The Most Important Transferable Skills

Rachael Powell
September 26, 2023
Career Guide Article

Transferable skills are skills you can take from one job to the next. No matter your degree or desired career path, transferable skills can benefit you professionally and socially. Therefore, they are essential when considering a job or career change. While your previous job duties or educational experiences may align differently with the requirements of a new job, transferable skills can help you bridge the gap and let employers see what a valued asset you can be to their team.

Top Transferable Skills

Whether you are looking to make a career change, land a new job or get an internship, displaying the transferable skills you have already developed can help employers see the potential you can bring to their organization despite lacking direct industry experience.

Don’t count yourself out if you lack industry-specific experiences. Instead, show employers how your education or previous work experience is a good fit for the role you are applying for by highlighting transferable skills.

According to the 2023 Employee Skills Survey conducted by

AgCareers.com, the top necessary skills employers need are:
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Organization and planning

Verbal communication

Because these are the most necessary skills for employers, they could also be seen as the most important transferable skills. Let’s take a closer look at each of these skills and how you can demonstrate them.

1. Problem-Solving:

This transferable skill was noted as the most coveted skill in the 2023 AgCareers.com Employee Skills survey. When problems arise, you may have to be creative when coming up with a solution or be required to make decisions. While training is important, problem-solving and decision-making skills are vital in setting you apart as a valuable team member. Practice demonstrating how you worked through problems in your role and the thought process used to overcome obstacles.

2. Teamwork:

Unless you are working for yourself with no other human contact, teamwork is a vital skill that is transferable to any industry or type of role. Being able to demonstrate that you can work with others, including workflow, conflict resolution, and positioning yourself as a valuable team member is essential. Try enhancing this skill by seeking out team-related projects at work and asking for feedback from group members. Determining how you can best support your team and being able to follow through is a welcomed transferable skill.

3. Organization and Planning:

On the job, you will be required to prioritize tasks and manage your time well as you take on different projects in addition to your daily job duties. While the need for this skill may seem obvious, many employers are seeing a lapse in this skill as they continue to look to fill positions. Consider your current workflow if this is a skill you need to sharpen. Are there areas of your education and work life that need more organization? Work-life to implement new systems to share how you practiced organization and planning skills to improve a project timeline or process with a potential employer.

4. Verbal Communication:

Effective communication is vital when working with a team, whether clarifying instructions, mitigating issues, or collaborating on projects. Avoid many issues within the workspace through effective verbal communication. In addition, clear and concise communication can make projects go smoothly and lessen confusion. Some questions to ask yourself are: What and who have you communicated with today? Do you think communications were easily received?

Continuing Education

Further education through certification courses, training, or webinars can also help employees as they work to diversify their industry knowledge and transferable skill set.

Eighty percent of employers reported that when looking for professional development opportunities, they or their employees are looking for “general professional training or soft skills.”

Finding employers that offer training, especially with transferable skills, can be a huge benefit when beginning your professional career and building your skill repertoire. In summary, while industry-specific experience and skills are valuable, these will come with time as you advance further into your career and education. When highlighting your potential to future employers, do not underestimate the value transferable skills can bring to the table.

Explore the AgCareers.com Career Success Library https://www.agcareers.com/career-success-library/ and register for the Career Success Kit https://www.agcareers.com/newsletter-signup.cfm to gather additional tips on transferable skills.