Day 1: Skills Inventory

These are core skills that are typically flagged by technology resume filters for followup. You will want to be able to check as many of these as you can if you intend to apply for a development position at a technology firm.
If you have any of these skills (or an interest in developing them), you will have a broader array of opportunities as you begin your job search. I recommend developing some facility with at least one of these advanced skills.
If you've done any project involving visualizing complex data, developing a public-facing website, or extracting meaning from data using industry-standard tools, you will want to highlight those experiences.
If you have experience with design modeling tools, analysis tools (Finite Element, CFD), 3D-print tools, or analytical mathematics packages (e.g., Mathematica), include those here.
Have you taken computers apart and rebuilt them? Have you repaired equipment? Built lab experiments? Repaired your car or bike? Then you have hardware skills. If you have not done any of these things, now is the time to start looking for opportunities to develop some hardware skills. If you've worked with Arduinos in Electronics (or Beaglebone Black, Raspberry PI, etc.) then list those experiences here. These can be important differentiators for hiring managers at the types of places you will be applying.
How would you describe your "differentiator skills?" These are skills that are usually unique to physics students. Are you able to organize a complex project and see it through to completion? Then you have project management skills. Are you good at solving complex physics and math problems? Then advertise your exceptional analytical problems solving abilities. Do you understand the nature and structure of organizations and hierarchies? Then you are a "systems thinker." Find ways to encapsulate your strengths and interests as they relate to problem solving, analysis, and management. Later, we will refine these skill descriptions for inclusion in resumes and applications.
List your soft skills here: team leadership, negotiation, etc. Do you consider oral communication a strength? If not, make it one and list it here. Everyone wants a good communicator! List specific skills for which you can provide evidence of strength: writing skills are often evidenced by successful proposals, student government work, etc. Don't cite "people skills." Be specific!
What ONE or TWO skills or experiences would you like to be able to add to your resume by the end of this semester? Look back over the lists above and commit to learning something NEW this semester.
Make sure to get credit - include your name!