Transferable skills-identifying and leveraging them

Transferable skills: identifying and leveraging them

Do you know what transferable skills are and why they are important for your career? Transferable skills are the abilities and competencies that you can apply to different roles and industries, regardless of your background or experience. They are also known as soft skills, core skills or portable skills.

Transferable skills are essential for any professional, especially in today’s dynamic and competitive job market. They can help you stand out from the crowd, adapt to new challenges, and grow your career. They can also help you transition to a different field or sector, if you are looking for a change.

Examples of transferable skills

There are many types of transferable skills that you can have and use in different roles and industries. Here are some of the most common and sought-after ones:

• Communication skills. Communication skills are the ability to express yourself clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. They also include listening, negotiating, persuading, and presenting skills. Communication skills are vital for any job that involves interacting with others, such as customers, clients, colleagues, managers, or stakeholders.
  
  
• Teamwork skills. Teamwork skills are the ability to work well with others towards a common goal. They also include collaborating, cooperating, coordinating, and resolving conflicts. Teamwork skills are essential for any job that involves working in a team or group, such as projects, tasks, or events.
  
  
• Problem-solving skills. Problem-solving skills are the ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems in a logical and creative way. They also include decision-making, critical thinking, and analytical skills. Problem-solving skills are important for any job that involves dealing with challenges, issues, or uncertainties, such as tasks, processes, or systems.
  
  
• Leadership skills. Leadership skills are the ability to inspire, motivate, and guide others towards a vision or goal. They also include delegating, mentoring, coaching, and giving feedback. Leadership skills are useful for any job that involves managing or leading others, such as teams, projects, or departments.
  
  
• Creativity skills. Creativity skills are the ability to generate new and original ideas, solutions, or products. They also include innovation, imagination, and artistic skills. Creativity skills are beneficial for any job that involves creating or improving something, such as products, services, or processes.

How to develop your transferable skills

You may already have some transferable skills that you have acquired through your education, work experience, hobbies, or volunteer activities. However, you can always develop them further and learn new ones. Here are some ways to do that:

• Take on new responsibilities. One of the best ways to develop your transferable skills is to take on new responsibilities at work or outside of work. This can help you challenge yourself, learn new things, and demonstrate your abilities. For example, you can volunteer to lead a project, join a committee, or mentor a new employee.
• Seek feedback and guidance. Another way to develop your transferable skills is to seek feedback and guidance from others who have more experience or expertise than you. This can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, improve your performance, and gain new insights. For example, you can ask for feedback from your manager, co-workers, or clients; or seek guidance from a mentor, coach, or consultant.
• Learn from others. A third way to develop your transferable skills is to learn from others who have the skills that you want to acquire or improve. This can help you observe how they use their skills in different situations and emulate their best practices. For example, you can watch how they communicate,

But how do you identify and leverage your transferable skills? Here are some tips to help you:

• Reflect on your past and present roles. Think about the tasks and projects that you have done or are doing in your current and previous jobs. What skills did you use or develop in those situations? For example, did you demonstrate communication, teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, or creativity skills?

 

• Use the STAR method. The STAR method is a framework that helps you structure your answers to behavioral questions. It stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. You can use it to describe how you used your transferable skills in specific scenarios. For example, “I used my communication skills to (situation) present a proposal to a potential client (task). I prepared a clear and concise presentation, answered their questions, and addressed their concerns (action). As a result, we closed the deal and increased our revenue by 10% (result).”

 

 

• Update your resume and cover letter. Once you have identified your transferable skills, you need to showcase them on your resume and cover letter. Use keywords and phrases that match the job description and highlight your achievements. For example, “Led a team of 5 developers to deliver a web application within budget and deadline, using agile methodology and collaboration tools.”

 

• Prepare for interviews. Before you go to an interview, research the company and the role that you are applying for. Find out what transferable skills they are looking for and prepare examples of how you have used them in the past. Practice answering common interview questions using the STAR method and be confident in your abilities.

 

• Keep learning and improving. Transferable skills are not static; they can be improved and expanded over time. You can do this by taking online courses, reading books and articles, attending workshops and webinars, joining professional networks and communities, seeking feedback from others, and taking on new challenges.

 

Takeaway

Transferable skills are valuable assets that can help you succeed in any career path. By identifying and leveraging them, you can increase your employability, flexibility, and potential. So, don’t underestimate them; embrace them and use them to your advantage!

 

Being the best recruiters in Abba Dabba, we always give predominant importance to the quality of a person. And transferrable skills always helps us to find the superstar among stars.