The Transferable Skills Employers Always Look For

Adding to your skillset shows how you progress over time, but transferable skills such as leadership, listening and having a positive attitude can also play their role in getting your next job.

The value of emphasising your transferable skills is that they can be deployed throughout many job functions. 

Some of the team share the transferable skills that their clients value and put emphasis on. If you have these, then it puts someone else’s mind at rest and you are ready to hit the ground running.

Michelle Mitchell, operations manager, chooses the importance of self-management. “For many roles available within my team, they are predominantly skillset led such as a CNC operator, but the ability to self-manage comes naturally to people and this is recognised by employers. Aspects such as reliability, taking responsibility and managing time well, go hand in hand with being a sound choice for others.”

According to Rob Bruce, senior recruitment consultant, resilience is something that becomes part of the wider conversation with clients. Rob says, “Being resilient at work is about being able to deal with the challenges that are presented every day and not letting that affect the workflow. For instance, I am noticing that many candidates are having a willingness to stick with a job and look to make an impact within the company they are a part of. Perhaps the pandemic has helped people have this sense of sturdiness, or at least if there is an issue, to be open and talk to their employer. Communication is key, employers want people who will feel comfortable but also deal with the unexpected.” 

According to PwC’s Talent Trends 2020 report, “organisations need to build transferable, ‘no regrets’ skills that prepare people no matter the change.” A lot comes down to supporting the culture that companies have created and being there for their employees. According to Carol Stubbings, Joint Global Leader of PwC’s People and Organisation, “Companies need to invest in their people. That’s how many companies will survive this crisis and become stronger.”

Vicki Reeks, industrial manager, highlights one skill that cannot be overstated and that clients value is having a positive personality, “I always mention to people about the importance of the first impression and the fact that people make a decision fairly quickly. In fact, Dollar Shave Club reported research from 2,000 people that you have 27 seconds to make that good impression. Employers want people who will be the best person for them and when you mix positivity with humility, you have a very strong base to work from.”

Transferable skills whilst can vary from job to job, this is something that stays with a candidate, wherever they go. 

Personality traits are the things that are fixed within you, make good use of the talents and abilities that are within your DNA.