30 Sep Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are as important as technical skills. In fact, they serve different but complementary roles in the workplace and both types of skills are crucial for success. Technical skills can help you perform your job effectively, while transferable skills enable you to navigate different work environments, collaborate with others, and adapt to changes in your career. A balanced skill set often leads to greater career flexibility and opportunities.

Why it is important to develop transferable skills and to highlight them in your CV:

• Versatility: They allow individuals to transition between different roles and industries, making it easier to adapt to changing job markets.
• Employability: Many employers value these skills because they indicate a candidate’s ability to learn quickly and contribute effectively, regardless of their specific background.
• Career Progress: Transferable skills can enhance professional development and open new opportunities for promotion within an organization.
• Problem-Solving: These skills often enable individuals to approach challenges creatively and collaboratively, leading to better outcomes in various situations.
• Networking: Strong transferable skills can help in building relationships and connections, as they are often relevant in various contexts.
• Confidence: Recognizing and leveraging these skills can boost an individual’s confidence, making them more effective in job interviews and workplace interactions.

Focusing on such skills will help individuals to grow and success in an ever-evolving job landscape as these kind of skills allow career flexibility.

In general, which transferrable skills are more desired across roles and industries?

• Communication: The ability to convey information clearly and effectively.
• Problem-solving: The skill to analyze situations and come up with effective solutions.
• Teamwork: Working collaboratively with others to achieve common goals.
• Time management: The ability to prioritize tasks and manage one’s time efficiently.
• Adaptability: Being flexible and open to change in different environments.
• Leadership: Guiding and motivating a team to reach objectives.

If you are an employee, remember to focus on developing transferrable skills through all different kind of experiences (not only professional but also when volunteering or practising sports for example), and if you are a company hiring new talents, do remember to value these skills during the recruitment process.

Gaia Urati