Recognising your skills

• Getting a job 

• Progressing in your role 

• Reaching targets 

• Succeeding in a project 

• Receiving good feedback from supervisors, colleagues, or clients 

• Developing your own expertise 

• Maintaining a long-term relationship 

• Good parenting 

• Friendships 

• Resolving conflicts 

• Participation and active involvement 

• Gaining a place to study 

• Graduating from a programme 

• Overcoming a difficult period 

• Passing a tough exam 

• Clarifying your career direction 

• Daring to try something new 

• Completing something you started

• Starting something important (e.g. a hobby, a lifestyle change)

1. Choose the three (3) most meaningful achievements in your life and write them down.

If you wish, you can reflect on your successes using these questions:

• Which achievements are you proud of?
• In what situations have you used your strengths to reach something important for yourself?
• When have you gone beyond your own limits or completed something all the way to the end? 

2. After this, consider the following questions for each achievement:

• What did you do to make the achievement possible?
• What qualities and strengths did you need for the achievement to be possible?

Professional skills are subject- and field-specific skills, built through work experience, education and courses, mentoring, internships and further training. They are often a combination of practical experience and theoretical knowledge, and they can range from beginner to expert level.

Professional skills can include specialist knowledge and field-specific information, such as knowing sector regulations, standards or methods, as well as general skills needed in working life. They may cover practical skills, such as using tools and equipment, technical know-how or manual skills. In addition, they can include analytical and problem-solving abilities, communication and interpersonal skills, leadership, project management and other qualities valued at work.

Examples of professional skills:

Programming: The ability to design and develop software using languages such as Java, Python or C++. This includes problem solving, code optimisation, and debugging.

Electrical engineering: Skills to design, install and maintain electrical systems. This may include reading diagrams, diagnosing and repairing faults, and working safely with electrical devices.

Graphic design: The ability to create visually attractive graphic elements for different media, such as advertisements, websites or user interfaces. This can include using image-editing software, typography, colour management and creative design skills.

Project management: The ability to plan, organise and lead projects effectively. This includes defining project goals, scheduling tasks, managing resources and working in teams through different project phases.

Sales and negotiation skills
The ability to communicate and negotiate effectively with clients. This may include identifying client needs, presenting products or services convincingly, and addressing questions or objections.

Nursing: The ability to care for patients in healthcare settings. This may include making appropriate medical assessments, using medical devices, communicating with patients empathetically and effectively, and making quick decisions even in stressful situations.

Construction: The ability to plan and build structures. This includes reading construction plans, choosing and using the right tools and materials, managing a construction site, and following safety standards.

General working life skills are skills needed in almost all jobs. They support success and adaptation in working life in general. These skills are not tied to a particular occupation or sector – they are useful in many different workplaces and roles.

Most general working life skills are also transferable skills, as they can be used in many kinds of tasks and across different fields.

Examples of general working life skills:

Communication skills: The ability to express yourself clearly both verbally and in writing, listen actively, and share information effectively.

Problem-solving skills: The ability to identify and analyse problems, develop creative solutions, and implement them effectively.

Teamwork skills: The ability to work well in teams: communicating and collaborating with others, sharing responsibility, resolving conflicts and working towards shared goals.

Leadership skills: Leadership skills are useful in many roles, even if you are not a manager. They include organising and prioritising tasks, motivating others, delegating work and managing time and resources.

Interpersonal skills: The ability to build and maintain good working relationships, relate to different people, and communicate effectively in a variety of situations.

Creativity and innovation: The ability to think creatively, generate new ideas, and find innovative solutions to problems.

Ethical and professional values: The ability to act ethically and responsibly at work, follow professional standards and behave professionally.

Character strengths, or personal strengths, are your natural ways of thinking and acting – the qualities that come easily to you. 

Character strengths are individual and relatively stable traits that you can rely on in difficult situations. They help you do your best in studies, job searching and working life.

Reflect on when your strengths show up and how they help you reach goals, work with others, or overcome challenges. When you know your character strengths, you can use them consciously in situations where you want to succeed or grow.

They may show up, for example, as:

• persistence  
• reliability  
• creativity  
• calmness or the ability to throw yourself into new situations

Meta-skills are broad, work-life-relevant capacities that support learning, independent work and continuous development in different situations. They help you set realistic goals, plan and evaluate your work, prioritise effectively, learn new things quickly and apply what you have learned. Meta-skills strengthen your ability to succeed in a changing world of work.

Examples of meta-skills:

Critical thinking: The ability to assess information critically, interpret and analyse data, and make well-reasoned decisions and choices.

Time management: The ability to manage your time effectively, set goals, prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.

Self-management: The ability to manage your own time and energy, stay motivated, set goals and follow through on them.

Flexibility and adaptability: The ability to adjust to changing work environments, learn new skills and respond flexibly to change.

Analytical skills: The ability to collect, interpret and evaluate information, and to make well-grounded decisions. These skills are important, for example, in data analysis, research and strategic planning.

Transferable skills are skills that you can use in different roles, work environments and sectors. A constantly changing working environment and diverse career paths make these skills increasingly important.

Recognising your transferable skills is especially useful when you do not yet have much work experience in your field, you are changing careers, or you have gained a lot of experience, for example, through hobbies or association work. In these situations, it is important to highlight your transferable skills and meta-skills in your applications and interviews – such as the ability to work in different groups, learn new things quickly, use foreign languages and manage your own work.

Concrete examples from your studies, work or hobbies show how you have used these skills in practice. Show, for instance, how you have solved problems, stayed motivated in a challenging situation, or developed your communication skills.

You can read more about this in the section Job search at different career stages.

Examples of transferable skills:

• leading a group (e.g. youth club leader → team lead) 
• organising events (e.g. student events → project management) 
• creating social media content (hobby → marketing support tasks) 
• managing finances for an association (treasurer → finance or administration roles)

• How can you most easily identify your own skills?
• What skills do you already recognize?
• Where have you acquired these skills? Think broadly about your life: your work, studies, hobbies, various projects, etc.
• What skills do you already recognize?
• What skills have you acquired outside of education or work?
• What things come so naturally to you that you haven't thought of them as skills?

Part 1: Identify your skills 

1A: Professional skills – Professional skills are field-specific, learnable abilities that are needed in studies or work.

Think about your studies, work experience, volunteering, or hobbies.

Write down 5 professional skills you have:
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

1B: General work-life skills – These are broad skills that are helpful in any work environment.

Think about how you interact with others and how you complete tasks.

Write down 5 general work-life skills you have:
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

1C: Personal strengths – Personal strengths are characteristics and attitudes that help you succeed in work and in life.

Think about how you meet challenges and how you work with others.

Write down 5 personal strengths you have:
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

Part 2: Your skills in action

Choose 2 skills (from any category) and describe how you have used them.  
Skill 1:

• Where/when did you use this skill?
• What did you do?
• What was the result? 

Skill 2:

• Where/when did you use this skill?
• What did you do?
• What was the result? 

Part 3: Reflect

Which skills would you highlight when applying for a job?

Top 3 skills you would highlight:

1.

2.

3. 

Why do you think these skills are important?

1. 

2.

3.

Instructions for completing this exercise:

• First, list all the places and situations where you have gained competences. You may have developed skills through work, education, hobbies, and more.
• Next, choose one job, study experience, or hobby project that is the most meaningful for you and whose competences you want to reflect on.  
• Think about the competences you have gained using the questions below.
• You can use any method that suits you: write freely, create a mind map, draw, or something else.

Reflect on your competences with the following questions:

• What were your main tasks and responsibilities?
• What did you need to know in order to do what you needed to do?
• What special expertise did the task require?
• Where did you succeed and what did you achieve?
• What was the most important thing you learned in this job/study/hobby?
• What was easy for you and what did you enjoy?
• What would you have liked to do more of?
• What would you have liked to learn more about?
• What kind of professional competences did you recognise?
• What general worklife skills did you recognise?
• What meta-skills did you recognise?
• Where have you succeeded and what concrete results have you achieved?
• What kind of competences would you like to gain more of?

There are many research-based benefits to using your strengths at work. Strengths have been shown to be linked to, for example:

• self-esteem, self-efficacy and psychological resources 
• living a good life and happiness 
• thriving at work and wellbeing at work 
• work engagement, enthusiasm and a sense of meaning 
• work performance, productivity and customer loyalty 
• less stress and fewer sickness absences

When you work in your strength area, you are at your best. Work feels natural, energising and inspiring. By recognising your strengths, you can steer your career towards tasks and roles where you can use them often.

At the same time, strengths are always dependent on the situation and context. In the wrong environment, any strength can become a weakness:

• Thoroughness is a major strength in work where mistakes can have serious consequences (e.g. finance or medication). In a very fast-paced context, however, it may turn into getting stuck in details and slow things down. 
• Perfectionism can show as high quality and careful work. On the other hand, it may mean tasks are never finished on time because everything is polished endlessly. 
• Independence is a strength in roles where initiative and working without constant guidance are needed. In very close team work, it can look like reluctance to collaborate or ask for help. 
• Flexibility helps you adapt to changes and new situations. But if you always bend to others’ wishes, your own boundaries may blur and your workload can grow unreasonably.

Constantly pushing yourself far outside your comfort zone is exhausting and can lead to burnout symptoms. It is good to challenge and develop yourself, but for your wellbeing and stamina it is also important to recognise what kind of role suits you – and what does not.

Highlighting your strengths in job searching makes you a more distinctive and convincing candidate. Your natural strengths – your ways of thinking, acting and interacting with others – especially help you stand out. For example, newly graduated candidates from the same field often have very similar education and professional skills. In these cases, strengths, a personal way of working and motivation are what make a candidate interesting. Employers are not just looking for people with a degree, but for people who bring their own strengths, collaboration skills and perspectives to the workplace.

Make your strengths concrete with examples in your application documents and interviews. Link your strengths to specific situations and outcomes: briefly explain what you did, which strength you used, and what the result was. This makes it easier for the employer to see the value you could bring to the organisation. For example:

• Explain how your persistence helped you through challenges in your studies or project work 
• Describe how your social intelligence helped you build a good team spirit during an internship 
• Show how your curiosity and desire to learn appeared when you followed developments in your field on your own initiative

Consciously using your character strengths at work increases wellbeing, motivation and success. Use your strengths actively and try to recognise the strengths of your colleagues as well – this helps the team work more effectively and makes work more enjoyable.

• If you are naturally curious, actively look for opportunities to learn new things in your work 
• If kindness is your strength, use it in customer service or teamwork 
• If you are good at organising, help your team with schedules or project planning

Using your strengths at work also means talking openly about your role. For example, you can suggest a project where you get to use your strengths, or raise these topics in development discussions with your supervisor.

• In what situations have you used your strengths?
• Where have you felt enthusiastic or particularly successful?
• How did it feel to work in your strength area?
• What feedback or thanks have you received from parents, teachers, colleagues, or friends?
• What skills or traits do you value in yourself?
• Which work tasks have you enjoyed and found easy?
• What kind of environments do you enjoy?
• What situations or tasks have made you struggle?
• In what matters do people turn to you for help? 

What are your individual strengths in your work?

Think about qualities that you know are your natural strengths and list five of them. For example: creativity, accuracy, flexibility, friendliness, honesty, openness, cheerfulness, listening…

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

In what situations do your strengths show in your working life?

Describe situations from your working life where you use the strengths mentioned above and explain how these strengths are helpful to you or others.

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.

The VIA Character Survey is based on positive psychology and character strengths. The test is developed by over 50 top researchers and is grounded in research. The theory is based on six universal virtues (wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence) and the strengths grouped under them. After completing the survey, you’ll receive a summary by email, showing your character strengths. The test is also available in Finnish, English and other languages. 

You can take the test through VIA Character Survey.

Note: Registering is required. If you do not want to register, try another test. 

Big Five is one of the most widely accepted models for describing personality, also widely used in recruitment. The Big Five test shows your unique balance of five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. 

The 16 Personalities Test is based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). MBTI divides people into 16 different personality types, defined by four dichotomies: 

• Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I): Focus on the external world (E) or internal world (I)?
• Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N): Prefer getting information through the senses (S) or intuition (N)?
• Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F): Make decisions based on logic (T) or emotions (F)?
• Perceiving (P) vs. Judging (J): Is your lifestyle more spontaneous and flexible (P) or organised and planned (J)? 

By combining these, you get 16 different personality types such as ISTJ, ENFP, and so on. These types are frequently used for personal development, career guidance, and team dynamics.

The Enneagram is a personality model that helps you recognise your unique behaviour and thinking styles. The model identifies nine personality types, each with its own strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth. The test helps you understand your approach, responses to stress, and ways of interacting with others. The Enneagram offers insights into your motivations, values, and fears that affect your everyday decisions and relationships. 

No registration required; you get your results immediately with a description of your Enneagram type and core traits. 

Try the Enneagram test for yourself! 

In working life, you need to be able to describe your skills in many situations. Being able to articulate your skills is essential when looking for work, but it also helps you move forward in your career and in teamwork when you can talk about your skills and career aspirations clearly and engagingly. Making your skills visible takes practice, but this skill grows with experience.

You can practise identifying and presenting your skills by creating a skills profile. In this exercise, you summarise what you have learned in the “Recognising Your Skills” section into a clear skills profile that you can use when searching for work and planning your career. Include all relevant areas of expertise in your skills profile. Focus on the skills and strengths you want to use and develop in the future.

Returning to your skills profile and updating it from time to time will further strengthen your self-awareness. Over time, your professional profile will become clearer.

Below is a complete list of skills areas. Answer each part for a full skills profile.

• My most important professional skills
• My most important working life skills
• My most important meta-skills
• My most important transferable skills
• My most important character strengths
• My most important strengths as an employee
• My most important achievements and successes
• My core values
• What motivates me most
• What interests me
• What I want to learn and develop in the future
• My career goals 

At first, you learn to remember and recognise basic information – such as facts, concepts, and terms. This is the foundation for all further learning.

Example: you can list the main parts of an email. 

Next, you are able to explain things in your own words and tell how different topics connect.

Example: you can explain why certain things are important when writing a good email. 

At this stage, you use what you have learned in practice: solving problems, trying new things, testing your skills in different situations.

Example: you can write professional emails during your internship. 

You deepen your skills by distinguishing important information, comparing data, and seeing the bigger picture. You see how things are connected and which ways of doing something are better in different situations.

Example: you can judge why one email was successful and another was not.

Now you can judge and explain which solution fits a situation best. You can give feedback and make well-founded choices.

Example: you justify why a certain way of communicating works best in customer service. 

At the highest level, you create new things: developing your own ideas, solutions, or processes. Here, you use your knowledge creatively and step into an expert role.

Example: you design a guide for successful customer communication for your team. 

Artificial intelligence and digital tools are now widely used across different sectors. Technical skills are increasingly important, as employees are expected to adopt new software, systems and algorithms and to use AI-based tools in their daily work.

For example:

• In hospitals, it is important to know how to use AI-based diagnostic systems and electronic patient record systems safely and effectively. 
• In the media sector, AI is used to support idea generation, analysis and targeting of content – which requires both technical understanding and creative thinking.

Even though technical skills are more important than ever, there are still many areas where people are better than machines – and the value of these skills grows as AI becomes more common. AI cannot, for example, match human interaction, empathy, creative problem solving or ethical judgement.

For this reason, so-called soft skills are increasingly important in working life. They include personal characteristics such as adaptability, initiative and collaboration skills, as well as communication and emotional skills that are essential in complex and changing situations.

Employers are increasingly looking for employees with good communication skills, the ability to motivate others, the capacity to solve complex problems, and the flexibility to work both independently and as part of a team. In job searching, these skills can be decisive, especially when candidates have similar technical backgrounds. Soft skills help you stand out and create value that artificial intelligence cannot fully replace.

To succeed in the future labour market, you need to clarify your current skills, keep learning, and develop your soft skills. Be curious, follow trends, develop yourself and communicate your skills convincingly in your job search – this way you will stay one step ahead in the changing world of work.

You can read more about sustainable working life on the Career Planning pages.

Personal qualities that will be valued in the future

• Optimism and a positive attitude
• Vision and the ability to see future possibilities
• Initiative and proactivity
• Willingness to take on leadership
• Determination and perseverance
• Courage to take risks
• Resilience – the ability to cope with change and setbacks 

Key interaction and relationship skills for the future

• Leadership and motivational ability
• Communication skills – clear self-expression and interaction
• Listening skills
• The ability to build and maintain relationships
• Negotiation skills
• Ethics and responsibility 

Every field has its own future skills needs. You can support your future planning by following developments and trends in your field. Keep an eye on major trends and forecasting reports in the world of work and in your own sector.

• Sitra and the National Forum for Skills Anticipation (EDUFI), aswell as World Economic Forum among others, offer current reports and forecasts on new skills and professions.
• The Finnish National Agency for Education’s “Deck of Skills Cards – Skills Needs in Different Sectors in Finland in 2035” gives up-to-date information on what trends and skills will be valued in the labour market.
• Online courses, such as Aalto University’s Future of Work, help you keep up to date. 

Compare these forecasts with your own skills profile and consider what new skills it might be useful for you to learn or develop. Make your willingness to develop – as well as your current skills – visible in your job search. In your applications and interviews, highlight both your current strengths and your readiness to learn new skills your sector will need in the future. Give concrete examples of how you have learned, adapted and developed yourself in changing environments – this will help convince employers that you are ready to meet future challenges.