To be a professional consultant, you have to be aware of the main differences that exist between knowledge, skills and abilities. The following definitions and thus differences between the three of them are taken from "Guidelines for Writing Job Descriptions on the Aurora University Format".

A. Knowledge: The level of education, experience and training an individual must have at minimum to be considered qualified for the position.
B. Skills: Specific skills such as ability to create, manipulate and utilize spreadsheets, word, processing programs, and so on (avoid using program names unless knowledge of that specific program is essential).
C. Abilities: Be careful with this requirement. Some examples: Does the position require LIFTING 50 pounds, or does it require the ability to move a box of paper from one location to another? Does it require the ability to WALK across campus or MOVE across campus? For some positions, such as Security, the ability to walk and run will be essential. For most other positions, moving about could be accomplished by other means. Include such abilities as visual acuity, ability to talk on the phone, and so on if appropriate.