How To Identify and Capitalize On Your Transferable Skills

Whether you’re a student looking for your first job or someone considering a career change, identifying and highlighting your transferable skills is crucial for success.

Transferable skills are abilities that can be applied across different jobs and industries. Knowing how to identify and effectively communicate these skills on your CV and in interviews can give you a major advantage in the job market.

This article will provide tips on how to pinpoint your most valuable transferable skills and capitalize on them in your job search.

Identifying Your Transferable Skills

The first step is taking stock of key skills for CV that you’ve developed through education, work experience, hobbies, and other activities. Some examples of transferable skills include:

Communication – written, verbal, presenting, etc.
Leadership – managing teams, projects, etc.
Problem-solving – analyzing issues, developing solutions
Time management – meeting deadlines, multitasking
Research skills – gathering and evaluating information
Computer/technical skills – software, programming, tools

Think broadly about the different abilities you’ve gained and look for skill overlap across various experiences, even if they were in very different settings. The more versatile a skill is, the more transferable it will be.

You can also review job descriptions for roles you’re interested in and take note of the key skills and requirements.

See which transferable abilities you already possess that match up with those priorities. This will allow you to tailor your application to show how you can fulfil the employer’s needs.

Choosing Skills to Highlight

Once you’ve identified your transferable skills, being selective about which ones to highlight is important. The skills you emphasize should be:

Relevant – Directly applicable to the target job/industry
Distinctive – Unique skills that make you stand out
Current – Up-to-date abilities, not outdated ones

Prioritize skills that meet all three criteria. For example, expertise in an older software that is no longer used would not be relevant.

Leadership experience from managing high school clubs could be distinctive for a young applicant. And emphasizing skills you’ve gained from recent coursework is more current than highlighting abilities learned years ago.

Incorporating Skills into Your CV

An impactful CV that gets noticed by hiring managers should make your relevant transferable skills shine. Consider these tips:

Feature a skills/abilities section prominently on your CV to quickly capture attention.
Integrate skills throughout your experience descriptions – e.g. “led a team of 5 in planning school fundraising event, demonstrating project management abilities”
Use keywords from the job description in your skills section – this will get your CV flagged in applicant tracking systems.
Back up your skills with measurable accomplishments. Quantify your achievements when possible.
Get a second opinion – ask someone else to review your CV to ensure your top skills come through clearly.
Ignore skills like bungee jumping unless they are very relevant to the role.

A bit of strategic formatting can also help skills pop, such as using bullet points, bolding, or columns to highlight relevant abilities. Just be sure it’s easy to quickly scan your skill section.

Displaying Skills in Interviews

You’ll need to be prepared to provide compelling examples that illustrate your transferable skills during job interviews.

Use the STAR method – explain the Situation, Task, Actions taken, and Results achieved to demonstrate skills like problem-solving, leadership, etc.
Tie examples back to the role you’re interviewing for and why the skill is valuable.
If you lack direct work experience, draw examples from class projects, sports, clubs, community service, or other areas where you’ve applied relevant skills successfully.
Prepare stories ahead of time that showcase your abilities – practice telling them concisely and confidently.
Offer to give a presentation during the interview if one of your strengths is public speaking or communication skills. This lets you demonstrate the skill directly.

Getting references from teachers, coaches, employers, etc. who can vouch for your abilities can also help provide credibility for your skills. Overall, being able to discuss your transferable skills in detail is key to an impactful interview performance.

Capitalizing On Skills for Career Changes

When looking to switch careers or industries, transferable skills become even more crucial in showing how you can successfully transition into a new role.

Do thorough research beforehand about the critical abilities needed for jobs in the new field. Identify which transferable skills from your background can cross over and fill gaps that might exist from your experience alone.

For example, an accountant moving into the tech industry can highlight analytical and problem-solving abilities. A teacher transitioning into corporate training could emphasize presentation and communication skills.

When describing your experience, frame it in terms of transferable skills you developed rather than getting bogged down in industry-specific details. Don’t be afraid to take online courses to brush up skills that may need updating for the career change as well.

Approaching a career change this way can help ensure employers still see the value you offer, even if you don’t have direct experience in the new industry yet. Leading with your transferable abilities is key.

Identifying and showcasing transferable skills effectively can elevate both your CV and interview performance. Carefully choose which relevant, distinctive, and current abilities to highlight.

Integrate them throughout your CV, profile them prominently, and be prepared to discuss them in interviews using compelling examples.

This focus on leveraging your transferable skills will serve you well whether you’re launching your career or making a career change. With a competitive job market, maximising these adaptable skills is essential to stand out from the crowd.