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Thursday, August 22, 2019

Important Computer Skills for Resumes & Cover Letters

Important Computer Skills for Resumes & Cover Letters

When you're job hunting, employers are going to want to know about your computer skills. That's because no matter what the position is, computers will almost certainly be involved. Just think about how ever-present computers are, from smartphones to cash registers to the ordering systems at restaurants.

Many traditional jobs are going away in favor of new, technologically-driven jobs. Some of those jobs require highly specialized skills, such as computer programming. Others merely help an office run better, such as email management.

What Are Computer Skills?

The name itself may seem obvious, but the truth is that most people are too overwhelmed by the vastness of technology to know what an employer might mean when the job description simply says “computer skills.”

Typically, employers want applicants who can use specific programs, such as Adobe Illustrator or WordPress. However, new technological developments can quickly change the preferences of potential employers.

In the list of types of computer skills below, we’ve categorized them to help you know what employers might be looking for. Read job descriptions carefully looking for as many specific computer skills as possible, and then highlight those skills during your application process.

Types of Computer Skills

Productivity Software

Any office professional must know how to master some of the basics of productivity software. If you are reading this article right now, you obviously know most of the computer basics. For more computer skills popular among administrative or clerical jobs, here is a list.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Email Management

Information Management

Data Entry

Digital Calendars (Google, Outlook, etc.)

Instant Messaging

Video Conferencing

Cloud Backup Software (Dropbox Pro, Carbonite, etc.)

Social Media Management

Digital Marketing

Any business that wants to grow needs more customers. More and more customers are searching online for solutions to their problems. Today, the most effective and measurable marketing efforts occur through digital marketing.

Digital marketing includes everything from website development to social media management to paid digital advertising. The increasing capabilities of computers to collect and sort data give marketers more tools to target their ideal customers.

Content Management Systems (CMS)

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Automated Marketing Software

Digital Media

Email Marketing

Website Analytics

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Web Page Design

Social Media Management

KPI Software

Computer Programming

Computer programming involves creating, launching, maintaining, and testing computer software and applications. There are a number of different jobs that involve software development, including software developer, programmer, software architect, software analyst, and more.

To be able to develop, implement, or test software, you have to have a number of highly technical computer skills, often known more specifically as coding skills. You must be able to analyze users’ needs and create applications that will be useful to them. You generally need to be familiar with various coding languages and web technologies as well.

With the domination of mobile devices, computer programming now includes software development for phones and tablets (known affectionally as “apps). Skills related to either software or hardware development (or both) include:

Automation Software

Software Programming

C

C++

CISC and RISC Architecture

Embedded Processor Hardware Design

Hardware Description Language (HDL)

Hardware Verification Tools and Techniques

HTML

Integrated Development Environments

Java

LabVIEW

Operating Systems

Memory Management

Open-source Software (OSS)

Python

PHP

UI/UX

Unix

XML

Graphic Design

Creating visually-attractive content for documents, posters, and slide presentations is a highly desirable skill. The world of graphic design includes creating signs to video editing and more.

A single project might well pass through multiple computer programs, and a skilled professional needs to know how all relevant programs work and which ones are appropriate at each stage of the project. Graphic design skills that are growing in demand include:

Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Photoshop

Art Design

CorelDRAW

Corel WordPerfect

Design

Desktop publishing

InDesign

Integrating Interactive Elements with Websites

Video Creation Software

Databases and Queries

A good spreadsheet or database not only stores information but also makes it easy to reorganize the information quickly to answer new questions, or even conduct certain kinds of data analysis and processing. A spreadsheet can handle anything from payroll accounts to lists of all the characters (and all their characteristics) for a novel.

As we noted above, professional-level skill means more than simply knowing how to use a spreadsheet or database; you also must know which spreadsheet or database program to use and how to structure it for any given project. Skills useful for spreadsheet and database management include:

Data Analytics

Microsoft Excel

FileMaker Pro

Fortran

Hive

HQL

MATLAB

Numeracy

Object Oriented Database Management Systems (OODBMS)

Relational database management systems (RDBMS)

SAS

Spark

SPSS

Statistics

SQL

NoSQL

XML Database Management Systems

IT Troubleshooting

Using computers is one thing. Being able to fix them is another. Basic IT skills begin with knowing how and when to do routine maintenance and how to cope with frozen programs or damaged USB ports. Thorough familiarity with the software and hardware of many different types of computer systems, including all lesser-known features, is key. IT troubleshooting skills include:

Backup Management

Client Server Management

Client support

Configuration

Diagnostics

End User Support

Help Desk

Implementation

Installation

Issue Tracking Systems (ITS)

Modem Hardware Troubleshooting

Router Troubleshooting

Systems Administration

Tech Support

Software Troubleshooting

Remote Access Software

Cybersecurity

In this all-encompassing digital age, power grids and military equipment and more are all managed by computers. Computer hackers have the ability to disrupt major infrastructural functions if companies and governments do not take their cyber security seriously. Among the most important cybersecurity skills are:

Intrusion Detection

Virus Protection Software

Malware Analysis

Malware Reversal

Software Programming

Risk Management

Operating Systems

Information Management

Data Encryption

More Computer Skills

AP Style

Field-programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Development Tools

Client Relationship Management (CRM) Software

PCB Layout Review

Windows Shell

APIs

AutoCAD

Maya

Accounting Software

Customer Service

IP Configuration

Yoast

Journalism

Virtual Advertising

Business Continuity Planning

Acrobat

Artificial Intelligence

Automated Billing Systems

Point of Sale Systems

WAN/LAN

Machine Learning

Coding

Ruby on Rails

Software Installation

Cisco

DNS

DHCP

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/computer-skills-list-2063738

Important Skills Photographers Need With Examples

Important Skills Photographers Need With Examples

With high-quality cameras on smartphones, it may seem at first glance that paying for photographers is a thing of the past. As photography has become more popular, demand has also risen for better quality photography and for those that shoot professionally. Weddings, newborn photography, family lifestyle shoots, and even military homecomings have breathed new life into the professional photography industry.

Photography can be an art, a hobby, or just a way of documenting your own life. For some, photography is a career. Professional photographers work in a variety of fields, from advertising to journalism. They can also work independently, doing portraiture or creating and selling prints for display.

What Skills Do You Need to Be a Photographer?

You don’t need a special degree to become a professional photographer, though an art degree can certainly help you hone your skill. Most simply develop skills using professional equipment and then begin taking pictures. Many of the top-selling photographers in the world taught themselves.

However, competition can be fierce. The very fact that anyone with a camera can take pictures means you’ll have to be exceptional in some way or another to be noticed.

Types of Photography Skills

Hardware and Software

To be a successful photographer these days, you need to know the latest technologies. This includes developments in both hardware and software.

Hardware, in this case, refers to cameras, lenses, tripods, lights, and all the other physical equipment a photographer might use. Some of that equipment is extremely complicated to use until mastered. Just as an aspiring poet must first be fluent in the language he or she uses for composition, so must you become fluent in the tools you use. Naturally, professional cameras have unique pros and cons, as well as which optics are best used with a specific camera or location.

It is possible to create great pictures by pointing and shooting, but you will have more control and more options the more you know about manual camera settings.

Additionally, you must be familiar with visual editing software. Now that digital photography has become standard, the work that used to be done in the darkroom is typically accomplished on the computer. There are many different software packages to choose from. Learn enough to pick your favorite, and then master its options.

Digital Imaging

Editing Software

DSLR Cameras

Electronic Image Handling

Film Development

High-resolution imaging

Image manipulation

ISO Speeds

Lenses

Printing

Resizing

Shooting Film

Composition

Composition is the artistic dimension of photography – knowing how you want the image to look. Although one aspect of composition is simply the photographer’s taste and creativity, you do have to learn how to think deliberately and intelligently about what looks good in a frame and why. There are certain universal principles that you should learn, rather than having to reinvent them through trial and error.

Artistic Ability

Balance

Color

Creativity

Design

Form

Formatting

Good Eyesight

Lighting

Patterns

Shape

Business

While not all photographers work independently, many do. Working as a freelancer or selling prints requires you to be your own business manager. You must handle everything from marketing to payroll, and you must know how to speak with potential clients or customers.

Accounting

Communication

Customer service

Entrepreneurial

Flexibility

Interpersonal

Marketing

Media

Networking

Sales

Self-Confidence

Able to Read and Understand Contracts

Copyright Law

Freelancing

Attention to Detail

Photographers need to have good attention to detail when taking photographs – they need to be able to capture light and color and think carefully about all components of each image. However, they also need to be detailed in postproduction. They must identify and fix any small issues in each photograph.

Photographers must also be organized. They must be able to manage thousands of photographs digitally and/or in print and maintain digital albums for each client.

Archiving

Cataloging

Detail-oriented

Organization

Patience

Preservation

Retouching

More Photography Skills

Close Reading

Critical Thinking

Understanding of Intellectual Property

Payroll

Disclosure Agreements

Entity Establishment

Social Media Management

Website Development

Events

Computer Skills

Adobe Creative Suite

Flash Photography

Lifestyle Photography

Portrait Photography

Wedding Photography

Studio Design

Customer Service

Consulting

Creating and Managing Expectations

Problem Sensitivity

Physical Endurance

Written Communication

Oral Communication

Presentation

Consistency

Price Setting

Branding

How to Apply for Photography Jobs

Prepare to apply for jobs. If you are working freelance and are looking for clients, much of your work may come through networking, and you might not submit formal
application materials very often. If you are seeking a more traditional job,
however, you will likely need to compile job materials and prepare for an
interview. In this case, knowing the top photography skills will come in very
handy.

Create a professional portfolio. When applying for jobs, most photographers develop a portfolio – a collection of your photographs – that you can share with potential employers and clients to demonstrate your style and range. After all, your value as a photographer ultimately depends not on your history or your equipment but on the type and quality of the images you can produce.

List skills in your resume. For example, in your resume, include some of the most important photography skill words in your resume summary and your “Experience” section. You might also create a “Skills” section on your resume, and list some of your key photography skills there. You might also list the photographic
equipment and software you are familiar with.

Include skills in your cover letter. When submitting a cover letter, you can select one or two key skills and provide examples of how you have demonstrated those skills at work in the past. For example, you might talk about how you took a course on a particular photography software, and explain how you have mastered it and used it professionally.

Resume and Cover Letter Examples

Review examples of a resume and cover letter for a professional photographer, with tips and advice on what to include.

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/photography-skills-list-2062455