Looking past the traditional CV.

These days, finding a job may be tough. Lots of people may be equally or more qualified for a job than you are, if you believe their resume. And what about the jobs that are available? Many are based on the gig economy. Are you qualified to apply for those?

Every human being has a good amount of talents, though at times it may be hard to see those talents clearly yourself. Let's change that!

To stand a chance, I think we can all agree that we need to stand out from the crowd. Right?

Why not use a "talent scan" to include in your resume and send along with your job application?

What Exactly Is a "Talent Scan"?

Let's say you're a baggage handler, out of a job due to reduced air travel. Tons of baggage handlers are looking for the same jobs in your area, and all probably have the same skills, on paper. How do you stand out?

Detail your talents. For instance:

• you are stress resistant and can deal with a high work load
• you are someone who works very well on a schedule
• you are someone who can work well with co-workers, because you always work in a team
• you understand and operate machinery and technology

Bingo! By unraveling your many talents, a potential employer can see that you can fit into other positions, or even other lines of work. And, listing your talents will help build your self-confidence. And this doesn't only relate to baggage handlers. It can really help in all lines of work!

Every human being has a good amount of talents, though at times it may be hard to see those talents clearly yourself. Let's change that!

How Do You Scan Your Talents?

Cool beans. But how exactly do you scan your talents?

You'll need to extensively look at your emotional talents (your drive or passions), and your rational talents (your style or way of thinking). They can give you a clear view of the things that give you energy and pleasure in life. Bam! Now we're getting somewhere.

To get a good scan, you should distinguish three types of talents within yourself:

Dig deep into your inner self and list all the results carefully.

1. Emotional talents
   What are your true passions? Passions are strong drivers. They are your sources of energy. Jot them down.

2. Rational talents
   What is your style of thinking? A thinking style determines how you naturally absorb and process information. Are you a strategic thinker? Great. Lots of companies yearn for those type of people.

3. Physical talents
   Do you have specific body characteristics that allow you to do something very easily? For example, a sport or skill. Great! Chances are, they can make you the perfect fit for a specific job. Just make sure you add them to the talent scan section of your resume.

And the even better news? After you list your unique talents and characteristics, the results will give a good look at your natural potential.

Listing your diploma's and job experiences is great—it shows what you have done in the past, and what you can already do—but adding your talent scan will give an overview of where you can go in the future, to boot!

Author and researcher Tom Rath, said it quite well:

You cannot be anything you want to be, but you can be a lot more of who you already are!

Isn't that true for adding your talent scan to your resume?

Get going now, make yourself diverse, and stand out from the crowd.

Good luck out there, and let me know how it goes!

Will