Discovering (and Profiting From) Your Hidden Talents

I made a surprise discovery which brought in considerable unexpected business, made me feel good, and was also a great benefit to a lot of people. 

Let me take a step back, and explain.

I held a webinar on Cracking a Career Change for the excellent Cambridge Network this week. 

I did it for free, and for a couple of good reasons. 

Firstly, two friends have been made redundant because of Covid in the last fortnight. 

I fear many more good people, with a great deal to contribute, will follow. 

So I wanted to do something worthwhile, which might be a small help to those seeking new jobs. 

Secondly, I held the webinar because I realised I had the qualifications to do so.

Three years ago, I left the safety of the BBC to strike out on my own, so I know exactly what it's like to make such a big change. 

Anyway, the webinar went well, and the feedback was very kind, which was uplifting.

But more importantly...

There was one area I mentioned which really chimed with the group - 

What do I mean by a skills audit?

It's this - 

Taking stock of all that you do, all you've learnt over the years, and finding those hidden talents which can now be very useful to you. 

For example, when I left the BBC I expected to be working mainly in writing stories for businesses and organisations, and helping them with media relations. 

But no. By running a skills audit, I realised there was much more I could talk about, teach, and consult on... 

 

- Dealing with pressure

- Social media

- Blog writing 

- Public speaking

- Cracking a career change

- The art of the job interview

 

There are a few others as well, but those alone have seen me working in places I might never have worked, alongside brilliant people I might never otherwise have met, and they've brought in considerable income...

But perhaps most importantly -  

They've made me feel good. In realising that I had more to offer than I initially expected. 

Sharing those experiences have also helped a lot of people, many of whom will shape our world of tomorrow. 

So, as you're seeking your next job, think about your hidden talents.

They're powerful to mention in an interview, they can be appealing to an employer, or you could simply monetise them by going out and talking about them. 

I'd call that a win-win-win-win, and win some more.

In conclusion, for all those reasons, I can strongly recommend carrying out a skills audit of yourself. 

It doesn't take long, maybe an hour. It can be done sitting in the sunshine, with a glass of wine, or a beer.

And it can have very positive benefits.

 

By the way, you can see a video of Cracking a Career Change here.