What Are Transferable Skills?

Transferable skills can take many forms depending on a person’s background and experience.

Examples include:

• Communication, both written and verbal.
• Project management, including planning, coordination and follow-up.
• Leadership and team management.
• Problem-solving and decision-making.
• Analysis and critical thinking.
• Organization and priority management.
• Collaboration with different teams and stakeholders.
• Adaptability in changing environments.
• Negotiation and influence.
• Customer service and relationship management.

A single professional experience can help develop several of these skills, even when they are not explicitly reflected in a job title.

Why Are Transferable Skills Important?

Transferable skills help create connections between different professional experiences.

Someone moving into a new industry may not have the same sector-specific experience as another candidate but may have developed skills that are directly relevant to the new role.

For example, someone who has managed complex projects in the manufacturing sector may be able to transfer their planning, team coordination and priority management skills to many other industries.

This approach shifts the question from “Have I held this exact position before?” to “What has my experience taught me to do?”

How Do You Identify Your Transferable Skills?

Identifying transferable skills generally requires taking a step back and reviewing your professional journey.

A good starting point is to look at previous experiences and consider situations where you achieved results, solved problems or took on important responsibilities.

Rather than simply listing the tasks you performed, ask yourself which skills allowed you to accomplish them.

For example, coordinating the implementation of a new system may demonstrate skills in project management, communication, change management and problem-solving.

A skills assessment can also help structure this reflection and identify skills developed throughout your career.

Transferable Skills vs. Technical Skills: What Is the Difference?

Technical skills are generally associated with specific knowledge or expertise required to perform particular tasks. Examples might include using specialized software, applying an accounting method, operating a manufacturing process or working with a programming language.

Transferable skills, on the other hand, can be applied across different professional contexts.

The distinction is not always absolute. Some technical skills can also be transferable when they are relevant across multiple industries or functions.

What matters most is understanding which skills remain relevant in the professional context you want to enter.

What Role Do Transferable Skills Play in a Career Change?

Transferable skills are particularly important when making a career change.

When someone changes occupations or industries, they may not have every experience directly associated with their new target role. Transferable skills help create a bridge between their previous experience and their new professional direction.

The goal is not to disregard previous experience, but to translate it into a new context.

For example, someone who managed a team in retail may have developed leadership, people management, conflict resolution and operations management skills that remain relevant in many other professional environments.

How Do You Present Transferable Skills in a Job Search?

Identifying transferable skills is the first step. The next is demonstrating how those skills can address the needs of a potential employer.

On a résumé, transferable skills are generally more effective when demonstrated through concrete accomplishments rather than presented as a simple list of qualities.

The same principle applies during an interview. Providing examples of situations where a particular skill was used helps an employer understand how that skill could translate to the new role.

This becomes particularly important when applying for a position that differs from roles held previously.

In Summary

Transferable skills are skills developed in one context that can be applied to other roles, organizations or industries.

Identifying them can help someone better understand the value of their experience and look beyond previous job titles when considering future opportunities.

They become particularly important during a career transition or career change because they help connect previous experience with the next stage of a person’s career.

As part of a career transition program, identifying transferable skills can help uncover new professional possibilities and position previous experience more effectively with employers.