10 Steps to Create Your Skills Passport
Creating a skills passport or taxonomy involves categorising and organising your skills in a structured manner, which can be particularly useful for career development, resume building, or team management.
Let’s Get Started
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you classify and organise your skills effectively.
Step 1: Inventory of Skills
List All Skills: Write down all the skills you possess. This includes technical skills, soft or human skills, and domain-specific skills. Use mind mapping and diagram tools like MindMeister, Lucidchart, or portfolio or resume builders like LinkedIn and Canva.
Include Variations: Ensure you include all variations of a skill (e.g., different programming languages or tools you know).
Step 2: Categorisation
Primary Categories: Divide skills into broad categories such as Technical Skills, Soft or Human Skills, and Industry-Specific Skills. Try out organisation tools like Trello, Airtable, or Notion so you can create boards or pages to categorise and visualise your skills.
Sub-Categories: Break down primary categories into sub-categories. For example, Technical Skills can be subdivided into Programming, Data Analysis, and Network Management.
Step 3: Proficiency Levels
Define Levels: Establish a scale to rate your proficiency in each skill, such as Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert. Skills management platforms like Skills Base or Learning Management Systems like Coursera and Udemy offer you skill development courses as well as a way to track and showcase those new skills you have developed through their courses.
Rate Your Skills: Assign a proficiency level to each skill based on your experience and capability.
Step 4: Relevance
Job Relevance: Identify which skills are most relevant to your current role or desired career path.
Industry Relevance: Consider the importance of each skill in your industry or sector.
Step 5: Skill Gaps
Identify Gaps: Determine any skills that are missing or underdeveloped which are crucial for your career progression. Understand what your professional goals and values are then ask friends and colleagues, research in-demand skills, and review LinkedIn profiles of experts in the field you want to work.
Development Plan: Create a plan to develop these skills through training, courses, or practical experience.
Step 6: Application
Practical Application: Note down instances where you have applied each skill in a practical scenario, such as projects or tasks. Again, LinkedIn prompts you to add skills and even gives you suggestions based on your profile.
Outcome: Record the outcome or impact of applying that skill. Follow the STAR Method: Situation, Task, Action, Results (outcome or impact) to help you be more organised, specific, reflective, and concise in your answers.
Step 7: Validation
Peer Review: Have colleagues or mentors review your skills taxonomy to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Real-World Alignment: Ensure that your skills and proficiency levels align with real-world applications and expectations.
Step 8: Continuous Update
Regular Review: Periodically review and update your skills taxonomy to reflect newly acquired skills or changes in proficiency.
Adapt to Changes: Ensure your taxonomy adapts to changes in industry demands and personal career goals.
Step 9: Visualisation
Create a Visual Representation: Use charts, graphs, or other visual tools to represent your skills taxonomy in a digestible format.
Use Technology: Consider using digital tools or platforms that allow you to create a dynamic and interactive skills taxonomy.
Step 10: Utilisation
Resume Building: Use your skills taxonomy to tailor your resume for specific job applications.
Career Planning: Leverage your taxonomy for career planning and navigating through different career opportunities.
Personal Branding: Utilise your skills taxonomy to build and communicate your personal brand on professional networks or when networking. If your networking skills needs a boost, try some of these tips in my beginners guide to confident networking.
Additional Tips:
Be Honest: Ensure that your self-assessment is honest and realistic.
Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback on your skills and performance to ensure continuous improvement.
Align with Goals: Ensure your skills taxonomy is aligned with your career goals and aspirations.
Revisit Regularly: Remember to periodically revisit and update your skills taxonomy, ensuring it remains a relevant and accurate reflection of your capabilities and career aspirations.
By following these steps and maintaining a dynamic, honest, and visually accessible skills taxonomy, you can effectively manage and plan your career development, ensuring that your skills remain relevant and valuable in your professional journey.
