How Skill Sets Work

What Is a Skill Set?

A skill set is the combination of knowledge, personal qualities, and abilities that you’ve developed through your life and work. It typically combines two types of skills: soft skills and hard skills.

Soft skills are interpersonal or people skills. They are somewhat difficult to quantify and relate to someone’s personality and ability to work with others. This in-demand skill set includes good communication, listening, attention to detail, critical thinking, empathy, and conflict resolution abilities, among other skills.

Hard skills are quantifiable and teachable. They include the specific technical knowledge and abilities required for a job. Examples of hard skills include computer programming, accounting, mathematics, and data analysis.

How Skill Sets Work

In the workplace, you typically use a range of skills on a given day. Some of these skills are job-specific. For example, hairstylists will use their knowledge of hair-coloring techniques and payroll clerks will use their accounting software skills. You might learn these skills by going to school or through training with an experienced mentor.

You might also use hard skills that aren’t job-specific. For example, you might use your written communication skills to craft an email to follow-up on an important project. You might use your verbal communication skills to present a project idea to a manager.

You might also use soft skills you’ve developed through your work experience, school, and volunteer roles. They might include problem-solving or resolving a conflict with a customer.

A skill is the learned ability to perform an action with determined results with good execution often within a given amount of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills. For example, in the domain of work, some general skills would include time management, teamwork and leadership, self-motivation and others, whereas domain-specific skills would be used only for a certain job. Skill usually requires certain environmental stimuli and situations to assess the level of skill being shown and used.

A skill may be called an art when it represents a body of knowledge or branch of learning, as in the art of medicine or the art of war.[1] Although the arts are also skills, there are many skills that form an art but have no connection to the fine arts. A practice is when the learned skill is put into practice. An art or skill may be the basis for a profession, trade, or craft.

Examples of Skills

Skills are the expertise or talent needed in order to do a job or task. Job skills allow you to do a particular job and life skills help you through everyday tasks. There are many different types of skills that can help you succeed at all aspects of your life whether it’s school, work, or even a sport or hobby.

Skills are what makes you confident and independent in life and are essential for success. It might take determination and practice, but almost any skill can be learned or improved. Set yourself realistic expectations and goals, get organized and get learning.

Skill is a term that encompasses the knowledge, competencies and abilities to perform operational tasks. Skills are developed through life and work experiences and they can also be learned through study. There are different types of skills and some may be easier to access for some people than others, based on things like dexterity, physical abilities and intelligence.

Skills can also be measured, and levels determined by skill tests. Most jobs require multiple skills, and likewise, some skills will be more useful for certain professions than others.