You have more skills than you think, even if you have left education with few qualifications or feel unsure about what you can offer to an employer. When I left college with hardly any qualifications, I found it difficult to see what I could offer. I focused on what I hadn’t achieved and worried about how I would find a job without much to put on my CV. When people talked about skills, I thought about qualifications, training and years of experience. I didn’t really think about the things I could already do or the abilities I could develop with some support.
At the time, I felt lost. I wanted to make something of myself, but I didn’t know where to start. It was difficult to explain my strengths when I wasn’t sure what they were. I wished someone would give me an opportunity to show what I was capable of, even if I couldn’t yet put it into words.
Looking back, I can see how easily a lack of confidence can affect the way you describe yourself. When you don’t feel good enough, being asked, “What are you good at?” can feel uncomfortable. You might worry about sounding too confident or giving an answer you cannot back up. Sometimes, it feels easier to say, “I don’t know,” even when there are things you could talk about.
I am beginning to understand that recognising a skill doesn’t mean claiming to be perfect at it. I can be learning how to communicate more clearly and still have something useful to say. I can need help with a piece of writing and still have ideas worth sharing. There is room to recognise what I can do while being honest about what I need to practise. If you find it difficult to identify your abilities, explore I’M MORE’s guide to recognising your strengths and building new skills.
Through my work at I’M MORE, I have opportunities to explore writing, creating content and developing ideas for young people. These tasks are helping me think differently about what skills look like. Writing an article involves more than putting words on a page. I need to think about who will read it, what I want to say and how to explain it in a way that makes sense. The National Careers Service offers guidance on recognising and developing your skills, including abilities gained through everyday life, education and work.
When I write about leaving education or feeling unsure about the future, I draw on experiences that matter to me. My experiences don’t mean I know exactly how everyone else feels, but they give me a starting point for asking thoughtful questions. What might someone be worried about? What would I have wanted someone to explain to me? How can I write something that helps a reader feel understood?
That process gives me a way to practise communication. Even asking for help with spelling, grammar or the structure of an article is part of learning to make my message clearer. I don’t have to get everything right in the first draft. I can work on an idea, listen to feedback and improve it.
Creating content also gives me space to explore my creativity. Thinking of an article title, suggesting a social media post or considering an activity for a training module all involve making choices. What might interest someone? How could we explain this differently? What would encourage a young person to take part? I am learning that an idea can be useful before it is fully developed. Sometimes, sharing it is what allows other people to help make it better.
Speaking up is something that matters to me because I know what it feels like to hold back. I have wanted to express myself but worried about what someone might say. When you are afraid of getting something wrong, you can dismiss your own thoughts before anyone else has heard them. Giving myself permission to contribute is something I can keep practising, one conversation or suggestion at a time.
I am also learning to recognise the value of asking questions. It can feel embarrassing to admit you don’t understand a task, especially when you want to make a good impression. But asking someone to explain can help you complete the work and learn how to approach it next time. I want to become more comfortable seeing questions as part of doing a job well. For more encouragement, read I’M MORE’s article about asking for help at work.
Thinking about my skills this way makes them feel more practical. Instead of expecting myself to suddenly feel confident, I can look for examples. An article I have worked on gives me something to discuss about writing. An idea I have contributed gives me something to say about creativity. A task I have improved after feedback shows how I am learning. These examples help me describe my progress more clearly than simply telling myself I should believe in myself.
There are still things I find difficult. Recognising my strengths doesn’t remove the uncertainty I have felt or mean I now have every answer. Some tasks need more practice, and some jobs require particular qualifications or training. What is changing is that I am starting to look at what I have to build on, alongside what I still need to learn. The National Careers Service offers guidance on recognising and developing your skills, including abilities gained through everyday life, education and work.
This is one reason my work at I’M MORE feels connected to my own story. Through Discover, Believe and Become, I want to help young people think about their abilities without feeling pressured to have their whole future planned. For someone who feels they have nothing to offer, a useful starting point might be talking through something they have made, helped with, organised or learned. From there, they can begin identifying skills and finding ways to develop them.
If someone asked me what I would say to another young person who left education feeling like I did, I would tell them to give themselves time to find examples of what they can do. Think about a situation where you helped someone, solved a problem or kept working at something difficult. You might need another person to help you recognise the skill involved. That conversation could also show you where you would like more support. If you are ready to explore your next step, visit I’M MORE’s employment and training resources for opportunities and support in Essex.
For me, this is still an ongoing process. I am learning how to put my thoughts into words, contribute ideas and recognise progress without expecting perfection. I once wanted an opportunity to show people what I was made of. Now, through the work I am doing, I have chances to explore that for myself.
Leaving college with few qualifications made it difficult to picture my future. Today, I can look at an article I have worked on or an idea I have shared and see something I can continue developing. I have more to learn, but I also have more to offer than I once gave myself credit for.
