Thinking outside of the box to find top talent is necessary in today’s candidate-led market. In the digital sector, we have seen the need to reach out to different types of professionals to fill roles, through looking at their key transferable skills and the wealth of experience that they could bring to a business. So, what is the importance of transferable skills, and how can they benefit your business? 

At Michael Page, we work with an array of digital professionals, from different backgrounds, at all levels. It is apparent that the digital sector is challenging, but also a space where individuals and companies recognise the value of transferable skills. The ability to “wear many hats” is becoming more and more common. The integration between departments is key to any successful business, resulting in the formation of cross-functional teams and different possibilities to progress in their career. Nowadays, career progression also means moving horizontally, allowing professionals to develop a wide set of skills that will be useful in their development.

Hiring from different areas of digital

It is beneficial for businesses to hire from different areas of the digital sector. For example, when recruiting for a global asset management company recently, we were tasked to do just this. Although they were seeing growth and have a fantastic product, the customer lacked a smooth journey and experience. Traditional financial companies can sometimes seem very corporate and therefore lack a pleasurable user experience, either online or on a mobile device. This resulted in them needing someone specifically from a retail background, which also meant that a lack of financial services experience wasn’t an issue whatsoever. The goal here was not to understand the financial market, but instead to create a wonderful journey where the customer would ultimately be converted into a sale.

Key skills to look for in digital professionals

Soft skills

  1. Stakeholder management: It is expected that digital professionals will be able to identify relevant stakeholders, their importance to the business, and establish a solid relationship with them.
     
  2. Communication: Top talent should be able to communicate clearly and in a manner that is aligned with the organisation strategy for effectiveness.
     
  3. Empathy: To be a good listener and the ability to repeat what the customer says to assure them that they are being listened to and that you understand their concerns is a valuable skill. By being empathetic, the digital professional can uncover hidden motivators to truly build a better experience.

Hard skills

  1. Tech-savvy: Although every professional doesn’t need to know how to code, they should at least be knowledgeable with the technologies relevant for their companies/industries.
     
  2. Research: The world is in constant change, so resourcefulness and research capabilities are qualities appreciated by companies.
     
  3. Analytics: Data is crucial for businesses nowadays, no matter what sector you work within. Having the capacity to navigate heavy amounts of data and incorporate it into the decision-making process is key for success for every digital professional.

How to hire digital professionals with different experience

Hiring from different sectors, or targeting professionals with different experience to what you might typically for your organisation, can be difficult. It is really important to understand what you want the candidate to achieve, not only in the present moment but in the future as well. This will allow them to focus on their development, but also help your company grow. 

The hiring process should be designed in such a way that it not only assesses the candidate’s skills but also so that both parties can understand what value they will be getting from one another. 

How a candidate with an unusual career journey could benefit your business

During a past recruitment process, our digital team was working with a candidate who had a legal background. They had been a corporate lawyer for a number of years. Having been in this environment, the candidate realised that it was not the sector for them and wanted to change careers. 

This transition was interesting, the candidate had the opportunity to take on a sales and business development role which was client-facing, allowing them to harness vital stakeholder management skills. This move then provided the opportunity to transition into the role of project manager as a freelancer, enhancing their digital skills, and they were later offered a role within a digital agency.

Since this transition, it is has been clear that the candidate has found an area that they can thrive within, as they then propelled their career in digital and they are now working as the chief product officer at a very reputable company.

If you want to learn more about how to hire the right professionals to your digital organisation, get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants today for a confidential discussion. Alternatively, if you are exploring your options in the market, our consultants are always open to having a consultative conversation to discuss next career steps. We also have a Job Match tool which you can use to match your skills and experience with the best-suited roles in the market.

Victoria Naughton
Consultant, Creative & Technical, Michael Page Digital