Understanding Skills for the BYUH Virtual Career Fair
Preparing for the BYUH Virtual Career Fair? Learn about skills and how to choose the right ones to showcase to employers. Highlighting your abilities can help you connect with the 50–100 companies looking for talented students like you.
What Are Skills?
Skills, often called areas of expertise, are the abilities and talents you bring to a job or project. In the context of the career fair, these are the professional strengths you list on your profile, resume, or during conversations with employers. For example, a student majoring in computer science might list skills like Python programming, while an education major might highlight classroom management.
Why Are Skills Important?
- Stand Out: With over 1,000 students attending, showcasing unique skills like data analysis or public speaking can make your profile memorable to employers.
- Match Job Needs: Companies use specific criteria to find candidates. Listing skills that align with their job descriptions increases your chances of being noticed.
- Prove Your Value: Skills demonstrate your qualifications, showing employers you have the experience or training needed to succeed in their roles.
Types of Skills to Showcase
Hard Skills
These are specific, teachable abilities you learn through education or training. Examples include:
- Programming (e.g., Java, HTML)
- Accounting
- Graphic design
Soft Skills
These are interpersonal or behavioral skills developed over time. Examples include:
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Time management
Job-Specific Skills
These are skills tied to a particular role or industry. Examples include:
- Lesson planning (for education majors)
- Database management (for IT roles)
- Event planning (for hospitality majors)
Certifications
These are credentials that prove your expertise. Examples include:
- Teaching license
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Adobe Certified Expert
How to Choose Skills for the Career Fair
- List Your Abilities: Reflect on your education, internships, projects, or part-time jobs. Write down all the skills you’ve gained, such as coding, leadership, or customer service. Ask professors or peers for input if needed.
- Review Company Needs: Explore the profiles of companies attending the career fair. Look for skills they prioritize in their job postings, such as marketing or software development, to identify what’s in demand.
- Match and Prioritize: Compare your skills to the companies’ needs. Select 5–10 skills that best align with the roles you’re targeting and add them to your career fair profile or resume.
Get Started
Ready to showcase your skills? Update your profile with your top skills to attract employers at the BYUH Virtual Career Fair.
Manage Your Skills