Why you need to identify / know about your Transferable Skills

Your transferable skills are a major selling point; make sure you know yours. An important part of what makes you valuable to an employer is your skillset. Transferable skills are used in many different careers, and help make you an attractive job candidate.

You can be in need of identifying and explaining your transferable skills if:

1. You have been working in a specific industry during long time and you want to change.

2.You are targeting a different role from the one you previously hold.

3.You are new to the job market and you have limited experience.

There is no denying the value of qualifications and relevant experience, however, employers also want skills that;

• will bring value to their company;
• can help them to carry out their work effectively;
• fit in with the culture of the organisation.

A transferable skills analysis is simply a thorough list of all of the skills and qualifications that you can offer an employer. Knowing this information about yourself is crucial if you intend to make a career change. In fact, you’d probably be surprised by the jobs you could apply to if you just started thinking about yourself (as related to your career) as a set of skills that you can offer an employer as opposed to a job title.

Make a list of all of your skills and experience including:

All of your work experience

List every responsibility you held and every competency you demonstrated at each job you held. 

All of your education

List all of the skills and knowledge you have demonstrated or developed through education. You may have completed an internship while in school, don’t forget to include abilities demonstrated in this setting as well. 

All of your volunteer experience

List all of the skills you have demonstrated though your community involvement. 

All of your personal interests and hobbies

Again, list all of the competencies you have demonstrated through your personal interests and hobbies.