Being able to identify your transferable skills is crucial if you are trying to transition to a new industry or a new job. Not every job is the same, and hiring managers may not entirely relate to the tasks you list on your resume. But if you can fit your talents into one of these five main categories, you’ll present a resume that is much more to the point:
Human Relations
This category relates to and highlights any interpersonal skills that you use to deal with people in a work environment. Think listening, sensitivity, cooperation, empathy, or motivation. Chances are that if you worked with people at any point during your last job, you’ll bring some of these skills to the table.
Communication
Communication, in addition to being able to listen well, really has a lot to do with how well you communicate thoughts and ideas to others. You can be the most creative person in the world, and still have poor communication skills. Are you a great writer, speaker, or listener? Can you negotiate, persuade others, pick up on nonverbal cues? If so, then you are likely a great communicator.
Research and Planning
No double meanings behind this one. This has to do with your ability to seek out information and to formulate new ideas for the future. Any time you come up with new proposals, find an alternate solution, solve a problem, define a need, or set a goal, you are engaging in research and planning.
Organization and Leadership Abilities
A good leader makes his followers better. A good leader says “let’s” go instead of “you” go. A good leader will coordinate plans of action, initiate new tasks, delegate responsibilities, teach, and manage conflict.
Work Survival and Professionalism
How well you organize your day and create a positive work environment is just as important as any of the other skills mentioned above. Skills such as showing up to work on time, meeting goals, paying attention to detail, and organizing fit into this category.
Even if you’re applying to a job from a field in which you have no experience, there’s always a way to pull from what you do know or have done on the past, and make it relevant to the unfamiliar. The next time you you apply for a position keep these skills in mind. They’ll be a benefit to you in the long run.
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