The Power of Transferable Skills

By Michael C. Dennis

Making a switch to a new professional field can feel intimidating, especially when job postings seem to demand very specific experience. For those looking to make this kind of change, one key to success involves focusing on transferable skills that demonstrate why you're a great fit for your new path and/or new position.

The key to success is in the way you present your existing skills. For instance, imagine a sales professional who wants to move into marketing. Instead of stressing over not having a traditional marketing background, they can highlight their strong communication skills, strategic planning abilities, and experience in building client relationships.

Consider another example: a project manager coming from the construction industry who wants to break into high tech. Instead of just listing their experience running construction projects, they can talk about their organizational skills and leadership experience. These qualities are essential in any field that requires effective team coordination and problem-solving.

Here’s one more example: a teacher looking to transition into a corporate training role can highlight their ability to develop training materials, engage diverse audiences, and assess learning outcomes.

When making a career change, it’s essential to create a narrative that connects your past experiences to the job you want. Take time to carefully read through job descriptions and think about how your skills fit into those requirements.

Job seekers need to be able to explain clearly their transferable skills because employers need to know how their past experience fits the new job. Clearly connecting your skills and experience helps demonstrate that you can succeed in the new role, making you a stronger candidate.?

In my opinion, the most important thing to remember is this:? You have to make the connections for the employer because you cannot expect or assume that they can or will do so without your help.