What are transferable skills?
Transferable skills are an employee’s abilities that can be used in a number of jobs. These skills are important to have as they can keep your workplace running smoothly. So, when looking for new employees, you want to hire people who have a lot of transferable skills. Transferable skills will show you their ability to grow into the role and possibly become a leader. This means that you can hire someone who will be with the company for a long time, which is good for the company. It is also important to look at what type of transferable skills they have so you can determine if the candidate is the right choice for your company to hire.
Moreover, finding new employees can be a long and expensive process, so when you look at a candidate’s transferable skills, what you are really doing is seeing what type of potential they have.
15 examples of transferable skills
Certain transferable skills are more sought after than others, so it is important to know what you are looking for before seeking candidates for a new or open position. By looking through the following examples, you will have a better idea of which transferable skills you should be looking for in your next employee:
1. Problem Solving
Problem-solving is a transferable skill that can be used in any type of working environment, no matter what industry you work in, which is why it’s so valuable. So, being able to recognize a problem and having innovative ideas about how to solve it can make a candidate a valuable asset to your team.
2. Analytical Reasoning
Analytical reasoning is when you can take complex ideas and break them down into smaller facts that can help you solve a complex issue. This is a transferable skill you should look for in a candidate as it can help you look at the big picture for your business and figure out how it pertains to a particular project.
3. Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the evaluation and interpretation of information to make a judgment, come to a conclusion, or choose a course of action. Being able to think critically about things means you can question ideas and decide on the best course of action based on all the facts. This also means that change is easier for critical thinkers as they can question why your business does certain things and may suggest better changes regardless of how things may have been done in the past.
4. Leadership
Leadership is a combination of a candidate’s ability to lead a team, see ways in which they can motivate others and the ability to accomplish goals. Being a good leader means the new hire can communicate well with your team and motivate them to work hard when needed. This transferable skill is needed in all companies and is why it is so sought after in employees.
5. Adaptability
Being able to adapt is incredibly important for any employee. Things can change when working on projects, and you may need to be able to pivot to a new direction or new goal. Adaptability can help any worker become better at their job as they will know how to change how they do things in order to fit the new goal. Having this transferable skill can make work easier, which is why it is something most employers notice, and you would want to see in your employees.
6. Teamwork
Teamwork means working together as a group to achieve a common goal. It is important when working with a team to be able to relate to others and work hard at making a contribution to the overall goal. Those who have this essential skill are able to collaborate with others and make sure that projects are done efficiently and effectively.
7. Communication
This transferable skill is one that is important for any job. Being able to communicate clearly means that the candidate can get their point across without confusion or an abundance of questions. Those who are good communicators can help lead teams, clarify the goals of a project and help if conflicts were to arise.
Related: How to Create Effective Communication at the Workplace
8. Writing
Though writing is part of communication, it is worth mentioning on its own. Writing is an essential skill for an employee to have as it is important to be able to convey a message through written words. This is especially true with email being one of the primary ways we communicate in business. If your employees can write in a way that people understand without confusion, it can help make your business communication become more efficient.
9. Listening
Having good listening skills is good for any employee and is especially important for managers. Being able to listen to someone and understand what their main point was is an essential skill for employees to have as it means they can relay the message easily. Also, managers who have good listening skills will be able to connect well with employees and allow them to feel heard.
10. Creativity
Creativity is about how you approach tasks and solve problems. Being an “out of the box” thinker can mean that the candidate can bring innovation to your work, which can be helpful to your company. Having employees with this skill is important to develop as it can mean that you have a step up on the competition or can solve problems in a unique way.
11. Attention to Detail
Having this transferable skill means that the candidate pays close attention to small details and can point out small mistakes. This is important for any business as no one wants to make mistakes, no matter how small they are. If your employees have attention to detail, it means the small things in a project won’t go overlooked, and you will be able to find ways to improve successfully.
12. Project Management
Project management skills help you manage tasks from start to finish. Being able to organize a timeline for duties and staying on top of your work is part of project management. Project management can also be combined with leadership roles when collaborating with others so everyone can finish their tasks on time. Having this transferable skill means your new hire would be a great asset to any team.
13. Relationship Building
Being able to build relationships easily means that you can have good working relationships with colleagues that are based on trust and respect. This is an important transferable skill to look for in your employees to keep harmony in the workplace and build better customer relationships.
14. Computer Skills
Though having computer skills might have been a technical skill in the past, it is now an essential skill for any employee. Almost everything we do is now either done on computers or has an aspect of computer technology built into the tasks being performed. Having the ability to use computers easily makes an employee a valuable asset to any team as they will need less training and can also help others learn this essential skill.
15. Quick Learner
Being a quick learner means you are able to take in information and then use it quickly to help your performance. No matter what position you are in or what type of job you have, being able to learn quickly is an important skill to have. This is especially important with technology as things are constantly changing. So, this transferable skill will make a candidate a valuable asset to any team.
The above examples of transferable skills can be used by anyone looking to hire a new employee as to what to look for in the candidates.
