Transferable Skills Increase Your Job Options

Transferable skills are the skills you develop through any activity. By thinking of and marketing yourself as a set of skills that you can offer to employers, instead of just a job title, you can open up a lot of opportunities for yourself.

For many reasons, you may decide that you do not want to return to the type of work that you did in the past. Or, you may simply want to expand your job opportunities beyond your previous job title. In either case, assessing your transferable skills will help you to understand all of the skills you can bring to any number of different jobs.

Here's an example to show you exactly how your transferable skill set can help you move from one career to another:

Imagine you worked as an administrative assistant for a few years, and, unfortunately, you lost your job. After doing a bit of research, you discover that administrative assistant positions are declining and you're concerned about remaining in the field because of the decreased job opportunities.

You also discover, however, that job openings at inbound call centers are on the rise, and those jobs can be a great way to get your foot in the door at some excellent companies. You may think to yourself, "Hmm, if only I wasn't an administrative assistant. If only I could apply to some of these customer service representative jobs."

The great news is, you can apply to a lot of different types of jobs. If you take time to assess your skills, you'll realize that you have many valuable skills that can be applied to other positions.

If you were an experienced administrative assistant you would likely have:

At least intermediate computer and typing skills
Strong ability to communicate with customers and ask effective questions to obtain information
Internet research skills
The ability to portray a professional image on the telephone, in writing and in person
Excellent grammar and business writing skills
The ability to adapt to change and work well in a fast paced environment
First rate organizational skills with the ability to manage conflicting demands

A review of current job postings for customer service professional positions shows that for this position, employers require the following skills:

Proficiency with Windows, Word and Excel and strong typing skills (35+ wpm)
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to make good decisions and follow a schedule
Ability to multi-task and maintain a professional attitude

Do you see the similarities? It's your skills that count. Don't be limited by your last job title.

I used an administrative assistant's transferable skills in the example, but assessing your skills and understanding how they transfer to different jobs can work for everyone. You can transfer skills that you've developed everywhere. If you don't limit yourself to your former job title, you'll see a world of possibilities open up.

For a worksheet that will help you to brainstorm your own transferable skill set see Transfrable Skill Sets