Most often people think of transferable skills as something that is needed only when you are considering a career change. I am of the opinion that is not necessarily the case.
If you want a promotion or choose a career move that is within a particular niche then these transferable skills will come in handy. What are transferable skills? Transferable skills are tools or skills that you picked up and have perfected during the course of your work life.In addition they can be applied to any industry. These skills can include verbal, written,communications,organization, project management and more. These skills that you already possess can be adapted to fit your new position. Transferable skills should show a prospective employer that you have learned a lot, can handle new responsibilities and can learn new things. I am often so surprised when I see that many recruiters seem to fail at seeing the cross potential in transferable skills. I am not sure if it is only the recruiter or it's the way employers define their jobs. So, let's use an example to better explain my point.Let's say you work at company that you prepare training, you organize activities for your department and create appointments. You are now interested in working as a high school teacher or even an adjunct professor. Your resume has to tell your prospective employer that you have the transferable skills of being a people motivator, organizer, fast thinker. You can accomplish this by making a list of all of your professional experience, not jobs but experience and the qualifications that are needed to obtain the job you are going after. If you use a functional resume you can then convey your transferable skills in such a manner that the new job will see what those skills are and how they fit their job. I would also suggest using a cover letter that is tailored to the potential employer. In the cover letter or cover email you should let your potential employer know why you are changing careers, that you are investing in your future and that this is a goal,your genuine interest in the position. In addition to knowing your transferable skills you may want to look at competitors for the company. The competitor may want a specific skill you have, and you can highlight that during your interview. It should obviously be done in a professional manner. Another piece of advise is to look at the field as a whole and get an understanding of what skills are in demand. If you possess most or all that will help you as well. you must be able to show that although you lack experience in that field, you are knowledgeable of the field.
0 Comments
|