Making the most of your transferable skills

Ever wondered how some people can make the seamless shift between jobs and careers? It is due primarily to their transferable skills. In an ever-changing employment environment caused by economic volatility, it is increasingly important to be able to identify and articulate your transferable skills. The great thing about transferable skills, is that you already have them.

What are transferable skills?

Transferable skills are the portable skills that you can take with you from one job to another. They are yours to keep and continuously improve and evolve over time and with experience. Some transferable skills can be taught on the job, whilst other transferable skills are more a reflection of your workplace personality.

Some transferable skills taught on the job that you might have could be:

• Digital fluency, computer skills, and how well you use technology
• Communication, including writing or presenting skills
• Customer service skills
• Project management
• Time management and organisation skills
• Planning and problem solving.

Transferable skills that reflect your workplace personality are often referred to as soft skills. These skills are those you use to go about your work and include the behaviours you display on the job.

Soft skills could include:

• Interpersonal skills and dealing with people
• Attitude, motivation and adaptability
• Teamwork
• Enthusiasm and demeanour
• Work ethic and responsible conduct
• Leadership
• Empathy and emotional intelligence

• Analytical thinking and ability to learn (coach-ability).

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Why are transferable skills important?

Transferable skills make you adaptable and therefore provide you greater opportunities in your employment career. These days, employers want more than just academic or technical skills to do a job. They are also seeking individuals with the right attitude, who are the right team fit and will bring something to their business. 

Transferable skills are an important part of your tool box that you can apply to many different job opportunities; thereby increasing your appeal and employability dramatically. Your transferable skills highlight the potential value you bring to a company.

Identifying transferable skills

In order to leverage you transferable skills, you must firstly identify them. Many employees and jobseekers take their transferable skills for granted and often take the position, “….that just comes easy to me and I didn’t think it was important”. Wrong. Skills that you might take for granted are often highly sought after in the job market and should be highlighted accordingly.

There are a number of ways to identify and validate your transferable skills including:

• Self-evaluation, such as reflecting on the successes in your life or work experience and the skills that helped achieve them
• Formal performance evaluations that highlight your personal strengths
• Feedback from others who observe or interact with you in the workplace

Finding jobs that match your transferable skills

This can be daunting at first as you may be hesitant to look outside your current industry or occupation. However, if you break down any potential role to identify its core requirements, you can then cross reference and match your transferable skills to those of the role. 

If you have identified that you have leadership skills and a role calls for leadership experience, then you have a foot in the door. Customer service and enthusiasm is also another transferable skills that can be applied across many industries.

Communicating your transferable skills

Your ability to effectively communicate you transferable skills to employers will position you with an advantage in the employment market.

Take the time to craft a summary of your transferable skills that jumps out immediately at an employer. This might include using terms or transferable skills that were contained in the description of a role as dot points in your resume or cover letter. 

It is important to provide evidence of your transferable skills in your resume and interview. This might include situations, projects or tasks where you applied your transferable skills in life or the workplace. The STAR model (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is a great tool to use in communicating your transferable skills.

Your transferable skills are one of your greatest personal assets and should continually be developed and exploited to provide you maximum flexibility and opportunity to excel in your career.