Employability skills are the foundation of a successful career. They refer to the basic skills that are required to get, keep, and perform a job effectively.
Employers today face the challenge of finding reliable workers with the necessary skills to perform the job. This creates a skills gap that concerns HR managers and business owners who want competent employees with employable skills – or even better transferable skills.
Employability skills and transferable skills are closely connected, as transferable skills are a type of employability skill.
Bridging the Gap: Employability and Transferable Skills
In this article,
- We provide a checklist of employability skills, categorized into three sections: Fundamental Skills, Personal Management Skills, and Teamwork Skills.
- We discuss in detail the transferable skills with examples.
The Connection Between Employability Skills and Transferable Skills
Employability skills are the skills and qualities that enable someone to be employable and effective in a job. These skills are often referred to as “soft skills” and include things like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and time management.
Transferable skills, on the other hand, are skills that can be used across different jobs and industries.
These skills are developed through previous experiences, such as previous jobs, education, or hobbies, and can be applied to new situations.
Transferable skills are a type of employability skill because they are skills that make a person more employable by making them versatile and adaptable.
Employers value employees who possess transferable skills, as they are seen as an asset to the company.
List of Employability Skills: A Checklist for Job Seekers
A.) Fundamental Skills – Examples of Basic Skills Employers Expect:
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- Communication: This involves the ability to read, write, and speak effectively to convey information, ask questions, and share ideas. A good communicator listens actively and communicates clearly.
- Managing Information Responsibly: An employee with this skill can gather and organize information, set priorities, and manage time effectively. They can also identify the root cause of a problem and use appropriate technology and information systems to solve it.
- Think and Solve Problems: This skill involves analyzing situations, identifying potential problems, and using science and technology to solve problems and make decisions.
B.) Personal Management Skills – Skills that Dictate Your Potential for Growth and Success:
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- Demonstrate a Positive Attitude: This involves being confident, dealing with people and situations with honesty and personal ethics, recognizing good efforts, and taking care of personal health.
- Be Responsible: An employee with this skill can set goals, manage risks, be accountable for their actions and their group’s actions, be socially responsible, and contribute to their community.
- Be Adaptable: An adaptable employee can work independently or as part of a team, multitask, use appropriate tools/technology, respond constructively to change, learn from mistakes, and be innovative and creative when exploring potential solutions.
- Continuously Learn: This skill involves being willing to learn continuously, setting learning goals, and planning for learning goals.
C.) Teamwork Skills – Skills Necessary for Contributing and Being Productive:
- Work with Others: This involves working within group dynamics, being flexible, respecting and supporting others’ thoughts, opinions, and contributions, accepting and providing feedback constructively, contributing to the team by sharing information and expertise, and understanding the role of conflict in a group.
- Participate in Projects: An employee with this skill can plan, design, and carry out projects and tasks, define objectives, carry out tasks from start to finish, develop a plan, revise, adjust, implement, work to quality standards, monitor the success of projects and tasks, and identify areas for improvement.
Conclusion,
If you want to succeed in your career, you need to have employability skills.
This checklist of employability skills is an excellent resource to identify the skills that employers expect from their employees.
Conduct your employability skills assessment to know where you can improve your skills and become more employable. With these skills, you can increase your chances of getting hired, keeping your job, and performing it effectively.
Transferable Skills: Identifying and Using Them for Career Changers
Considering a Career Change? Discover Your Transferable Skills
If you’re contemplating a career change, you’re not alone. In today’s world, it’s common to make multiple transitions throughout your working life. But how do you identify the skills that will benefit you as you move on?
What are Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills are the skills that can easily transfer from one job to another, regardless of the field.
Everyone has some of these “core job skills” that can be utilized in different job areas, especially when changing careers.
Examples of Transferable Skills
For example, an employee with strong communication skills can use those skills in a variety of job roles, from customer service to sales to management.
Similarly, an employee with strong time management skills can use those skills in any job that requires prioritization and meeting deadlines, such as project management or event planning.
In short, transferable skills are an important component of employability skills, as they enable individuals to be versatile and adaptable in the workplace. By highlighting these skills in resumes and job interviews, job seekers can make themselves more attractive to potential employers.
More examples –
Repair equipment, keep records, coach, file, research, motivate others, train others, manage finances, build things, coordinate activities/fundraising, work unsupervised, be a team player, have leadership skills, be a public speaker, be aware of job safety, be flexible, and manage time are some of the most common transferable skills.
While this list only scratches the surface, it’s important to remember that each person’s list is going to look different. Create a transferable skills checklist to make it easier to transfer those skills into your resume.
Transferable Skills: Using Them in Your Resume
Once you’ve created your transferable skills checklist, it’s time to work it into your resume. Here are some examples:
Communication – Transferable Skills
I can express my ideas effectively in both oral and written communication. I listen attentively and clarify any direction I do not fully understand. I have the skills to create high-quality letters, reports, and proposals.
Teamwork – Transferable Skills
I work well with others and focus on achieving our common goals. I help others accomplish work objectives and solve problems. I lead when appropriate and motivate my team to accomplish our goals.
The Benefits of Transferable Skills
When changing careers or jobs, it’s natural to feel worried and unsure about how you’ll compete with others who have direct experience in the job(s) you’re applying for.
However, by using a transferable skills checklist to promote yourself on your resume, you increase your chances of being selected for the position.
In many instances, the missing experience in that field is dwarfed over the mounting skills you have. So, start building your resume from the skills you have rather than the skills you need.