When exploring new career opportunities, whether it’s within a different organisation, department, or even an entirely new role, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to succeed in these positions. This can be challenging, especially when you lack direct experience in the specific role or within the new company. However, it’s far from impossible. By leveraging transferable skills, you can confidently step into a wide range of roles, showcasing your adaptability and readiness to take on new challenges.
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In this article, we will be discussing what transferable skills are and how you can apply them to your application for a government role.
Transferable skills are versatile abilities that you can carry with you across various job roles and industries. These skills, often referred to as soft skills, are not tied to a specific profession but are valuable in almost any workplace. You may have developed these skills throughout your career, or you might naturally possess them.
Improving your transferable skills is not only possible but also highly encouraged. Many educational institutions, including colleges and universities, offer programs and activities that help build these skills. You can also enhance them through volunteer work or in your current role by taking on new challenges and responsibilities.
In addition, online platforms provide a wealth of resources for developing transferable skills. Whether through YouTube tutorials, online courses, or training materials found via search engines, there are countless opportunities to learn and grow. Investing time in these resources not only strengthens your skill set but also demonstrates your commitment to personal and professional development—an attribute that is highly valued by employers.
Numerous traits are often counted as transferable skills. Here are some common transferable skills that you can consider adding on your resume in your next application.
Dependability: This transferable skill is about earning the trust of others to complete tasks or fulfil roles consistently. Dependability can be challenging to demonstrate, but using specific language to illustrate your reliability in past experiences can effectively convey this skill.
Leadership and Team Management: Leadership is a critical transferable skill, especially when applying for roles with growth potential. Demonstrating your ability to lead and manage teams shows that you have the potential to take on future leadership positions within the organisation.
Problem-Solving: The ability to think creatively and develop solutions to challenges is one of the most valued transferable soft skills in any environment. Highlighting your problem-solving skills can make you a highly desirable candidate and may even result in more competitive compensation.
Data Analysis: In today’s data-driven world, the ability to analyse information and draw meaningful conclusions is a crucial transferable skill. Successful candidates must demonstrate their capacity to interpret data accurately and use it to inform decision-making.
Communication: Effective communication is vital across all levels of an organisation. This transferable soft skill is not just for leaders—everyone needs to be able to clearly convey information and ideas to ensure team alignment and achieve better outcomes.
Time Management: Managing time efficiently is a key transferable skill that impacts overall productivity. Candidates who can prioritise tasks, meet deadlines, and complete work without sacrificing quality are far more attractive to employers.
Empathy: A valuable but often overlooked transferable soft skill, empathy is essential for creating a supportive and collaborative team environment. Being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others is crucial, no matter your role or level of seniority.
Adaptability: The ability to adjust to changing environments is critical for success. Adaptability is a highly sought-after transferable skill, as it shows that you can thrive in dynamic workplaces.
Technological Literacy: In an increasingly digital world, technological literacy is a must-have transferable skill. Demonstrating proficiency with a variety of software and tools indicates that you are capable of learning and adapting to new systems quickly.
Organisation: Organisational skills are essential for maximising the use of resources and ensuring efficiency. This transferable skill is particularly important in environments with limited resources and high demands, as it allows you to optimise processes and contribute to the team’s success.
Transferable skills are essential for both candidates and organisations for several key reasons:
Transferable skills play a crucial role in boosting an organisation’s efficiency and productivity. These skills enable team members to use resources more effectively and collaborate more seamlessly, resulting in tasks being completed more efficiently. The ability to adapt and apply these skills across different scenarios can lead to significant improvements in overall team performance.
Conflict among team members can be one of the most significant costs for any organisation. Even minor disagreements can disrupt alignment towards common goals, leading to inefficiencies, wasted resources, and ultimately, higher costs. Moreover, unresolved conflicts can create a toxic work environment, increasing staff turnover and the associated costs of recruitment and training. Transferable skills, particularly in communication and conflict resolution, are vital in fostering a harmonious and productive workplace.
Candidates with strong transferable skills are more attractive to employers, as these skills indicate an ability to perform a wide range of tasks effectively. Individuals with well-developed transferable skills are often able to tackle complex tasks more quickly and efficiently. This adaptability not only makes them ideal candidates for promotion but also helps the organisation save time and money in the long run by having a workforce that can evolve and grow with the company’s needs.
There are various strategies for showcasing your transferable skills in your application, but it’s important to do so thoughtfully. Being too explicit about possessing these skills may indicate confidence, but it doesn’t necessarily provide the evidence needed to convince a hiring manager. Here are some tips on how to effectively demonstrate your transferable skills to a government hiring manager:
While it may seem intuitive to include your transferable skills in the skills section of your application, this is not the best approach. The skills section is typically reserved for listing your specific, tangible qualifications relevant to the role you’re applying for. Transferable skills, on the other hand, are often more abstract and harder to quantify.
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Instead of simply stating that you possess these skills, it’s far more effective to demonstrate them through your experience and achievements. Showcasing how you’ve applied these skills in real-world situations provides concrete evidence of your capabilities, making a stronger impression on hiring managers.
To effectively showcase your transferable skills, choose two or three key skills you want to highlight and incorporate them into your work experience section. Focus on crafting concise bullet points under each role that clearly demonstrate how you’ve applied these skills. For example:
By embedding your transferable skills in specific, measurable achievements, you provide tangible proof of your abilities, making your application more compelling to hiring managers.
Transferable skills are not easily certified or quantified, making it essential to demonstrate them through your actions and achievements. Simply stating that you possess a certain skill isn’t enough; you need to provide evidence that illustrates your capability. The most effective way to do this is by using strong action verbs and relevant statistics when discussing your transferable skills.
Action verbs convey your proactive role in achieving outcomes, while statistics offer concrete evidence of your impact. For example, instead of saying, “I have strong leadership skills,” you could say, “Led a team of 15 to successfully deliver a project ahead of schedule, resulting in a 20% increase in departmental efficiency.”
By coupling action verbs with measurable results, you not only show what you’ve done but also the tangible impact you’ve made, providing compelling proof of your transferable skills.
While many candidates may possess common transferable skills, standing out in today’s job market often requires highlighting those that are more modern and in-demand. The pandemic has shifted the landscape, making skills like online communication, virtual teamwork, and the ability to work independently (remote work) increasingly valuable. Including these trending skills in your resume can set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate your adaptability to the evolving workplace.
Not every transferable skill you possess will be relevant to the job you’re applying for. It’s crucial to research the specific role and department culture to understand which skills are most valued by the hiring manager. Tailor your resume by emphasising the transferable skills that align with the needs of the position and the organisation. A well-researched and customised application not only shows your suitability for the role but also your commitment to the specific job opportunity.
Transferable skills are critical for many job roles in today’s modern working environment. Applying these to your APS application can put you ahead of the competition and increase your chances of securing the position you want.Â
Public Service Careers Coach, PS Careers Practice Manager
