WAIT, WHAT?
ADHD AS A SKILL SET?
<Skill Set, Part I>
Yeah, right! That may have been your first reaction to the concept. I know it was for me. I am an ADDer and I thought, “Absurd! How could anyone accept that?” A skill set? That’s a job description term, isn’t it? The positive capacities a person needs to do a job the way it’s supposed to be done. But with ADHD we often have to overcome so much just to keep up!”
Wait a minute! Was my second reaction, “Visionary! ADHD does provide some benefits – superpowers that help us excel at certain tasks and jobs!”
If you’ve read much of the information on the ADHD AS A SKILLSET™ website, it’s clear that we’re all about a new paradigm that reframes ADHD, replete with skills that are invaluable, embraceable, marketable, and leverageable for both ADDers and their employers. We’re developing the concept and are writing the book from a personal perspective because we, co-author Stuart Cohen and I, are both fortunate to be ADDers.
In this blog post we’ll look at the basic concept of what a skill set is.
So Just What Is A Skill Set?
While the traditional definition of a skill set can describe the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences needed to perform a specific job, it also applies to individuals. These skills are the combination of knowledge, capabilities, personal qualities, skills, and abilities that are developed throughout your life, your education, and your work experiences. While the skills we possess can help qualify us for a variety jobs, some of our skills can make us an exceptional fit for certain jobs. Listing your skill set on your resume is a good personal marketing tool.
Personal skill sets are made up of two types of skills that are possessed by neurotypical people (people without a diagnosed mental health disorder) and ADDers alike.
Hard Skills are quantifiable and teachable and include the specific technical knowledge and abilities you possess. Examples include Office Suite, budgets and planning, cost accounting, enterprise sales, in-vivo testing, quantum mechanics, computer programming, or data analysis.
Soft Skills are subjective and non-technical, and may be difficult to quantify. They may be formally learned, acquired through practice, or they may be considered innate skills. They relate to how you work, how you think, how you interact with colleagues, how you solve problems and how you manage your work.
Examples include creativity, teamwork, communication, leadership, conflict resolution, adaptability, positivity, creative problem solving, out-of-the-box thinking; and entrepreneurial, innovative, analytical, or logical thinking.
Important Considerations About Hard And Soft Skills
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- Both hard and soft skills should be listed on a resume.
- Hard skills are more concrete and can be easily verified and quantified, while soft skills are subjective and may seem difficult to prove.
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- Job candidates are typically selected for interviews after resumes are screened to verify that the basic qualifications listed in the job announcement have been met.
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- HR executives tell us that 80% of the interview with job candidates focuses on soft skills.
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- Therefore, it is critical for candidates to list key soft skills on their resumes and be prepared to discuss those skills in detail, providing examples from a variety of experiences where they were effectively used, such as jobs, internships, college or community organizations, sports teams, and volunteer or service opportunities.
In the next post, The Skill Set, Part II, we’ll discuss what an ADHD skill set looks like, ADHD-gifted soft skills that can provide exceptional advantages, and how ADDers can leverage these skills when seeking new jobs or performing the jobs they already have.
Source:
Doyle, Alison; What Is a Skill Set, https://www.thebalancecareer.com/what-is-a-skill-set-2062103, June 19, 2020.
http://www.virtualadhdlifecoach.com
