Skills Worth Transferring for Your Future Job Change
In today's rapidly changing job market, General Assembly (GA) offers a range of courses to help individuals reimagine their careers. From design and coding to data analytics and user experience, GA equips learners with the skills needed to thrive in the digital age.
But what if you're unsure about which tech career is the right fit? A personalized skills audit from GA could be the answer. This assessment can help identify your transferable skills, which are soft skills that can be used in any situation or career, and match them to the requirements of a potential new role.
When it comes to job hunting, highlighting your transferable skills can make you a competitive candidate, even if you lack direct industry experience. Here are some key strategies to help you showcase your versatile skills:
- Identify your transferable skills: Review your past roles and achievements to find the skills you used regularly that can apply to the new job. This could include communication, leadership, problem-solving, organizational skills, analytical abilities, and project management.
- Analyze the job description: Carefully examine the job requirements to find which transferable skills the employer values. Match your skills to those requirements explicitly in your resume and cover letter.
- Use concrete examples and quantify your impact: Apply the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to frame your transferable skills as measurable successes in previous roles, showing how they apply to the target job.
- Start bullet points with strong action verbs: Use verbs that demonstrate leadership, problem-solving, or other key skills. For example, instead of "answered customer questions," use: "Resolved 50+ customer inquiries daily through critical thinking, increasing satisfaction scores by 20%."
- Highlight both hard and soft transferable skills: Include technical aptitude as well as interpersonal skills like teamwork and attention to detail.
- Prepare to share examples of these skills in interviews: Be ready to discuss specific instances where you've demonstrated your transferable skills to reinforce your suitability for the role, especially if switching industries or careers.
- Consider contract or temporary work: This can help you build and demonstrate new transferable skills relevant to your target industry.
By focusing on transferable skills, you can demonstrate that your versatile skills can add value and make you a competitive candidate, even if you lack direct industry experience.
Some examples of transferable skills include adaptability, analytical thinking, communication, creativity, critical thinking, digital literacy, empathy, initiative, leadership, mentoring, motivation, relationship-building, social influence, teamwork, time management, and work ethic. These skills are particularly important in today's fast-paced job market, where technology changes rapidly, and most job functions won't look the same in the future.
Adaptability is essential for reskilling and keeping up with changes in the job market, as 37% of the top 20 skills needed have changed since 2016. Creativity is the fastest-growing skill and the second most in-demand skill overall, according to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report in 2023. Digital literacy is also crucial, as it involves using information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.
Remember, a cover letter is an excellent opportunity to stand out from other candidates. Specify your motivation and highlight transferable skills that will help the company achieve its goals. Practicing STAR or PARLA stories can help you effectively prepare for interviews.
In conclusion, career transitions can lead to a new beginning and a chance to evaluate, reset, and pivot to a more fulfilling career. Whether you've been laid off or are simply seeking a change, focusing on your transferable skills can help you navigate the job market and find a role that aligns with your strengths and interests.
- To excel in a career change, such as transitioning from a non-technical background to software engineering, education-and-self-development through courses offered by General Assembly can provide the necessary learning and skills.
- Personal-growth and career-development can be achieved through the identification and showcasing of transferable skills, like leadership and problem-solving, during the job hunting process, even in the absence of direct industry experience.
- Continuous learning and adapting to changes in technology, which is crucial in the rapidly evolving job market, necessitates focus on transferable skills such as creativity, digital literacy, and adaptability.
