Introduction
In the current recruitment scenario, the term ‘transferable skills’ is often quoted with a lot of importance from different perspectives. Every job aspirant should have a very clear understanding of transferable skills, and this article explains what exactly transferable skills are.
In the modern world, where industries are diverse, innumerable job profiles exist, and many of them demand very narrow and specific skill sets. In most situations, the expertise that we acquire in one job may not be relevant in other workplaces since that expertise is to be applied only in a particular job position. However, there are a set of skills or abilities that are expected in an extensive range of roles and industries, like the ability to think critically and solve problems that are known as transferable skills. They can be transferred from one job to another. They are also called ‘portable skills’, which describe it more clearly.
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Why are transferable skills important?
Transferable skills are the real indicators that demonstrate what you have learned from all of your previous experiences and how they could add value to you as an employee in any job profile that you seek out. So, every employer will try to find out how good you are at your transferable skills, which not only decides if you are selected for a given job but also the kind of responsibilities assigned in the new role and the eventual career path.
What are some examples of transferable skills?
The following are some of the examples of transferable skills. This list is not exhaustive, and all of them may not be required for every job that you apply for. So before mentioning the transferable skills in the resume, one needs to consider the job description.
Leadership
Leadership skill is considered to be a higher-order skill and is typically required for management positions. However, being a good leader is necessary for every job in certain situations. One does not have to be in a managerial role to mention his or her leadership skills in a CV. There could be occasions where you motivate others to complete a shared goal or volunteer yourself for some fund-raising activity or participating in a sports initiative. Even these small activities can be considered as leadership skills if you were able to do it with full involvement and demonstrated you have the guts to come forward and take responsibility.
Transferable Leadership skills include attributes, like clear, unambiguous communication, team building, and the ability to delegate things and get them done. A leader is someone who takes responsibility for the entire team’s performance. So, to demonstrate leadership skills, one should be able to exhibit abilities like goal setting, conflict resolution, project management, risk mitigation, along with excellent interpersonal skills.
Time management
Time management is an essential skill for any role since meeting deadlines is considered to be the first and foremost requirement for any employee. Time management does not involve mere hard work, but it requires plenty of smart work. One should know how to say ‘No’ in suitable situations and how to ask for help during difficult times. Also, breaking up tasks intelligently and managing them with the proper amount of delegation is highly crucial. Any valuable employee in an organization will be able to prioritize his or her tasks according to the expectations of the company as well as his or her growth. Numerous mobile applications and tools are available nowadays to track the way we utilize our time effectively. One should have appropriate exposure to them to claim that he or she possesses transferable time management skills.
Communication
Communication skills are considered to be the most significant skill among the transferable skills since they play a vital role in demonstrating all other skills one possesses. Communication skill is a composition of multiple skills that need to be demonstrated in various situations accordingly. For example, speaking clearly by using appropriate words, writing precisely by mentioning legit facts are the core aspects of communication skills. Both speaking and writing should be done by using proper words and usage of grammar in such a way that it meets the expectations of the intended audience. Listening too is another important aspect of communication skills. In many situations, the employees are expected to communicate with customers or attend training programs in which effective listening skills are of utmost importance. Only when we can listen effectively, the communication will be a completed one. Asking effective questions is an integral part of communication skills that are required for several job roles. The other dimensions of effective communication skills include the ability to talk confidentially, giving and receiving feedback, Nonverbal communication, and addressing a public gathering.
Research & analysis
Nowadays, many roles require a certain amount of research attitude. The business dynamics are changing rapidly due to several factors like changes in international political and economic situations. The policies are getting updated frequently. So, decision-making is becoming complicated, and employees, especially in managerial roles, should have the ability to do research and analysis. Analysis of data has become a core skill everyone should acquire, particularly with the help of tools like Google analytics. When the internet is flooded with information, it is a critical skill to find facts by doing proper research. Detailed documentation from gathering, processing, organizing, and evaluating a vast amount of data, such as sales estimates, profit loss figures, website statistics, or technical reports, demands the capability to perform precise and quick research and analytics.
Dependability
Despite various skills one possesses, what will happen if he or she lacks accountability in making use of those skills to complete the tasks on time? The employer values employees who can be trusted to complete a task on a particular deadline. The degree of responsibility of an employee will be very evident from the way he or she maintains professional relationships and being with integrity in the given assignment. This constitutes the core of work ethics. Though the employer could compromise with other skills, honesty and integrity are the critical part of a person that should be demonstrated effectively as transferable skills. Those who have more dependability will be awarded more serious responsibilities, and only those people can rise the career ladder very quickly when compared with others.
Teamwork
Teamwork is a skill that is tough to measure, but every employer wants to make sure that all their employees are good team players. The ability to work with people who have different skills, expertise, and working style is extremely important for anyone as a team member. An effective team player is considered to be the one who has empathy and good listening skills. He is the one who always thinks of the entire team as a single entity rather than a group of people with varied interests. Building relationships, collaborating with others effortlessly, and conflict resolving abilities are part of this transferable skill that is valued a lot nowadays in all organizations.
Organization skills
Everyone is a leader when it comes to managing him or herself. Every employee is expected to organize themselves with their goals, tasks, and relationships. A well-organized employee will face no serious challenge in meeting deadlines or contributing to the company as expected from him. Managing time, documentation or journaling, dressing sense, maintaining amicable relations in the company, and effective prioritization are significant aspects of an organized employee.
Adaptability
Adaptability skills or the ability to manage the change of employees ensures that the company or the team will be resilient despite turbulence or uncertainty in the business environment. It may be a sudden requirement to learn a new skill or a new process or any similar challenge, the adaptability of an employee will ensure that work will be done efficiently with a positive outlook instead of complaining. People with adaptability will be more flexible and patient to go through the changes and refine themselves accordingly. Without any doubt, they are a valuable treasure to any organization.
Technology literacy
Technology has become an indispensable part of any job role in recent times. From basic skills of using the internet and office tools to advanced analytical report generation or coding, an employee is expected to take care of several functionalities with the help of software tools. Even though plenty of technologies and tools are available, learning will become much easier after a certain amount of experience. ERP and CRM (Enterprise Resource Planning and Customer Relationship Management) software tools are being used in almost all organizations. The day-to-day task management, payment calculation, and several similar activities are happening online. Employees are expected to have good exposure to technology to adapt themselves to changing digital work environments.
Conclusion
The set of skills given above are not the entire set of transferable skills required for a job aspirant. Depending upon the nature of the job, an employee will be expected to demonstrate a specific set of transferable skills—it is essential for anyone who applies for a job to identify the transferable skills required for the particular position. Beyond that, it is also crucial to demonstrate the skills that can be only done with the help of the history of achievements, appreciation from the previous employers and clients, evidence from online, and so on. So, for each transferable skill, the candidate should be well prepared to prove that he has that skill to the expected level.
