I’m trying to be confident, self assured, and self-aware but constantly doubt myself. It doesn’t feel like I have picked up any valuable skills and it seems like my brain is stagnating. I read constantly and always have but still feel incredibly stupid. That fact that I have not advanced professionally is eating at me. Everyone else seems to possess some magical learning skills and I am not measuring up. I am consistently bad at everything I do and fail to get the big picture or the tiny details. I’m always forgetting something or making simple mistakes. And everything takes a really long time to complete. It has become increasingly difficult for me to recognize my own skills. At this point in my life I need to get good at something because I don’t see any progression in my future with the way things are now. [more inside]
posted by mokeydraws on Nov 20, 2009 - 17 answers

How do I become an effective leader? [more inside]
posted by Christ, what an asshole on Oct 20, 2009 - 16 answers

At 35, if I made the effort to acquire the skills, could I get a web developer job? [more inside]
posted by wyn on Oct 3, 2009 - 10 answers

If you wanted a stable, boring (but really only boring in scare quotes), modest life, what career paths would you take? Emphasis on path; I want to come out of this post with a course of action. [more inside]
posted by Nonce on Aug 18, 2009 - 58 answers

What are some useful skills or abilities that can be learned in a short amount of time, and are never forgotten? [more inside]
posted by Orange Pamplemousse on Jun 26, 2009 - 43 answers

What qualities do you look for in your circulation clerk? [more inside]
posted by ginagina on Jun 13, 2009 - 9 answers

Doing intellectual tasks. Does it ever become second nature? When do the insights begin to appear? [more inside]
posted by gadha on Jun 3, 2009 - 13 answers

Seeking recommendations on what software/programs I should learn to be the wiz-kiddiest library science student ever. [more inside]
posted by wowbobwow on May 28, 2009 - 11 answers

I throw like a little kid, and it's embarrassing. Please help me excel at adult dodgeball. [more inside]
posted by pseudostrabismus on Apr 20, 2009 - 17 answers

Why aren't life skills taught in schools? [more inside]
posted by sixcolors on Apr 13, 2009 - 39 answers

This year I started doing a circus traineeship and learning burlesque, which is awesome. In a week I have to go back to Malaysia for a few months while my new Australian visa is processed. What can I do in the meantime in the middle of nowhere? [more inside]
posted by divabat on Mar 18, 2009 - 9 answers

What skill has the highest ratio of marketability to ease-of-attainment? [more inside]
posted by shotgunbooty on Mar 16, 2009 - 12 answers

Has anyone taken the Office Proficiency Assessment and Certification (OPAC) test recently, or have documentation on what exactly it tests for in Word and Excel? [more inside]
posted by limeswirltart on Mar 6, 2009 - 3 answers

Are there any decent guides to improving your social skills? Most of what I've found on the topic deals with children, formal etiquette, or the standard self-help cant. Is there anything for people interested in the nuts and bolts of building relationships, giving off a good impression, and making people think you are a good guy. I get the idea that most people with bad social skills tend not to care or notice and this hurts the market for such material. I have a pretty good eye for books and I have found precious little on this topic. I assume we are supposed to learn these things in childhood or be screwed for life. [more inside]
posted by Yakuman on Feb 6, 2009 - 16 answers

Where can I find some tips&tricks for camping in the nature? [more inside]
posted by tseo on Feb 2, 2009 - 12 answers

I connect very different groups together, and I also tend to make people famous. Where in the world could I make a living out of this? [more inside]
posted by divabat on Jan 18, 2009 - 19 answers

How should I use my free time constructively? [more inside]
posted by btkuhn on Jan 6, 2009 - 12 answers

What are some unusual sources of wisdom or pedogogical tactics for learning new ideas or skills? [more inside]
posted by ElectricBlue on Nov 17, 2008 - 7 answers

What skills or subjects or topics or experiences -- not just academic but professional, social, and even personal -- do you wish you had learned or acquired in college? [more inside]
posted by adamrobinson on Oct 14, 2008 - 29 answers

I've done some soul-searching, and I've come up with some ideas for new jobs or careers for myself, but I know there are other possibilities out there that I just haven't thought of yet. Based on my skills and interests, can you think of a great job or career for me? [more inside]
posted by springo on Sep 21, 2008 - 8 answers

What should I do with my downtime at work that could further my career or be useful in some other way? [more inside]
posted by desjardins on Sep 19, 2008 - 7 answers

What are some good resources on teaching micro business in developing countries? [more inside]
posted by cusr0002 on Jul 26, 2008 - 2 answers

Best value for the money Photography training in Southern California? [more inside]
posted by samuel1613 on Jul 25, 2008 - 5 answers

What are the best exercises to improve photographic skills? I am planning a series of workshops with both young and mature students who want to engage with photography. The workshops can be a preparation for studying photography at university or form a basis of a portfolio. Ultimately I am trying to encourage creative development and critical thinking about photography. [more inside]
posted by slimeline on Jul 24, 2008 - 16 answers

I recently took a job as an evening manager at a grocery store produce department, so, nothing fancy or glamorous. I have 2 - 4 young kids working under me every evening and am seeking advice on how to keep them working, instead of chatting with each other... [more inside]
posted by newfers on Jul 8, 2008 - 35 answers

What books can teach me skills that would be enjoyable or interesting to share with friends in group settings or one-on-one? [more inside]
posted by HotPatatta on Jun 15, 2008 - 11 answers

How can I remember more of what I read? [more inside]
posted by zenpop on May 30, 2008 - 21 answers

What should I do with eight six-year-old girls for 1.5 hours a week that targets social skills and building peer relationships? [more inside]
posted by enaira on May 23, 2008 - 8 answers

I know what I like to do and I think I've found a job to go along with it. My problem is: padding my resume. [more inside]
posted by Pontifex on May 17, 2008 - 47 answers

When did the concept of "transferable skills" become commonplace? [more inside]
posted by Tube on Apr 1, 2008 - 6 answers

Any good books to help develop an analytic mind? [more inside]
posted by lilithim on Mar 23, 2008 - 13 answers

Help me improve upon my resume. Need ideas for short courses, random certifications and new skills! 20-something year old Aussie, science student, applying to medical school eventually (but skills needn't be science-related.) [more inside]
posted by mjao on Mar 5, 2008 - 6 answers

How can I become less clumsy? [more inside]
posted by iamkimiam on Feb 12, 2008 - 34 answers

Where can I find which quantitative/technical skills are hot, and which ones aren't? [more inside]
posted by lunchbox on Feb 3, 2008 - 13 answers

How do you judge large horizontal or vertical distances visually, with no (or few) other objects around to compare as a reference? [more inside]
posted by brain cloud on Jan 16, 2008 - 14 answers

I can handle Ruby, Python, PHP, Perl, and, sigh, Java. My C and C++ are purely academic. How do I get into 'real' programming as an undergrad. [more inside]
posted by tmcw on Jan 13, 2008 - 23 answers

Analogy-filter. I've been tasked with presenting a topic at a meeting which will involve me assessing the need to improve some processes. The thing is, I will be the one tasked with making these changes once I identify them and present them. [more inside]
posted by superfurry on Nov 12, 2007 - 12 answers

What are the core tech support skills needed to work in a school district and how can I improve those skills this weekend? [more inside]
posted by fenriq on Oct 27, 2007 - 5 answers

Help me be a more carefree person on a roadtrip, with someone who is having post-breakup depression, and who has always had terrible taste in music. [more inside]
posted by cobaltnine on Oct 26, 2007 - 15 answers

As a foreigner, I was wondering what skills or degrees are the key to getting hired to work in the Netherlands. [more inside]
posted by AdamOddo on Oct 21, 2007 - 8 answers

What transferable skills do production coordinators/line producers have for other industries? [more inside]
posted by droplet on Sep 3, 2007 - 4 answers

How can I improve the writing ability of the people I work with? [more inside]
posted by VeniceGlass on Aug 9, 2007 - 33 answers

Not-enough-hours-in-the-day-filter: Any advice on developing/maintaining skills which require daily practice/effort, while balancing other priorities and time commitments (heath, family, creative pursuits, etc.) ? (specifics inside) [more inside]
posted by Alabaster on Aug 4, 2007 - 20 answers

trying to find on-camera job interview training in either the Washington, DC metro area or the San Francisco Bay Area. Numbers and contact info helpful!
posted by parmanparman on Jul 23, 2007 - 3 answers

Books/wares to help kids think like mathematicians? [more inside]
posted by O Blitiri on Jun 27, 2007 - 22 answers

What software development skills are in high demand right now? [more inside]
posted by DarkForest on May 28, 2007 - 14 answers

I'd like to be able to live and work in Germany in the next couple of years. I know that their employment system is the definition of old school - virtually every job requires a multi-year apprenticeship or internship. I'm wondering, are there any exceptions I could exploit to get a job? [more inside]
posted by kamelhoecker on Mar 19, 2007 - 11 answers

Let's say you wanted to actually BE Batman... [more inside]
posted by Ash3000 on Feb 20, 2007 - 33 answers

I want to seriously improve my football (soccer) skills. I play fairly often in a mixture of 5-a-side games and an 11-a-side team, but my skills are improving very slowly as the games don't involve any training, just playing and you only get the ball for a fraction of the game. I was hoping for suggestions to make up some kind of training plan of my own as well as getting a better understand of football tactics. [more inside]
posted by equality7-2521 on Dec 6, 2006 - 10 answers

What does running a talent agency entail? [more inside]
posted by divabat on Oct 30, 2006 - 2 answers