Transferable Skills
What are Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills are general skills that are relevant to almost any role candidates apply for. These are usually soft skills, which focus on building relationships with other members of a team, managing stress, and adapting to organizational changes.
In the rapidly emerging skills economy, where outdated notions of career success by a four-year degree and connections increasingly fail to make the cut, applicants with transferable skills have an edge over their competition.
Examples of Transferable Skills
Transferable Skills List
Communication
Outstanding communication allows individuals to clearly convey ideas, instructions, and feedback across teams and clients. This fosters collaboration and helps to resolve misunderstandings quickly, which improves the overall productivity in organizations.
Adaptability
Being adaptable means embracing change and adjusting to new situations, tasks, or challenges. This transferable skill helps individuals thrive in dynamic environments, which enables them to stay efficient and maintain focus even when facing uncertainty or new demands.
Problem-solving
Problem-solving is more than identifying and solving problems. Candidates who excel at problem-solving can approach issues creatively and efficiently, and contribute to smoother workflows and innovative outcomes. They can identify challenges, analyze options, and implement solutions effectively.
Leadership
Great leadership can be displayed in any position. Employees can guide and motivate others towards a common goal while fostering teamwork and accountability. Strong leaders inspire confidence, delegate tasks effectively, and maintain a positive team environment that encourages proactivity.
Organization
During each workday, employees are faced with tasks of varying levels of urgency. As one of the most sought-after transferable skills, the ability to prioritize and work efficiently towards a shared goal helps in any position.
Teamwork
Almost every industry requires employees to interact with colleagues, regardless of their role or seniority. The ability to work well with others and create a positive work environment is critical for success.
Related Terms
Soft Skills
are the interpersonal attributes like communication, teamwork, and adaptability, that enhance an individual’s ability to work effectively with others.
Core Competencies
are the qualities, abilities, and skills that organizations look for and are central to an organization’s goals and culture.
Emotional Intelligence (EI)
is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own emotions while empathizing with others to build stronger relationships and make better decisions.
People Analytics
is the umbrella term for all data on employees and their organizational effectiveness; there are four types: predictive, descriptive, diagnostic, and prescriptive.
FAQs on Transferable Skills
Why are transferable skills so important now?
Transferable skills are crucial in today’s dynamic job market because they enable employees to adapt to various roles and industries. As work environments evolve, these versatile skills help individuals stay competitive and successfully navigate career changes or growth opportunities.
What transferable skills do recruiters look for?
Recruiters often seek skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, adaptability, time management, and leadership. These abilities show that a candidate can contribute across different situations, even if they lack direct experience in a specific field.
How can candidates build transferable skills over time?
Candidates can build transferable skills by seeking diverse experiences, such as volunteering, taking on cross-functional projects, or pursuing courses in leadership and communication. Networking, mentoring, and self-reflection also provide opportunities for skill development.
What kinds of questions do recruiters ask when they look for transferable skills?
Can you provide an example of when you demonstrated problem-solving skills in a previous role?
“In my last role, I noticed a recurring bottleneck in the workflow, so I collaborated with the team to analyze the issue. We identified the root cause and implemented a streamlined process, which reduced project delays by 20%.