Perhaps you don’t find your current profession challenging anymore. Maybe it’s becoming obsolete due to automation or other technological advances. Or maybe you’re attracted to a different line of work entirely. Whatever the reason, when you’re in the market for a new career, it’s smart to make the most of every qualification, experience and strength you already possess. That way, no matter how much you need to learn about your new field, you already have a foundation to build upon.

Transferable skills

This is where transferable skills come in. Transferable skills are any skills you possess that will be of use in the position for which you’re applying. It’s important to realize that you can pick up transferable skills anywhere, from past jobs and classes to volunteer work and community activities.

For example, let’s say you’re looking for a position at a bank. Though you’ve never held a position in the finance industry before, you did keep the books for a local charity for three years. This accounting knowledge qualifies as a transferable skill, and one you should definitely highlight in your job search.

Make an inventory of your transferable skills

The example above is pretty straightforward, but identifying your transferable skills isn’t always so simple. That’s why it’s crucial to assess exactly what skills you possess and how they might be of use in the position you want. The following steps will help you inventory your transferable skills.

1. Ask your friends what skills you possess. Even if you’re great at your current job, you might be too busy doing it to think about why you’re so good at what you do. This could lead you to have a more narrow view of your skills than is actually the case. To make sure you get a correct and complete overview, ask friends, colleagues, and even teammates on sports teams what they think you’re good at. Try to ask as wide a group of professional and personal contacts as possible. Your goal at this stage is to collect and identify as many of your skills as possible without worrying whether they’re transferable or not.
2. Identify your strongest skills. Once you’ve identified your skills, think about which ones are your strongest, and make a list of your top ten. Think of instances in which you used those skills to attain positive results in specific situations. For example, you’re good at time management, and in your previous job, this skill helped you keep an important project on track so you could finalize it within the allocated time. Or you’re a natural leader, and you always take the initiative when organizing events for your sports team.
3. Research which of those skills could transfer to your new job. Ask yourself how your top ten skills would transfer to your new job. To do so, you’ll need to research your new position properly and find out which skills are required. Using the example above, both good time management and leadership skills would be very helpful if you’re looking to become a manager in any field.
4. Prioritize and provide examples. It’s important to prioritize in order bring your strongest and most relevant skills to the forefront. So narrow your transferable skills down to the five that would be of most use in your new job. Write them down, as well as how they helped you achieve good results in the past.
5. Check with your recruiter. Finally, double-check with your recruiter to make sure you’re listing the correct skills. Many online application systems pass over résumés that don’t match skills requirements. That’s why it’s crucial to list the right transferable skills, even if you don’t have a lot of experience in the field. Keep in mind that almost all professional positions require some form of the following “soft skills” or those you use everyday with the people around you:

• critical thinking
• good verbal and written communication
• leadership
• teamwork
• creativity

Putting it all together

Especially if you’re lean on experience, transferable skills can make you stand out from the pack. So after carefully researching which of your strongest skills apply to the position you want, include them prominently in an outstanding cover letter and résumé. When a prospective employer easily recognizes the skills you list as ones useful in the job you want, then you’ve already begun to transfer your skill set nicely!

Source: Career Tips Newsletter- September 2014 Edition. Kelly Services.