What's In Your Transferrable Skills Toolbelt?

Transferrable skills are some of the most useful tools to have in your pocket as a career seeker. They're the kind of talents that last throughout different occupations, across different industry segments, and only grow with time. And more and more lately, employers are making it clear that they're hiring not for technical skills or a good-looking resume, but for someone who meshes well with the company's values and morals personality-wise. They want someone who's got the right attitude, because those technical skills can all be taught later - but these softer skills often can't. 

So that's great! You can succeed in the working world just by being yourself. But first, you have to figure out which of these skills you naturally have, and which you may have to work on. How do you do that? Read on...

Okay, stop - it's check-in time. What would you name as your top 3 best skills? Go on, you can brag a little.

It doesn't have to be work-related... Actually, it's even better if it isn't! Work skills can sometimes be specific to your industry or even your actual job, so they're not really transferrable if you feel like completely changing your career path. But these talents can be from anywhere in your life. Can you land every shot when you're playing half-court basketball? Then you've got awesome hand-eye coordination. Can you spot things that don't look right before anyone else? Then you've got an eye for detail. These kind of skills are the things that might make or break an application.

If an employer is looking at two people with the exact same qualifications, then they'll move onto personality traits - what the people in the business call 'being a cultural fit'. That means, do you fit into the atmosphere (culture) of the office space and the people who already work there, do you already exhibit some of the traits that are seen as good by the business? If so, you're going to be a better choice for them than someone who doesn't exhibit those traits - so showing off your transferrable skills in your cover letter and interview is a great way to put yourself on top of the pile.

But how exactly do you figure out these talents if you don't know them off the top of your head? The best way is to ask around. Sit down with your friends, family, teachers or advisors and ask them to honestly tell you what they think you're really good at. Some of it might amaze you, seeing that people recognise talents in you that you might not see yourself. 

Try to also get them to tell you anywhere they think you might need help, because by identifying those areas you can start to work on them and make them a strength instead of a weakness.

Now that you've identified a couple of places where you might need to work on some necessary skills, it's time to reach out and try something new! There's a lot of great ways to expand your skills toolbelt and give yourself a talent tool for every situation - check out our blog below on hobbies that hone your soft skills for more ideas.

Working on the skills you already have is important, too. Just because you've got great communication skills or can whip up an Excel spreadsheet in no time now, doesn't mean there won't be the next technological advancement that you'll have to learn about. Keep doing the stuff you're doing, because obviously it's working! But keep your ears to the ground for anything new as well. Job interviews will love it if you can mention the upcoming changes or research being done in their field - it means you care, and caring is a trait that employers are really searching for.

Now comes the fun part: talking about yourself!

Alright, we know this can be tough for some people. You don't want to seem like one of those people who are always talking themselves up and going on and on about their achievements and talents and skills. You'd rather be a little quiet and let your actions speak for themselves.

But we're here to say: why not be one of those people? You're great! You're a unique collection of awesome skills and talents from a patchwork of experiences that make up you, and that's something we think you should be able to brag about. And unfortunately, in this day and age, the louder you are the more attention you get (for good reasons or for bad). So in order to get ahead of the pack, it's important that you learn how to talk about yourself in a healthy, professional way.

Here's the steps:

1. Always be honest. It's easy to want to expand the truth a little, but it won't help down the track. Just be honest about your own skills and you'll gain plenty of opportunities based on your own merits (which then feels super great when you look at yourself in the mirror!
   
   
2. Set yourself up for success by laying the groundwork in your cover letter. More often than not, an interviewer will be pleased to have conversation starters already laid out for them, and they'll ask you about your specific experiences then since it's easier for both of you. The cover letter is a great place to show off a bit of your communication skills and your personal writing style - both of which are transferrable skills which an employer will be looking for!
   
   
3. Try to pick 3-5 integral, core skills that you can really back up. This has two reasons: firstly, it's easier to weave them in if you've only got a handful you have to remember and discuss, and secondly, that means the skills you talk about are the really punchy, high-quality ones. Sometimes, a flimsy skill or one that you picked up a decade ago at Little Athletics when you were 6 might actually be a detriment, not a benefit.
   
   
4. Answer questions when they come up organically, and find ways to weave your skills experience into the conversation naturally. There will be times when an interviewer will ask straight up what you think your best traits are or to tell them about an experience you had with something, but you might also have to be a bit creative and find ways to chat about yourself through the conversation. Think of it like you would chatting with your friends - you wouldn't just branch the conversation off randomly to talk about yourself in a really disconnected way, so don't do it in an interview either.