Computer skills. Acquire strong word processing skills (can you produce a table of contents, section breaks, footnotes, or use styles?); be comfortable using spreadsheets (can you produce a budget or sort a table of data?); be familiar with databases (can you explain the difference between a flat file and a relational database?); try to develop exceptional Internet research skills (can you find the phone number of a cheap Paris hotel in five minutes? What about the CIA country profile for Bhutan?).