One of the biggest challenges when it comes to a career change or start searching for first or new job is giving your CV the punch it needs to make an impact in industries. A prospective employer expects you to be able to apply the skills you have learned in college, course works and previous job experiences to the work environment. What is Transferable Skill? How to identify your transferable skills to prospects the next potential employers? We are going to talk about this deeper here.
What is a transferable skill?
As the name says, a transferable skill is something that can be taken with you and applied to any new jobs. These are general core skills that all employers value:
[-]. Technical skills
i.e.: Knowledge of popular computer programmes, or more practical things like an ability to construct or repair.
[-]. Data skills
Good record keeping, detailed statistical analysis, or research skills.
[-]. People skills
Your ability to communicate, motivate and lead a team, or successfully coach or train people.
Here are more comprehensive sets of wide-common-skills area across industries that you will need to Identify:
Skill-1: Communication
The skillful expression, transmission and interpretation of knowledge and ideas:
[-]. Speaking effectively
[-]. Writing concisely
[-]. Listening attentively
[-]. Expressing ideas
[-]. Facilitating group discussion
[-]. Providing appropriate feedback
[-]. Negotiating
[-]. Perceiving nonverbal messages
[-]. Persuading
[-]. Reporting information
[-]. Describing feelings
[-]. Interviewing
[-]. Editing
Skill-2: Research & Planning
The search for specific knowledge and the ability to conceptualize future needs and solutions for meeting those needs:
[-]. Forecasting, predicting
[-]. Creating ideas
[-]. Identifying problems
[-]. Imagining alternatives
[-]. Identifying resources
[-]. Gathering information
[-]. Solving problems
[-]. Setting goals
[-]. Extracting important information
[-]. Defining needs
[-]. Analyzing
[-]. Developing evaluation strategies
Skill-3: Human Relations
The use of interpersonal skills for resolving conflict, relating to and helping people:
[-]. Developing rapport
[-]. Being Sensitive
[-]. Listening
[-]. Conveying feelings
[-]. Providing support for others
[-]. Motivating
[-]. Sharing credit
[-]. Counseling
[-]. Cooperating
[-]. Delegating with respect
[-]. Representing others
[-]. Perceiving feelings, situations
[-]. Asserting
Skill-4: Organization, Management & Leadership
The ability to supervise, direct and guide individuals and groups in the completion of tasks and fulfillment of goals:
[-]. Initiating new ideas
[-]. Handling details
[-]. Coordinating tasks
[-]. Managing groups
[-]. Delegating responsibility
[-]. Teaching
[-]. Coaching
[-]. Counseling
[-]. Promoting change
[-]. Selling ideas or products
[-]. Decision making with others
[-]. Managing conflict
Skill-5: Work Survival
The day-to-day skills which assist in promoting effective production and work satisfaction:
[-]. Implementing decisions
[-]. Cooperating
[-]. Enforcing policies
[-]. Being punctual
[-]. Managing time
[-]. Attending to detail
[-]. Meeting goals
[-]. Enlisting help
[-]. Accepting responsibility
[-]. Setting and meeting deadlines
[-]. Organizing
[-]. Making decisions
What is a transferable skill?
As the name says, a transferable skill is something that can be taken with you and applied to any new jobs. These are general core skills that all employers value:
[-]. Technical skills
i.e.: Knowledge of popular computer programmes, or more practical things like an ability to construct or repair.
[-]. Data skills
Good record keeping, detailed statistical analysis, or research skills.
[-]. People skills
Your ability to communicate, motivate and lead a team, or successfully coach or train people.
Here are more comprehensive sets of wide-common-skills area across industries that you will need to Identify:
Skill-1: Communication
The skillful expression, transmission and interpretation of knowledge and ideas:
[-]. Speaking effectively
[-]. Writing concisely
[-]. Listening attentively
[-]. Expressing ideas
[-]. Facilitating group discussion
[-]. Providing appropriate feedback
[-]. Negotiating
[-]. Perceiving nonverbal messages
[-]. Persuading
[-]. Reporting information
[-]. Describing feelings
[-]. Interviewing
[-]. Editing
Skill-2: Research & Planning
The search for specific knowledge and the ability to conceptualize future needs and solutions for meeting those needs:
[-]. Forecasting, predicting
[-]. Creating ideas
[-]. Identifying problems
[-]. Imagining alternatives
[-]. Identifying resources
[-]. Gathering information
[-]. Solving problems
[-]. Setting goals
[-]. Extracting important information
[-]. Defining needs
[-]. Analyzing
[-]. Developing evaluation strategies
Skill-3: Human Relations
The use of interpersonal skills for resolving conflict, relating to and helping people:
[-]. Developing rapport
[-]. Being Sensitive
[-]. Listening
[-]. Conveying feelings
[-]. Providing support for others
[-]. Motivating
[-]. Sharing credit
[-]. Counseling
[-]. Cooperating
[-]. Delegating with respect
[-]. Representing others
[-]. Perceiving feelings, situations
[-]. Asserting
Skill-4: Organization, Management & Leadership
The ability to supervise, direct and guide individuals and groups in the completion of tasks and fulfillment of goals:
[-]. Initiating new ideas
[-]. Handling details
[-]. Coordinating tasks
[-]. Managing groups
[-]. Delegating responsibility
[-]. Teaching
[-]. Coaching
[-]. Counseling
[-]. Promoting change
[-]. Selling ideas or products
[-]. Decision making with others
[-]. Managing conflict
Skill-5: Work Survival
The day-to-day skills which assist in promoting effective production and work satisfaction:
[-]. Implementing decisions
[-]. Cooperating
[-]. Enforcing policies
[-]. Being punctual
[-]. Managing time
[-]. Attending to detail
[-]. Meeting goals
[-]. Enlisting help
[-]. Accepting responsibility
[-]. Setting and meeting deadlines
[-]. Organizing
[-]. Making decisions
Transferable skills are determined by analyzing past accomplishments or experience. For instance, a stay-at-home house-wife might find they have skills in budgeting, child development, food services, property management.
Federal Definition of Transferable Skills Analysis (by: http://www.wikipedia.org/)
"The Code of Federal Regulations CFR 20-404.1568) definition of skills transfer reads, in part:
(A person is considered) to have skills that can be used in other jobs, when the skilled or semiskilled work activities (that person) did in past work can be used to meet the requirements of skilled or semi-skilled work activities of other jobs or kinds of work. This depends largely on the similarity of occupational significant work activities among different jobs.
The transferability of a person's skills is most probable and meaningful among jobs in which: the same or a lesser degree of skill is required (Specific Vocational Preparation), and The same or similar tools and machines are used (Work Fields), and The same or similar raw materials, products, processes or services are involved (Materials, Products, Subject Matter, and Services)".
Think of your current role and how much of it is solely concerned with the industry you’re in now. Unless you’re a specialist working at a high level with complex information, much of what you do could easily be applied elsewhere.
For example, if you are a good trainer, that skill could be used in any role – every business could do with someone who can teach others how to work better. Likewise, if you’re a good organiser, any position that requires project management is up for grabs. Almost anything can be a transferable skill; it’s all about how you spin it to your prospective employer.
How to identify your transferable skills
[1]. Look at job specifications across a wide range of industries.
See what skills they have in common. You can do this quickly and easily using any job-portal’s search. Then map your findings back against what you are doing now.
[2]. Go through your working day or week.
Do a quick analysis of what your tasks actually involve. How many are people related? How many have to do with data or technical expertise? This will help you focus on identifying skills you may not have even known you had.
[3]. Don’t ignore things that come as second nature to you.
You don’t necessarily see as key attributes - they might be of priceless value to a potential employer.
[4]. Write each skill down and compare.
As you go through this process, write each skill down and compare it to your findings from your job spec comparison. There’s a high chance that you will already have provable experience called for by virtually any job.
[5]. Identify specific achievements.
The ‘provable’ factor here is very important. It’s obviously not enough to say ‘I’m a great manager’ or ‘I’m really good with figures’. Make sure you identify specific achievements in your career that clearly demonstrate each of your transferable skills.
Take "Transferable Skill Survey"
University of Minnesota Duluth, offer a comprehensive online “Transferable Skill Survey”.
Knowledge Management Center – University of Minnesota Duluth offer a nice survey to reveal your skills. A broad skill sets provided, you then just need to pull down the value on each skill spec:
0=no ability
1=enough ability to get by with help from others
2=some ability
3=strong ability
You may not need to take all list, find out skills what you believe as yours, select a value, and bang! Click the “submit” button, wait for a while to view the result.
Federal Definition of Transferable Skills Analysis (by: http://www.wikipedia.org/)
"The Code of Federal Regulations CFR 20-404.1568) definition of skills transfer reads, in part:
(A person is considered) to have skills that can be used in other jobs, when the skilled or semiskilled work activities (that person) did in past work can be used to meet the requirements of skilled or semi-skilled work activities of other jobs or kinds of work. This depends largely on the similarity of occupational significant work activities among different jobs.
The transferability of a person's skills is most probable and meaningful among jobs in which: the same or a lesser degree of skill is required (Specific Vocational Preparation), and The same or similar tools and machines are used (Work Fields), and The same or similar raw materials, products, processes or services are involved (Materials, Products, Subject Matter, and Services)".
Think of your current role and how much of it is solely concerned with the industry you’re in now. Unless you’re a specialist working at a high level with complex information, much of what you do could easily be applied elsewhere.
For example, if you are a good trainer, that skill could be used in any role – every business could do with someone who can teach others how to work better. Likewise, if you’re a good organiser, any position that requires project management is up for grabs. Almost anything can be a transferable skill; it’s all about how you spin it to your prospective employer.
How to identify your transferable skills
[1]. Look at job specifications across a wide range of industries.
See what skills they have in common. You can do this quickly and easily using any job-portal’s search. Then map your findings back against what you are doing now.
[2]. Go through your working day or week.
Do a quick analysis of what your tasks actually involve. How many are people related? How many have to do with data or technical expertise? This will help you focus on identifying skills you may not have even known you had.
[3]. Don’t ignore things that come as second nature to you.
You don’t necessarily see as key attributes - they might be of priceless value to a potential employer.
[4]. Write each skill down and compare.
As you go through this process, write each skill down and compare it to your findings from your job spec comparison. There’s a high chance that you will already have provable experience called for by virtually any job.
[5]. Identify specific achievements.
The ‘provable’ factor here is very important. It’s obviously not enough to say ‘I’m a great manager’ or ‘I’m really good with figures’. Make sure you identify specific achievements in your career that clearly demonstrate each of your transferable skills.
Take "Transferable Skill Survey"
University of Minnesota Duluth, offer a comprehensive online “Transferable Skill Survey”.
Knowledge Management Center – University of Minnesota Duluth offer a nice survey to reveal your skills. A broad skill sets provided, you then just need to pull down the value on each skill spec:
0=no ability
1=enough ability to get by with help from others
2=some ability
3=strong ability
You may not need to take all list, find out skills what you believe as yours, select a value, and bang! Click the “submit” button, wait for a while to view the result.
Have a try!
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