Transferable skills when changing industries

Transferable skills are incredibly valuable when going through a career change or moving industries. These are the types of skills that all employers are looking for, and they could be the key to your dream job in a new sector – so it pays to highlight them on any job application.

To help you nail your key selling points on your resume and cover letter, we’ve collated a transferable skills list that you can use to impress prospective employers.

Communication skills

Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills a person can possess in their professional and personal lives. Every role today requires communication skills in some form, and professional success is virtually impossible without the ability to communicate effectively. 

Not only do good communication skills enable you to get your message across, but it also teaches you to listen to others and be a better team player. Key communication skills include the following.

• Listening to others empathetically, and considering their message before responding.
• Being able to write clearly, succinctly and in a professional manner.
• Being able to clearly express ideas and negotiate in face-to-face settings.

Take a look through this exclusive guide to communication and DISC model, filled with experts insights from our in-house talent development team. 

Problem-solving skills

Consciously or not, most of us spend a lot of our time solving problems, ranging from innocuous concerns like where to get our morning coffee right through to how to spend the annual business budget. 
Everyone from the junior customer service representative to the CEO faces problems that need solving, so it’s all about being able to highlight examples of when you’ve used your problem-solving abilities to find a solution to an issue. This might include some of the following examples. 

• Identifying and/or implementing new processes.
• Solving an issue for a customer or client.
• Identifying new tools or technologies to improve a process.
• Analysing issues or threats and identifying ways to mitigate risk.

Organisational skills

Effective organisational skills are sought-after by employers because they demonstrate that you can complete work efficiently, even when under pressure. 

A major component of organisational skills is prioritisation – this is a juggling act that even some of the most seasoned professionals haven’t entirely mastered. Being well-organised and able to handle conflicting priorities is highly regarded across most industries. 

• Time management
• Prioritisation and planning
• Efficiency
• Research and analysis
• Administrative skills

Leadership skills

Having managerial experience doesn’t necessarily mean you have solid leadership skills. Good leaders’ actions inspire others to think more, learn more, do more, and become more – in other words, they go above and beyond the role of “telling people what to do” to lead others to success. 

True leaders are highly sought after for management roles in every industry.

• Inspire and motivate teams.
• Set goals and monitor performance.
• Provide mentoring.
• Create succession plans.
• Build and strengthen teams.

The working world has changed dramatically in recent times, with the pandemic driving a shift to remote and hybrid working. Many teams are now spread out across disparate locations and employees may rarely meet colleagues and managers in person.

So, what does the modern work landscape look like, and what skills do leaders need to be effective in it? Listen in to our on-demand webinar on ‘Leadership skills to navigate the new working world’, to find out more. 

What’s next? 

At times of economic uncertainty, employees need to make themselves indispensable to their employers. Similarly, candidates seeking new opportunities must demonstrate that they possess the most valuable characteristics and technical capabilities.

Hard skills have a part to play in this, but soft skills really come into their own during tough times. Michael Page’s recent survey of 1,000 UK hiring managers provides detailed insights into the importance of soft skills - read on to learn which soft skills hiring managers are looking for.