. I experimented
with several kinds of media and software until I was able to decide which one would effectively
communicate the social issues to the intended audience. Being able to transfer my skills and
comfortably experiment with technology was of great value to my education.

Learning
Examples of times where I have taken responsibility for my own learning include:

1. During my secondary studies at Narrabundah college I was struggling to manage my studies and
schedule, due to a recent diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorder which was making a severe
impact on my ability to learn. I took responsibility for my learning in researching and seeking out
resources within my school designed specifically to assist me and guide my learning. I utilised
these resources by discussing with experts and receiving necessary feedback and evaluations to
create a study plan tailored to my needs and ways of learning. Then continuously accessing these
resources to ensure could achieve my goals more consistently. Taking these steps resulted in
greater academic success, development of my planning and management skills and positives
effects on my wellbeing and work-life balance.

2. When completing an overly ambitious practical textiles assignment in school, I began to struggle
as I realised I did not possess the skills or the time to complete what I had planned to do. In this
situation I utilised my problem solving and planning skills to assess the situation and then create
a plan on how to move forward. This included conducting research on new, more efficient
techniques for my task, formulating a new schedule that accounts for the new workload and
actively seeking and applying feedback throughout. This helped me achieve my desired outcome
of completing the original task and achieving my academic goals.
Areas for development
Finally, reflecting on your examples and looking back at the table above, identify three skills that you
feel are your strengths:

1. Adaptability and flexibility, particularly in high pressure environments.

2. Working effectively within a team to achieve common goal.

3. Technological use and proficiency in industry relevant software.

What three skills would you like to develop?

To answer this question, it may help you to research the industry, organisation and type of job you’d
like to have to identify the skills you need and how well developed they need to be:

1. Public speaking and confidence when presenting my ideas.

2. Efficient project management in solo environments and self-management.

3. Higher level research and analysis skills and how to apply them.