D3: Articulate your skills effectively
In the previous section, we looked at gathering a collection of examples of your skills and experience. Now you will need to turn these into statements that will really have an impact on a recruiter. Your examples need to be really effective in spelling out what you can do, why this is relevant and what it means for your ability to do the job well.
Make your evidence clear to a non-expert
Articulating specific research examples in a jargon-free way, that will appeal to a non-academic employer can be difficult and it takes time and effort to develop this ‘marketing’ skill. Just avoiding jargon is not enough – the meaning and impact must also be absolutely clear. For example:
Articulating specific research examples in a jargon-free way, that will appeal to a non-academic employer can be difficult and it takes time and effort to develop this ‘marketing’ skill. Just avoiding jargon is not enough – the meaning and impact must also be absolutely clear. For example:
This sounds impressive to a reader who understands the context of research and academia, and the competence and hard work required to have accomplished this goes without saying. To a non-academic employer, however, this statement could be almost meaningless. To appeal to as wide a range of readers as possible, the impact must be spelled out. For example:
Use structure
To craft an impactful statement, try using a structure such the ‘STAR’ technique. For each statement, make sure that it includes the following information:
· Situation – the situation that you were in
· Task – what you needed to do or achieve
· Action – the actions you took or the skills/approached used.
· Result/Review – what happened, the outcome, successes, results.
· Task – what you needed to do or achieve
· Action – the actions you took or the skills/approached used.
· Result/Review – what happened, the outcome, successes, results.
Here is a worked example for some evidence you might present for your data management skills:
· [S] My research generates a very large amount of valuable information.
· [T] I wanted to make sure that this was fully utilised, effectively managed and analysed accurately.
· [A] I signed myself up to a number of training courses to increase my skill level and awareness of data management processes and analytical techniques. I also consulted the University’s strategy for data management to ensure I was meeting any legal or ethical requirements.
· [R] I have been able to quickly share my data with colleagues because it is stored and managed well, they have been able to understand and use it very quickly. I have also become recognised within the department for being an expert on data management and analysis. I now run short seminars and tutorials to help others to better use their data. Teaching others has helped me to develop my skills further.
· [S] My research generates a very large amount of valuable information.
· [T] I wanted to make sure that this was fully utilised, effectively managed and analysed accurately.
· [A] I signed myself up to a number of training courses to increase my skill level and awareness of data management processes and analytical techniques. I also consulted the University’s strategy for data management to ensure I was meeting any legal or ethical requirements.
· [R] I have been able to quickly share my data with colleagues because it is stored and managed well, they have been able to understand and use it very quickly. I have also become recognised within the department for being an expert on data management and analysis. I now run short seminars and tutorials to help others to better use their data. Teaching others has helped me to develop my skills further.
This example would be great way to talk about yourself at interview, but it would be too long to include in a CV or application form. It can be edited down to a shorter version:
I am responsible for very large data sets, and have developed new skills to better manage, access and quality assure the data. I am recognised as a local expert: I am now asked to support colleagues with their data management.
Use active words:
Once you have drafted your statements, check them to make sure you have used as many ‘active’ words as possible. Complete the activity below for examples of active statements. It is easy to ‘downplay’ our achievements by using bland wording such as:
I ran a workshop on data management for other researchers.
This doesn’t portray our skills, energy and impact. The following statement is far more impactful. All the active words are highlighted:
I recognised the need for skills development in my department, so I organised and facilitated training that equipped colleagues to be more effective in devising and implementing robust data management practices.
Case study quotes
It’s very important to "translate" the skills and competencies gained during academic professional life into keywords and competencies appreciated by each hiring organisation. For instance, strong communication skills, flexibility and capacity to adapt to new situations, resilience, etc. should be emphasized. For project management positions, the number of your publications, the impact factor of the journals or the techniques used for performing the experiments are not that important. Elisabet Salas Ibanez, Vitae Career stories
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