Transferable Skills Handout

8/6/2019 Transferable Skills Handout

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Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are skills you have acquired through any number of activities - such as

courses, clubs, volunteering, and working full or part-time that can be used in any new

activity. Major categories for marketable transferable skills are: Communication,Research and Planning, Human Relations, Organization, Management and Leadership,and General Work Behaviors.

Talents, traits and practical knowledge are all part of the skills spectrum. Some of these

skills have more transfer value than others for employment opportunities. So it isimportant to think about your skills and their value to what you want to do or are

applying for. Skills are not stagnant so it is always possible to build the ones that you aregood at, and to strengthen or develop the ones you are not so good at in your work,

volunteering or education.

Skills can be divided into:Core Skills

(Foundation)

Transferable

(Marketable)

Job-specific

(Specialized)

Sociability Creative thinking Analyzing specific

biological species or lawcases related to murder, or

human resource policiesregarding harassment, or ...

Reading, writing &numeracy

Analysis & logical thinking Use of proprietary softwarefor data analysis, or product

design, or research results,

orComputer literacy Problem-solving Specialized training or

education in a field, such as

engineering, law Youmust have credentials

related to the specializationrequirement

Self-management Organizing (things, people)

Teamwork aptitude Communication

written & verbal

Cognition (thinking) Interpersonal rapport

Work requires different combinations of skills, so it is important to understand your core,

transferable, and job-specific skills. You will find that some of your core skills overlapwith your transferable skills, and that many are integrated into your job-specific skills.

Lets look at how this is possible and how you can integrate these into your writing forvarious job opportunities. Your goal is to match what you offer to what the employer

needs.


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The job you are seeking is for a Computer Technologist position.

You have a Computer Science Degree, with course work using specific programmingsoftware and hardware repair techniques/tools; also you have experience working at a

computer store as a Customer Care Representative for the past 2 years.

Here is an example of how to write, in your cover letter, about your skills that willtransfer to the Computer Technician position.

Working at XXX store for the past 2 years, as a Customer Care

Representative, I frequently answer customer questions regarding productrecommendations for specific client interface needs, and provide guidance

and direction for troubleshooting various computer set-up issues. I amcompetent in building and maintaining client relationships through

courteous, knowledge based service provision, which would all be strengthsin the Computer Technician position.

My degree in computer science from the University of New Brunswick (UNB)

provided specific training in (name the programming software and hardwarerepair techniques/tools used), which as indicated by my GPA of 4.0 I excel in

and enjoy. In my studies I repeatedly was adept at coming up with creativesolutions to difficult problems, specifically in my final computer program

design project involving firewall integrity. My education and work relatedexperience provide me with over two years solid experience working with

customers, problem-solving, and using computer technology tools relevant toyour industry.

In these two paragraphs emphasis is placed on core skills, such as social, cognitive, and

computer literacy. Also, you should be able to detect use oftransferable skills, such asinterpersonal relations, problem-solving, analysis and logical thinking, and creative

thinking. Job-specific skills are found in the listed specific programs known, the degreein related field, and the direct troubleshooting skill reference.

Following are some other examples for you to review to ensure that you understand how

to approach your own writing of transferable skills, remember you have many skills thetrick is to be able to state what those are and match your skills and abilities to the work

role you are applying for.

Example 1: You are interested in working as a Customer Service Representative for abank. Your past work as a Kitchen Supervisor with McDonalds needs to be used to help

support your skills and abilities for providing customer service and relationshipmanagement, as the job advertisement wants to hire people with these skills and abilities.

Here is how one might approach stating transferable skills using the McDonaldsexperience:


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As a Kitchen Supervisor with McDonalds I managed fivenight shift staff, was responsible for scheduling, and

ensured morale was positive and productive by activelylistening and problem solving. My ability to build positive

work relationships and mange employee needs

demonstrates my caring service management orientation,which I would maintain when dealing with your bankingcustomers.

Using courses that are relevant to the work to be done is also a great way to

demonstrate transferable skills.

Example 2: You have completed a Biology Lab course that required that you deal withfungus samples, lab equipment, work in a group of two, analyze, record, and report on

findings. You see a job for a pharmaceutical lab worker that says they want someone withsome experience dealing with lab protocols, analysis, and recording results. Here is how

one might demonstrate transferable skills:

During my forth year Biology lab work, I had theopportunity to perform research work on fungus which

required following sampling and lab protocols; forexample, equipment sterilization, regular scheduled climate

control maintenance and sample analysis, recording offindings, and producing a comprehensive six month report

on activity. I am competent in analysis, following protocols,and accurately recording findings.

Many times students do not assess what they can do; they simply state the

duties they have performed in a particular job. Think about what you havethe ability to do. (Core, Marketable, Job-Specific skills) When you think

of a job activity (duty) ask yourself how you did that duty for example,ask yourself the following kinds of questions.

Did I use:

1. Human Relations or Interpersonal Skills, such as teach/assist, provideservice to people, negotiate with people, unite a team with differences,

motivate, make decisions, problem-solve, use diplomacy, engage others,delegate tasks/supervise, train or mentor, build cooperation/support, ...

2. Communication and/or Critical Thinking Skills, such as active-listening,presenting, facilitating, convey messages effectively, express opinions orideas tactfully, identify quickly and accurately critical issues when making

decisions or solving problems, use general principles in interrelated


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experiences or based on facts, adapt concepts and behaviours as needed,create innovative solutions to complex problems, utilize several perspectives

to analyze interrelations between events, ...

3. Information Management or Administration Skills, such as analyzingtasks, prioritizing, determining resources needed (human and materials) for

projects or tasks, sort, compile, synthesize, evaluate, useprotocols/procedures, apply information creatively, delegate, motivate and

lead, organize, implement, coordinate tasks...

4. Research, Investigation, Design, and Planning Skills, such as identifyalternative courses of action, assess needs, use varied sources of information,

identify problems and needs, design, draft, formulate, clarify problems, apply

various methods/techniques to test validity, set priorities, set goals/objectives,manage time (schedules, timelines, deadlines), predict future trends orpatterns, multi-task, accommodate competing demands, allocate resources

(time, energy, and resources),

For more assistance in developing your knowledge of your transferable skills throughyour various experiences (courses, training, work, and volunteering) visit the National

Occupation Codes website at

http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/OccupationIndex.aspx

This location provides information on all labour performed in Canada. The jobdescriptions can help you learn what skills and abilities a job requires, and some languagethat you should try to incorporate in your documents to help match you to your chosen

profession.

Documents

Transferable Skills Handout