incidental skills

[Copepod]

Following on from Cherrypie's thought provoking thread Has diabetes affected your career? http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=24554 it occured to me that sometimes unexpected factors have made the difference to me getting work.

The most consistently useful skill is Spanish. Despite having 1.5 years of oral French at my first primary school, then nothing for next 2.5 years at my second junior school, I didn't get on very well with languages at comprehensive school, ending up with O level grade C French and grade B Latin (and CSE grade 1, which must be pretty rare!), plus a pretty disastrous year of German. So, while doing science A levels at sixth form college, I also studied O level Spanish, getting grade D after 14 months study. Since then, Spanish has enabled me to travel solo or independently through Spain, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile & Argentina, plus work at a rehab centre for disabled children in Mexico, lead on one projects / expeditions in Costa Rica and one in Chile. I have also interpretted for a visiting Spanish military officer on a recce for a unit exchange visit, plus for young environmental speakers from central America in British Columbia. Spanish has also helped me a bit with communication in Portugal and Italy. Most recently, I filled in an application form to help with a mountain running race, and the organiser (who I've worked with before) emailed back, very pleased to have me on board (despite not being allowed to drive minibuses due to T1D) as several Spaniards have entered.

This post is intended to highlight my Mum's saying "no experience is ever wasted" (although I think she would agree with Thomas Beecham in excluding incest and perhaps Morris dancing from experiences to try) and to encourage people to learn languages and to include incidental skills on application forms. 🙂

 

[Northerner]

As I have got older I have come to realise that all my life experiences have come into play, from the things I have learned, the things I have done and the things I enjoy doing. I only really realised what my skills actually are a few years ago. When I was younger I always did well at all subjects at school, but because of certain attitudes in my family and elsewhere I always felt that what I achieved wasn't quite good enough. For example, I went to Sheffield University, but it was thought that I 'could have gone to Oxford'. I would be mocked if I ever got anything wrong, because I was supposed to be bright, or I got bullied by those with louder voices or more power into feelings of inadequacy. I no longer feel that way, and I am happy with the way I am. 🙂

 

[Robster65]

I tend to feel that I can do more, and feel happier, using my 'incidental skills'. I went to college and got an HNC in Process Plant Engineering, which was of some relevance to my career but I was never really that interested in it once I'd realised there was nothing more to it.

My dad has always been a DIYer and I grew up helping and watching and learning. And consequently, when something needed doing, rather than get a man in, I'd try and do it myself.

So I've learnt, to a very basic level, to turn my hand to most things. Whether it be electrical, decorating, car maintenance, joinery or building I consider these to be my most precious skills and ones I enjoy using whenever I can or need to. That and the interpersonal skills we all pick up in daily life and which sometimes come in handy on this very forum.

I can also knit but haven't done so for about 35 years.🙄

Rob

 

[Pigeon]

Nothing wrong with a bit of Morris Dancing, CopePod! I used to do it at school and it was great fun and good exercise! We had to stop though as out of a school of 1000 girls we couldn't get 8 together to form a side, obviously it wasn't the coolest of activities!

In terms of other skills, I am so glad I learnht the flute at school. I never did grades or anything, but every town I have lived in I have joined a band or orchestra and it's always been a good way to get to know people from a wide range of backgrounds.

 

[mcdonagh47]

it was the composer Arnold Bax who said try everything once except incest and folk dancing.

 

[Copepod]

Nothing wrong with a bit of Morris Dancing, CopePod! I used to do it at school and it was great fun and good exercise! We had to stop though as out of a school of 1000 girls we couldn't get 8 together to form a side, obviously it wasn't the coolest of activities!

In terms of other skills, I am so glad I learnht the flute at school. I never did grades or anything, but every town I have lived in I have joined a band or orchestra and it's always been a good way to get to know people from a wide range of backgrounds.

Never said there was anything wrong with Morris dancing, Pigeon 🙂 - and I tried to disguish between illegal incest and legal Morris dancing in a well known quote with several attributions, and anyway, I was paraphrasing Mum! I've enjoyed Scottish country dancing, in particular at occasional barn dances & c?ilidhs over the years.

And, I wish our parents had thought a bit before pushing me to violin lessons aged 6, when they got a cheap violin from a market or friend, instead of asking what sort of music I wanted to play - I would have chosen a wind or brass instrument or guitar, so that in adult hood I could play in a wind or brass band or folk group.

 

[cherrypie]

Life is one long lesson and we all pick skills up along the way. They may not necessarily further anyone's career but as long as they enhance our lives and everyone around us then what more can we ask for?

 

[HelenM]

Never said there was anything wrong with Morris dancing, Pigeon 🙂 - and I tried to disguish between illegal incest and legal Morris dancing in a well known quote with several attributions, and anyway, I was paraphrasing Mum! I've enjoyed Scottish country dancing, in particular at occasional barn dances & c?ilidhs over the years.

And, I wish our parents had thought a bit before pushing me to violin lessons aged 6, when they got a cheap violin from a market or friend, instead of asking what sort of music I wanted to play - I would have chosen a wind or brass instrument or guitar, so that in adult hood I could play in a wind or brass band or folk group.

You could always call it a fiddle, lots of opportunity for playing in folk groups ..could even play for Morris dancing 😉

 

[mcdonagh47]

Life is one long lesson and we all pick skills up along the way. They may not necessarily further anyone's career but as long as they enhance our lives and everyone around us then what more can we ask for?

that your incidental skills will make you a few bob on the side

 

[trophywench]

Well one thing I will say - whilst seriously agreeing with what Copepod says - I can honestly say I've never seen a miserable Morris dancer!

And the last time I saw one was at a DUK meeting ?last year - when the other room in the building they were using was being used for practice for one of the local 'sides'. It was hilarious, the chap who was the guest speaker had to keep stopping in order to deliver his knowledge when it got to an (extra) noisy bit!

We all said after, although the talk was actually rather interesting - sounded like much more fun next door!

 

[Tina63]

I
My dad has always been a DIYer and I grew up helping and watching and learning. And consequently, when something needed doing, rather than get a man in, I'd try and do it myself.

So I've learnt, to a very basic level, to turn my hand to most things. Whether it be electrical, decorating, car maintenance, joinery or building I consider these to be my most precious skills and ones I enjoy using whenever I can or need to. That and the interpersonal skills we all pick up in daily life and which sometimes come in handy on this very forum.

I can also knit but haven't done so for about 35 years.🙄

Rob

Could I borrow you for a couple of weeks then please Rob? I could teach you to crochet whilst you are here

 

[margie]

I applied for shop work when I was 19. It was just a summer job and I didn't think I had any experience. However, I did have a couple of things that I wrote on my CV. Selling at a jumble sale and counting money after school events. It seemed to help.

 

[Robster65]

Could I borrow you for a couple of weeks then please Rob? I could teach you to crochet whilst you are here

If only I wasn't in such demand !

(and my skills were more than just adequate 🙄).

I never fancied crocheting. I used to manage about 20 rows of knitting and get fidgety. Give me 20 things to do at once and I'll be happy. As long as none of them want finishing. That isn't on eof my fortes.😱

Rob

 

[Flutterby]

er i can play a tambourine from my days in the Salvation Army!! Comes in useful now and then (??) I once had a hypo during the whole routine (I was in charge of the group and the only one who knew the routine) The others looked at me in horror and I ended up yelling out "movements" as we went along.

For those who do not know how to play - there are different movements in a routine! A movement is something like swinging it back and forth and calling it a cradle........yeah I knew you'd be fascinated! Any more timbrellists on here? We could form our own group!!

 

[Copepod]

Thinking more laterally again - a male friend of mine was well known for how he found his wife. He decided to attend an evening class and went along to register, and decided on pottery, purely because there was a higher percentage of women in that queue than any other! 🙂

And being able to use hand & electric tools went in my favour when I applied for a few jobs in ecotourism / conservation.

Building on the "never seen a miserable Morris dancer" - we used to see a Morris side at a tree dressing ceremony on May Day in Aston on Clun, Shropshire, as my grandparents lived in the village - and every year there seemed to be at least one pregnant member of the women's side, which supports the view that it's a fertility rite!

 

[Northerner]

I once got a job grape-picking in France on the basis that I could speak French with the other workers - they were all Spanish and all I knew was the word for slug!

 

[AlisonM]

I've always been a bit crafty and still do a fair bit of lace crochet. I've had fun teaching others too as I'm a lefty and we had to use a large mirror. Knitting I can do but usually get bored half way up the back of a jumper and never finish, I have managed the odd scarf and gloves set. I've dug wells in Kenya and built dams in Bangladesh (my VSO year). I can put up shelves (yes they do stay up!), do a bit of wiring and basic plumbing and make stained glass. None of which has anything to do with my job, but it all keeps me from getting bored.

We had a summer working our round Europe in the 70s just after they brought out the three month train tickets. We found work whenever we wanted it despite not knowing the languages, our only qualification it seems was the boy's kilts.