“Transferable skills”. We’ve all heard the term, but do you know what they are, how to identify them and importantly, how to sell your transferable skills?
In the current employment market (the unemployment rate increased to 7.1% recently) and as we slowly recover from the impacts of COVID-19, it’s important for job seekers to be able to really sell yourselves to a prospective employer.
Searching for a job in this market might mean looking to do a slightly different role than what you did before, or perhaps apply in a new industry, or to step up or sideways in your career.
Let’s start with what are transferable skills?
In summary they are general skills that can be transferred between jobs and industries. They can include soft skills such as;
- communication
- problem solving
- team work
- computer skills
- professional writing
- customer service
- research
- leadership skills
Just to name a few.
How do you identify your transferable skills?
You can complete this exercise in 4 easy steps;
- Get out your resume and your recent job descriptions if you have access to them, and start compiling a long list of skills and duties.
- Along with your work skills and duties add into the list any volunteer or study skills that you may have attained.
- Work through the list and start to highlight things that you determine as strengths, competencies, things you’re most confident in, things you have been positively recognised for, and things you do often.
- Group these skills into sections. For example; Communication / Leadership / Computer skills. And then get ready to promote them!
How do you promote and sell your transferable skills?
There are two ways you need to do this. Firstly, in your resume and secondly, in your interview.
In your resume you will showcase your transferable skills that match the job advertisement that you are applying for. Showcasing those transferable skills within your resume as key words will not only catch the recruiters eye but if they’re using resume matching technology your resume will likely make the shortlist.
Secondly, it’s time to sell your transferable skills in an interview. Interviews and conversations with recruiters and hiring managers give you the perfect opportunity for you to showcase the talents you have that can apply to their vacancy. If asked “Tell me about your strengths or why you’re suitable for this role?” You will respond with an example and an explanation. For example;
“I think I would be suitable in this marketing assistant role, as within my last role in recruitment I was competent in writing, editing and releasing monthly written content across various social media platforms. This was viewed by over 23,000 readers and helped generate a 15% increase on customer leads.” Or another example might be “combined with my Degree in Marketing, I have some examples of written content that I created along with the Marketing Manager of XYZ company, similar to the monthly content that your company produces on your website” (show examples if possible.) You may not have worked as a Marketing Coordinator but you’re showing the transferable skills and duties that you did that can match the job briefing.
If COVID-19 or the current state of the employment market has put you out of work and you are looking for a new opportunity and need guidance on how to identify and promote your transferable skills, get in touch with Chandler Macleod Staffing Services Recruitment Team. We’re experts in promoting transferable skills and would love to help you.
Part of RGF Staffing ANZ, Chandler Macleod, we get people.
Our specialties
Our specialties
Our offices
More from us
Chandler Macleod acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country. We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to elders past and present, whose land we stand upon today.
© Chandler Macleod 2025 All rights reserved Sitemap