Transferable Skills

Unlike job-related skills, which tend to be used only in one type of work, transferable skills are skills that can be used in every occupation, regardless of the type of work. They are universal skills — you can transfer them from one type of work to another without much effort on your part or training from the employer.

Many employers think that if you are able to use the skill in one situation, you should be able to use that skill in another job, even if the work appears to be unrelated to your past employment or educational experience.

For this reason, your transferable skills are often more important than your job-related skills. This is especially true if you are changing careers or making the transition from school to work.

Suppose that an automobile mechanic wants a job repairing household appliances. The mechanic should emphasize general mechanical skills, not specific automotive skills.

The household appliance employer will be interested in the mechanic’s general skills: Can the mechanic use hand tools? Can the mechanic troubleshoot, repair, adjust, and maintain mechanical devices? The employer does not care that the mechanic can grind pistons, rebuild carburetors, and adjust ignition timing.

In identifying your transferable skills, do not overlook the skills you’ve gained from everyday living. Most jobseekers fail to see this potential. These skills can, however, help you meet an employer’s expectations.

If you do not already know your transferable skills, complete the transferable skills exercise on the following pages. This exercise will help you identify at least ten of your transferable skills.

Review the list of transferable skills on the next pages and check all of the skills that you feel are the skills you have.

Check the EDUCATION column if you acquired that skill during your education or through a training program. Check the LIFE column if you acquired the skill anywhere else, which would include paid employment, volunteer activities, and general life experience. Check the third column, NEXT JOB, if you feel you will need that skill in the next job you have that meets your primary job objective.

A = Education

B = Life

C = Next Job

A	B	C	transferable skill
			act/perform
			adapt to situations
			advise people
			analyze data
			anticipate problems
			appraise service
			arrange functions
			assemble products
			assess situations
			audit records
			bargain/barter
			be cost conscious
			be responsible for
			budget money
			build
			buy products/services
			calculate numbers
			chart information
			check for accuracy
			classify information
			collect money
			communicate
			compare data
			compile statistics
			compute data
			conceptualize
			conduct
			confront others
			construct buildings
			consult w/ others
			contact others
			contact w/ others
			control costs
			control people
			control situations
			converse w/ others
			coordinate activities
			cope w/ deadlines
			copy information
			correspond w/ others
			create
			delegate
			deliver
			demonstrate
			design
			detail
			detect
			determine
			develop
			direct others
			dispense information
			distribute
			do precision work
			do public relations work
			draft
			drive
			edit
			encourage
			endure long hours
			enforce
			entertain
			establish
			estimate
			evaluate
			examine
			exchange
			exhibit
			expand
			expedite
			explain
			explore
			file records
			find information
			fix/repair
			follow directions
			follow through
			gather information
			gather materials
			generate
			guide/lead
			handle complaints
			handle equipment
			handle money
			help people
			illustrate
			imagine solutions
			implement
			improve
			improvise
			inform people
			initiate actions
			inspect products
			install
			instruct
			interpret data
			interview people
			invent
			inventory
			investigate
			lead people
			learn
			learn quickly
			liaise
			lift (heavy)
			lift (moderate)
			listen
			locate information
			log information
			make/create
			make decisions
			make policy
			manage a business
			manage people
			measure boundaries
			mediate problems
			meet the public
			memorize information
			mentor others
			monitor progress
			motivate others
			move materials
			negotiate
			nurse
			nurture
			observe
			obtain
			operate equipment
			order goods/supplies
			organize data
			organize people
			organize tasks
			own/operate business
			paint
			perceive needs
			perform routine work
			persuade others
			plan
			plant
			prepare materials
			print
			process information
			process materials
			produce
			program
			promote
			protect property
			provide maintenance
			question others
			raise money
			read reference books
			recommend
			record data
			recruit people
			rectify
			reduce costs
			refer people
			rehabilitate people
			remember information
			remove
			repair
			replace
			report information
			research
			resolve problems
			restore
			retrieve information
			review
			run meetings
			schedule
			seek out
			select
			sell
			separate
			sequence
			service customers
			service equipment
			set goals/objectives
			set up equipment
			set up systems
			sew
			shape
			signal
			size up situations
			sketch
			socialize
			solve problems
			sort
			speak in public
			study
			supervise
			supply
			support
			survey
			synthesize
			tabulate
			take instructions
			tend equipment
			test
			think ahead
			think logically
			tolerate interruptions
			track
			train/teach
			transcribe
			transfer
			translate
			travel
			treat
			troubleshoot
			tutor
			type
			understand
			unite people
			update information
			upgrade
			use hand/eye coord.
			use words correctly
			verify
			visit
			visualize
			volunteer
			weigh
			work quickly
			write procedures
			write promo material
			write proposals
			write reports
			write technical work

Once you’ve identified your transferable skills, you need to develop them into statements that you can make in an interview, which will show employers that you are the best person for the job. Below are sample statements about transferable skills. Each is followed by an example and a connection to a specific job.

Transferable skill statement 1

"I can meet deadlines."

Example

"While in school, I rarely missed a due date on an assignment."

Connection

"If I was able to meet deadlines in school, I will also be able to meet your work deadlines and quotas."

Transferable skill statement 2

"I can keep financial records."

Example

"As a full-time homemaker I handled all of the family money, including savings and checking, without ever bouncing a check or failing to pay a bill on time."

Connection

"If I could handle the family finances so well for twenty years, while taking care of all of the other household chores at the same time, I could be a good account clerk for you."

Transferable skill statement 3

"I am a well-organized person."

Example

"At my last job I had six bosses. I had to organize my time and set priorities to get the job done to everyone’s satisfaction."

Connection

"If I could handle that confusion, I’m sure I’ll be able to deal with the organizational demands of this job."

Transferable skill statement 4

"I’m a good explainer."

Example

"Whenever anyone at work had trouble understanding a procedure, they came to me for an explanation."

Connection

"I can learn quickly, train new workers, and help others."

Now choose three transferable skills from your list that you think will interest most potential employers. Write these skills as complete statements, like the samples. Then include examples from your own experiences that support your statements. Also, state the connection between each ability and the job you want.

Transferable skills

Statement

Example

Connection