Top Tips
- It is likely that you have developed valuable transferable skills from the majority of your life, learning, and work experience. Even things you do for your family or community will help develop your transferable skills.
- Once you know what you can offer, always try and describe specific examples where you have shown that you have had to use a particular skill.
- If you are looking for a new job, practice answering standard interview questions whilst referring to the transferable skills that you can bring to the role.
92% of Employers say soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills.
Global Trends Report, LinkedIn
What is a Transferable skill?
Transferable skills are talents and abilities that can be used in education and many different jobs or career paths. They can be acquired through employment, school, internships, hobbies, and volunteer experiences.
Jobs and education require and teach a combination of skills.
Some are ‘hard skills’, which are teachable, often with a qualification and some are ‘soft skills’, which may be personal or learnt for example:
Personal Transferable Skills can include:
- Confidence
- Empathy
- Understanding
- Resilience
- Determination
- Motivation
- Flexible and Adaptable
Learnt Transferable Skills can include:
- Digital Skills
- Time Keeping
- Teamwork
- Negotiation
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Leadership
Steps to Identifying Your Transferable Skills
STEP 1
Think about yourself and what you have done in your life, tasks carried out in other jobs, volunteering, or anything you do in your community, hobbies, achievements; qualifications;
natural ability to do something. These all contribute to your transferable skills.
STEP 2
Think about how you have used them, this gives you examples which you can use to demonstrate your skills.
STEP 3
Think about how your transferable skills can help you to achieve your ambitions in education or employment.
STEP 4
Find out more!
There is lots of information online to help you to learn more about transferable skills:
o Transferable Skills: What Are They? (thebalancemoney.com)
o https://www.monster.co.uk/career-advice/article/what-are-my-transferable-skills
o https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/transferable-skills