The importance of transferrable skills when changing roles or industries

Following COVID-19 and more recently global uncertainty, we have seen people at all levels transitioning their careers to new and different job roles and industries. The retail, hospitality, and travel industries were particularly impacted; leaving many people with no choice but to move to another sector.

One of the things we’ve found most helpful for people going through our outplacement programs who are considering transitioning to different job roles or industries is thinking about the core skills, abilities, competencies, and even traits, they have that aren’t necessarily specific to any one job or industry.

These are often referred to as ‘transferable skills.’ Understanding your transferable skills can help you understand what roles would best suit you; where you have development gaps; and, help you sell yourself to your full potential.  

“Being able to explore your strengths and skills outside of a specific role, then how to match these to a role, and apply for the role, while highlighting these skills effectively, was invaluable. Also, just being able to bounce ideas off someone who has a knowledge of the market, and people and their motivations, helped me work through the insecurities and sift the reality from the feelings of despondency and self-doubt.”

Mining Engineer in Career Transition program

Here is a short list of examples of potential transferable skills:

• Communication: public speaking, negotiation, relationship building, content writing and editing, language proficiencies.
• Interpersonal: collaboration, customer service, sales skills, teamwork, conflict management and resolution.
• Analytical: assessment, critical thinking, data analysis, forecasting, problem solving, research, troubleshooting.
• Other soft skills: multi-tasking, organisation, resourcefulness, time management, attention to detail, self-motivation.
• Management: budgeting, performance management, recruitment, risk management, scheduling, training and development, delegating, project management.
• Leadership: coaching, influencing, mentoring, strategic thinking/planning, prioritising, culture development, change management.
• Technical: database administration, equipment installation/maintenance, social media management, web-based skills, graphic design, accounting, bookkeeping, office suite proficiency, typing, Google analytics.
• Personality traits: consciousness, social confidence, optimism, adaptability, persuasiveness, forward thinking.

How to identify someone’s transferrable skills

It’s important for individuals to have a thorough understanding of their own skillset, abilities, and preferences before they start applying for jobs outside their current role or industry. A Career Coach can help these individuals conduct a skills assessment and gap analysis—and to use this as a platform for action toward building both their professional profile and skill set.

Here are some other things people can do to better understand their transferable skills, and where they may have gaps:

• Complete a work-based personality assessment or 360 survey, or check reports from those that they have completed in the past.
• Complete ability assessments, e.g. verbal, numerical, spatial reasoning.
• Read through job descriptions and performance reviews from previous roles, and those they’ve been looking to transition to.
• Read their LinkedIn recommendations—what have people said about them?
• Ask former colleagues/leaders.

Using these skills to find a new opportunity

Once someone has identified their transferrable skills, the next step is to investigate which of these can be applied to a new role they may wish to apply for. We recommend checking the selection criteria or requirements of jobs posted online, as well as spending some time talking to network contacts that work in roles or industries of interest. This research can then be used to help put together an updated resume focused on bringing the most relevant transferable skills front and centre.

Contact us

People Solutions have 20 years’ experience working with businesses to support their employees through redundancies and career transition, with our Career Coaches working across a large range of industries. To find out more about our career transition services, please get in touch to find out how we can help.