Oct 8, 2013 4 min read

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What do the positions of university career counselor, entertainer, serial entrepreneur, business developer, service organization trustee, inspirational speaker/trainer, and professional football scout have in common? Not a thing by title, but a great deal if you itemize the identical skill sets required by each job in order to be successful. Those skills, known in the career development industry as “transferable skills,” allow individuals at all levels an opportunity to become or stay marketable.

Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the perennial best-selling job-hunting manual entitled, “What Color Is Your Parachute,” pioneered the concept of transferable skills – essentially, that you are defined not by your job title, but by the skills that you possess, which are transferable from, and to, any occupation you engage in. According to Bolles, we are all born with, and acquire – through education, training and experience – skills that move with us from job to job.

These “movable skills” fall into three categories: people, data, and things. Examples of people skills include communication, teaching, coaching, persuasion and supervision. Data skills involve work with record keeping, research, translation and data compilation. Assembling, repairing and operating computers and other equipment are examples of the third transferable skill set that deals with things.

The task of talent acquisition and retention can be daunting for businesses trying to remain or become successful while keeping an eye on the bottom line. Transferable skills provide a possible solution. When it comes to hiring, motivating and keeping employees, the focus should be on finding a good match between the needs of the company and the prospect’s strengths and ability to fit in. As the economy inches along the road to recovery, many organizations are looking for candidates who have mastered (and identified) transferable skills that can be useful from one role or industry to another. It is not uncommon today to hear about laid-off mid-career workers accepting employment in fields far-flung from academic training or previous occupations. Bolles himself is a prime example, as the author is a former Episcopal clergyman.

Benefits of transferable skills for companies include a larger source of candidates with job-ready potential, increased retention of workforce due to promotion or transfer opportunities, and greater productivity among employees who have diversified skill sets.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers conducts an annual Job Outlook Survey. In its 2012 findings, NACE found the following qualities or skills to be those most sought by employers:

• Able to work in a team

• Able to communicate verbally with people inside and outside the organization

• Able to solve problems and make decisions

• Able to obtain and process information

• Able to plan, organize and prioritize work to be done

• Able to analyze quantitative data

• Able to create and edit written material and reports

• Able to influence/sell others

• Proficient with computer software programs

• Knowledge of technology as it relates to the job

These are all transferable skills.

Candidates who take the time to identify transferable skills will display them on resumes and showcase them at interviews. Employers should have candidates back up their transferable skills by asking for examples of how candidates used the skill successfully in another career field or other experience. Use the “CAR” approach – challenge, action, results – to help establish credibility. “What were some of the challenges you faced? What actions did you take to overcome the challenge? What were the results of your work?”

Work-related competencies will always remain a requirement for professions such as nursing, accounting, engineering, etc. However, the value of staying marketable in this recessionary work environment has shown how important relating transferable skills to other industries and occupations can be. Of course, the challenge for optimal success will be for employers to retain the best employees who are motivated to use ALL their skills.

The occupations listed in the opening paragraph are actually some of my former and current jobs, all of which involve strong transferable people skills – communication, teaching, coaching, persuasion, supervision, and yes, they are leadership skills. As I keep experimenting with careers, there’s no telling what the next one will be … but you can bet it will involve some or all of my transferable leadership skills.

Dr. Stephanie Urchick is CEO of the Southpointe CEO Association and executive director of the Southpointe Property Owners’ Association. Additionally, she is a business development consultant for Robert Morris University, a trustee of The Rotary Foundation, and a member of a regional scouting team for the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League. For more information about the Southpointe CEO Association and upcoming events, visit the website at www.southpointe-ceo.org.