 Although there is no set template for what makes a “good” employee, other than being productive for your particular company, there is a perception that you must always be on your best behavior and that you must leave your personality at the door and show up to work wearing nothing but your professionalism.
Surfing the web and horseplay; anything that comes across as unprofessional might just land you in hot water with your job. But if you’re the type of person who likes to laugh and joke and enjoys spending time on what others may feel is a distraction, then you might just have some job skills you can put to use.
People who find great careers will tell you that more than the money and more than the benefits and job security, you have to love what you do. If you do not feel good about getting up and going to work, then you’re not living up to your full potential, even if you are paid well.
Some of the things we might view as a distraction or unprofessional might just be the job skills you need to find a career that will make you happy – a career in which you can excel at.
Everyday Quirks and Habits as Job Skills
Internet Addict
If you’re the type of individual who spends hours a day online, surfing various social media sites, connecting with your friends, playing games, and generally goofing off, then you might just have what it takes to be a social media publicist, a website owner/designer, a top-earning affiliate marketer, or another Internet-based profession.
Yes, it’s true – the ability to make plenty of friends can relate to an ability to garner plenty of traffic. Your friendliness can relate to other people, and companies may want to use your skills to help further their brand. Being addicted to the Internet just might be a viable job skill.
Drama Queen/Class Clown
Are you the center of attention? Do you have a habit of turning almost any situation into a punch line? Well, guess what; you might just have what it takes to be a teacher. Let’s face facts here. Even though teachers are very educated and know their subject matter, the biggest part of the job involves teaching a classroom full of kids.
Believe it or not, the smartest people never make the best teachers. Which teacher do you remember? The one who sat behind the desk all day and handed out homework, or the one who made you laugh, engaged the classroom, and made the learning experience fun? Although you might not think it, having a flair for the dramatic can relate well to teaching.
Retail Experience
Whether you used to roam the aisles during K-Mart’s Blue Light Special, had a summer stint at the Gap, or manned the register at Target, these types of skills actually translate well in a corporate atmosphere. Retail chains are large corporations, and what you pick up while working there should relate well to almost any corporate job out there.
From the smallest mom ‘n’ pop location to the largest fortune 500 company, the customer always comes first, and knowing how to meet a customer’s needs and help further the company is a legitimate career-building skill set.
Greenie
Climate change is a serious threat, and some people take it a lot more seriously than others. If you’re an enviro-nut, always counting your emissions and always keeping up with the latest scientific date, don’t worry. You’re far from a doom-and-gloomer; you’re actually in possession of a great job skill. With this type of knowledge and this type of concern for the world, you could be a sustainability coordinator, a contributor to any green company, a consultant, and much more.
People are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint in this day and age, and if you know how to help, your services could be needed.
It stands to reason that some of the things you least suspect would be a job skill. After all, the workforce is made up of people of all types, and there are only so many traits out there. This means we all have a lot in common, and your hobby or obsession can translate into a legitimate career.
| 
