We all pick up skills here and there, but how often do we actually acknowledge the abilities we have amassed? Or their potential?
Transitional or transferable skills are the foundational talents that make for a well-rounded, agile job applicant. These skills are the result of years spent learning, practising and applying, over and over again.
Yet so often, we don’t fully appreciate just how many skills we have gained from day-to-day activities, volunteering or early jobs. You would probably be surprised to see the range of base skills that you can put on your CV when applying for new positions.
That is the magic of transferable skills.
IT skills
Widespread internet availability and computers that can be held in the palm of your hand have made IT experts of us all, to an extent. For many of us, our lives exist online. It is where we work, shop, organise trips and communicate with others.
Through school and work, most people are proficient in using documentation software, spreadsheets and presentation tools.
Additionally, if you didn’t utilise messaging and video apps such as Slack, WhatsApp, Zoom and Teams before the pandemic, it’s likely that this is a skill you have mastered since.
Having a grasp of the basics, alongside product, troubleshooting and software knowledge is a sure-fire way to ensure that you have base talents applicable to virtually every working environment.
Editorial and communication
Written communication skills are highly valued within companies for obvious reasons. When dealing with a client or member of the public, you are representing your company and your mistakes are theirs.
Knowing how to address someone both formally and informally is a skill in itself and one the majority of people already have stowed away. Life comes with a lot of admin, so it is fair to say most us will have learned basic email etiquette, as well as maintained a certain tone. Written communication needs to be clear, concise and professional, to make up for the lack of audio and visual indicators, to ensure the message you want to convey is clear.
It is also important to show that you’re an active listener, that is, you know how to listen attentively to someone and be able to engage with and respond to what they are saying and recall that information later.
Strengths in communication are the bread and butter of most industries, as reputations are won and lost in who you choose to represent you.
Public speaking
At some point in your life, most people will have to speak in a public setting and whether that experience reduces you to a puddle or gives you a confidence boost, this is a skill that everyone needs in their wheelhouse.
As with computer education, schools, universities, work and our own hobbies endlessly present opportunities to engage with public speaking.
Daunting as it may seem, it is a useful skill, one that can be perfected over time, adding to your own confidence and setting you apart from people vying for the same position. We all have this skill tucked away, just give yourself the chance to use it.
Critical thinking
A soft skill recruiters and employers love to see is an ability to think critically. Most working environments require a high degree of problem solving and though the situation may differ, the process is always the same.
It is a combination of understanding each perspective, addressing the main issue and working out a clear way to move forward.
We tend to be critical thinkers without even realising it, as we use the same approach in our own lives. Most experiences are a chance to think outside the box.
Leadership and project management
Be it involvement with a sport, a club or a choir, many of us find ourselves thrust into management positions without fully identifying as a leader.
By highlighting your ability to lead a team, take charge of a project or organise in-house initiatives, you are defining yourself as a proactive and confident applicant.
Many of us build up this particular skill in our personal lives, through engagement with projects that we are passionate about and it resonates strongly with our work-based personas.
The beauty of this transitional skill is the manner in which it blends so effortlessly with all aspects of our lives, culminating in a highly-skilled and prepared professional.
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