Transferable Skills
Is some or all of your experience in positions that are unrelated to the industry you are aiming for now? You can adapt ‘unrelated’ experience by only including details that highlight ‘transferable’ skills that are most relevant to the opportunity you are aiming for.
What are transferable skills exactly?
Transferable skills are those that can be applied to any work role.
Some examples:
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Time-management
- Negotiation
- Leadership
- Organisation
- Initiative
- Problem-solving
- Flexibility
- Numeracy
- Self-motivation
- Multi-tasking
Take this scenario:
The job advertisement for a PR assistant position states that they are looking for a candidate with:
- Experience working in a team
- Good communication skills
- Ability to multitask and work under pressure
Bad Example:
Bar Doom 2005 – present
Cocktail bar tender
- Provided friendly customer service
- Responsible for cash handling and working on the cash register
- Developed my cocktail making skills
- Monitored and replenished stock
This is a bad example because it goes into too much detail about duties that are only relevant to this position.
Good Example:
Bar Doom 2005 – present
Cocktail bar tender
- Efficient and friendly communication with a wide range of customers
- Remained calm but fast moving in the stressful, hectic environment
- Worked in a team to ensure all customers were attended promptly
- Took on responsibility to promote upcoming shows and acts
