Transferable skills are an important skill set that can be used for moving between jobs and industries. We can refer to transferable skills as the general skills that you can use for more than one job and industry. Everyone has transferable skills, maybe you have not realised what they are and how to identify them.
About Transferable Skills
Joining the workplace will require you to know what transferable skills are and why they are so important. Find out what these skills are and how you can identify them.
What Are Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills can be defined as ‘portable skills’. As the word portable suggests, these skills can be used as you move from job to job, even in different industries. Transferable skills are very important when you are doing your job search, as employers will often look for specific qualities in potential employees.
How Do I Identify My Transferable Skills?
Many people are unaware of their transferable skills because they have not been able to identify them. Below are a few ways that you can find your transferable skills:
- Self-Analysis
- Job Search
- Take An Assessment
Self-Analysis
The best place to start is by doing a self-analysis. List down all your skills before looking up the skills that are needed in other jobs. Pay attention to those that you have been using in your previous or current job, and think about which skills you can use in a different job. After doing a self-analysis, you can start searching for jobs and seeing what the job profiles entails.
Job Search
When you are looking for a job, you will notice that most job descriptions will highlight the skills that they are looking for in potential employees. If you are still trying to find out which career is suitable for you, you can start by doing a job search.
List down all the skills that they are looking for and cross-check them with the skills that you have been using in your other jobs. You can also start networking with people in those industries and find out which skills are more relevant.
Take An Assessment
If you find that doing a job search or a self-analysis does not help you with identifying your transferable skills, then you can take a self-assessment. This assessment will take place in different formats where you will have to respond to a variety of questions that determine your capabilities.
This will help you figure out what your interests and passions are and which careers you can be best in. You can enrol in a course in a distance learning institution to get help with identifying your skills.
What Are Examples Of Transferable Skills?
These are some common and important transferable skills that will help you in your career:
- Problem-Solving Skills
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Leadership Skills
- Communication Skills
- Organisation Skills
- Teamwork Skills
- Dependability Skills
- Adaptability Skills
- Time Management Skills
- Initiative Skills
The Importance Of Transferable Skills
Transferable skills speak for who you are and what you are capable of. The importance of transferable skills is that they make you stand out as a candidate for jobs. They also show your employers that you are capable of performing certain duties. Here are two questions that you should ask:
- Why is it important for me to have transferable skills?
- Why are transferable skills important to employers?
Why Is It Important For Me To Have Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills can help you have an idea of what you can do and what you cannot do. If you do not have experience in a field that you are applying for a job in, these skills can help you stand out from other potential employees.
Why Are Transferable Skills Important To Employers?
Transferable skills show that you are a suitable candidate for a particular job even if you do not have direct experience in that career field. These skills will make your employers see that you can do many things, and you will be able to grasp the training that they could provide.
If you have many transferable skills that employers are looking for, then your potential of landing a job will be much higher.
Job Specific Skills vs. Transferable Skills
Job-specific skills are similar to transferable skills. You will be trained for job specific skills on the job in a specific industry. Whereas you can obtain transferable skills from any job, in any industry.
What Is The Difference Between Job-Specific Skills And Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills are portable skills that are relevant for any type of job in any industry. They are the soft skills that can be used from job to job. Job-specific skills on the other hand are the skills that allow you to be great in a specific job. These skills are known as hard skills, as they determine if you are capable of doing the actual job.
How Can I Develop Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills are much easier to develop. Since these skills can be used in many jobs and industries, you will be able to develop and improve them in many areas. These are some places where you can develop your skills:
- The workplace
- School
- Internships
- Volunteering
How Can I Learn Job-Specific Skills?
Job-specific skills are different for each industry. Depending on the industry and job role, you will be able to learn the specific skills that are needed from you. These are other ways in which you can learn and acquire job-specific skills:
- Training and workshops
- On-the-job training
- Mentorship
- Work experience
- Network
- Internships
- Learn from senior staff
- Courses
How Do I Highlight Transferable Skills?
There are many ways in which you can showcase your skills. These are the places where you would benefit from highlighting your skills:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Cover Letter
- Interview
Curriculum Vitae
When writing your CV, you will have to pick the most relevant skills for the job you are applying for. Your CV will have sections where you can list down your skills. You can list your transferable skills in these sections:
- The summary of your CV
- Employment Experience
- Skills and abilities
Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter means you are reinforcing the points that you have made in your CV. You will have to write it strategically to ensure that you reference the skills that are most relevant to the job description. Make sure that you state how you have successfully used those skills.
Interview
During interviews, you have the opportunity to demonstrate how you have used your skills in your past job. When asked questions based on a scenario, you can answer by referring to how you have used specific skills to perform your duties in that situation.
Develop Your Skills With The Help Of Bellview Institute of Distance Learning
Bellview will help you develop and learn the skills that you need for your career. Whether you are looking to gain transferable skills or the scarce skills that employers are looking for, our courses will help you.
Why Should I Choose Bellview Institute Of Distance?
Bellview Institute of Distance Learning is a distance learning institution that provides its students with courses that will help build and boost their careers. If you are interested in developing your transferable skills, then you should apply at Bellview.
Our courses are accredited and recognised. You will have the chance to work abroad with our ICB courses and your qualification will be recognised by many institutions. Additionally, there are other benefits that will make learning easier for you.
We will help you get the scarce skills that will be necessary for building your career in any industry. We are ready to help you reach your career goals and objectives.
If you want to boost your career, you can join the Bellview community by:
- Speaking to a course specialist
- Calling us on our toll-free number: 080 039 0027
- Speaking to us on WhatsApp: 082 318 8892
Frequently Asked Questions
Some examples of hard skills include qualifications, foreign language, bookkeeping, computer, and SEO marketing skills.
Yes, it is. Reading and writing are transferable skills that are required to be successful in any role.
A skill is not transferable if it is only limited to one area. If you can only use it in one specific industry or job, then it can be regarded as non-transferable skill.
If you wish to change jobs or careers, you can use your transferable skills to boost your potential for employment in a different industry. Make sure that you express how your skills can set you apart from others.
Professional skills are those skills and abilities that are used in any professional career. These skills will help make the company successful. Transferable skills and job-specific skills can be regarded as professional skills.
Author: Wanele Sibiya
Editor: Connor Bergsma
Date Published: June 28, 2022