Just because a task comes easily for you, don't assume everyone else is as capable as you are.

I recently gave an outplacement workshop on "managing a successful job transition" for a Maine company that was moving a department to another state and therefore, laying off people who wanted to stay in Maine.

In a segment of the workshop focused on transferrable skills and competencies, I led the participants in an exercise that had each person name their title and the tasks they performed well in their jobs, while others listened. Next, the listeners identified the skills they believed were required for each task. At the end of the exercise, I observed two outcomes: first, it was clear that many of the associated skills and competencies were not exclusively linked to their particular position in the marketplace. Most represented that cadre of abilities known as "transferrable skills". That is, skills that are applicable across industries and job titles. An example of this type of skill is "the ability to communicate well verbally and in writing". In fact, communication skills are consistently rated by top executives and managers to be among the most desirable.

The second outcome I noticed was that participants expressed surprise at the impressive list of skills their colleagues identified on their behalf. Many remarked that they took for granted, and sometimes dismissed as very important, those abilities that came easily to them.

In my experience, people often underestimate the importance of their skills and abilities for a variety of reasons--none of which are useful in conducting a job search, when putting your best foot forward is key to finding a job that suits you well.

Perhaps it's time for you to give some thought to what you do well (and hopefully enjoy) and see these abilities in a different light--one that will highlight your strengths rather than downplay them as ordinary.