Transferable Skills: Why They Matter & How to Frame Them in Your Job Search

Transferable skills represent the workplace skills and technical skills you've developed in one role that can be readily applied to another without requiring much additional training. For that reason, employers tend to value these skills.

It can be useful to highlight your transferable skills on your resume when you're looking for a new job or seeking to change careers. Doing so can show employers that you can jump right into your new responsibilities with less intensive training than another candidate may require.

Learn about six in-demand transferable skills along with others you can feature on your resume as you look for jobs. Afterward, keep expanding your skill set with a Coursera Plus subscription, where you'll get access to over 10,000 courses.  

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What are transferable skills?

Transferable skills are a combination of technical skills and workplace skills you've developed that can be applied to a new role with minimal additional training. They can be especially useful in a competitive job market where employers are less open to taking a risk on candidates who don't have the specific skill set or training to fill a role. If you're able to show that you can "transfer" your knowledge from one position to another, you may attract more attention as you look for a new job.

There are two types of skill sets that make up transferable skills:

• Technical skills: The focused knowledge and hands-on abilities that enable someone to operate particular tools and software programs.

• Workplace skills: Traits that reflect how you work and interact with others, such as communication style, analytical thinking, and collaborative abilities.

5 reasons why transferable skills matter

There are a number of reasons why transferable skills are considered valuable.

1. Reduced training investment

When you bring transferable skills to a new role, organizations spend less time and money on basic training, which allows them to focus resources on specialized training unique to their processes or technologies. It can also mean that you're able to begin contributing meaningfully to projects much sooner than another new employee without transferable skills might.

2. Adaptability

You're likely more adaptable if you have lots of transferable skills because you can apply your previous experience and knowledge to new situations, making you a more versatile team member. This adaptability is particularly valuable in today's rapidly changing workplace, where roles and responsibilities frequently evolve.

3. Risk reduction

You may be considered a less risky hire as someone with transferable skills. Your track record of successfully applying these skills in different contexts gives employers greater confidence in your ability to perform and adapt to the new role.

4. Cost-effectiveness

You can provide more immediate value by applying your existing expertise to new challenges. You can typically take on additional responsibilities sooner and may even help train or mentor other team members, enhancing your value to the organization.

5. Long-term value

If you have strong transferable skills, chances are higher that you'll demonstrate greater capacity for growth and advancement within an organization. Your ability to adapt and learn makes you a valuable asset as companies evolve, and you may become a key contributor to organizational success over time.

6 in-demand transferable skills

Here are six in-demand transferable skills, with examples of how they might appear in different roles. Use this list to begin identifying your own transferrable skills.  

1. Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate, synthesize, and analyze information in an objective manner in order to produce an original insight or judgment. Good critical thinkers will often prompt themselves and others to think more deeply about an issue. In a business setting, this can look like ensuring that a product, idea, or policy is thoroughly conceptualized before executing it. 

Examples of critical thinking include:

• A teacher who crafts a curriculum to fit the unique needs of their students 

• An employee who routinely questions the popular opinion in meetings to ensure that decisions are sound

• A data scientist who asks original questions of datasets 

• A union representative who asks important questions of employers to ensure the safety and well-being of factory workers 

2. Problem solving 

Problem solving is the ability to find solutions to complex or difficult issues. Skilled problem solvers are likely good at identifying the underlying reasons a problem exists and then executing a plan to resolve it. 

Examples of problem solving include:

• A cashier who quickly devises a way to take orders when the point-of-sale (POS) system shuts down

• An accountant who creates a more efficient filing system

• An intern in a political campaign who constructs a database to improve voter outreach 

3. Adaptability

Adaptability is the ability to quickly adjust to new situations. A person who is adaptable is not only comfortable entering unfamiliar environments and facing new challenges, but also often succeeds in such situations. 

Examples of adaptability include: 

• A worker in a warehouse who is equally comfortable packing products, taking inventory, making deliveries, and negotiating shift schedules

• A dispatcher who quickly responds to driver requests and offers alternative routes while switching between multiple applications 

• A recently hired employee at a company who quickly gets up to speed on an important project  

4. Teamwork

Teamwork is the ability to work well with others and put the good of the project ahead of personal interest. A person who is good at teamwork is capable of supporting teammates, motivating others, and both giving and receiving constructive feedback.  

Examples of teamwork include: 

• A waiter who works under pressure with a team of bussers, cooks, and dishwashers, while tactfully maneuvering a range of personalities and interfacing with customers 

• A builder who must work with many others to ensure the timely completion of a home 

• A stagehand who must work with a team to ensure that a stage is quickly set during an opera performance 

• A copywriter who must simultaneously produce original material for a client and also adjust to client feedback 

5. Attention to detail

Attention to detail is the ability to assure the quality of the finer aspects of a project. An individual who exhibits a refined attention to detail is able to focus on the minute—though crucial—aspects of a project or product that many others may overlook.  

Examples of attention to detail include: 

• A worker in a ceramics factory who assures the quality of each tile by checking them for imperfections in glaze, size, shape, and material 

• A bookkeeper who makes a habit of going through a company’s accounts line-by-line to ensure that all financial records are in order

• An editor who reads through written content to correct any errors in spelling, grammar, or phrasing

• A programmer who reads through lines of codes to fix any mistakes

• A  garment worker who checks that the stitching on newly manufactured coats are correct  

6. Management 

Management is the ability to effectively handle other people and processes, such as time or plans. An effective manager of other people might be adept at supervising, directing, and scheduling. At the same time, they are likely skilled at understanding how each team member fits into the larger picture of the organization or project they are undertaking. 

Examples of management include:

• A stage manager for a theatrical production who must ensure everything runs smoothly during a live performance

• A parent who must plan, schedule, and juggle numerous responsibilities for a family

• A shift leader who must ensure their team understands what they are doing and stays on task

• A club president who regularly runs club meetings, facilitates discussions, and plans activities

• A grocery store owner who must schedule employees and regularly order produce from suppliers

Transferable skills and your resume

Whether you are looking for a job opportunity or are considering a career change, it's helpful to first identify the transferable skills you have and then find ways to feature them on your resume. The list below offers a wide variety of transferable skills: 

Identifying your transferable skills 

Now that you have an understanding of some of the most common transferable skills, it’s time to identify some of your own: 

1. Identify 10 skills from the above list that you most exhibit.

2. Reflect on how you've used these skills in your more recent roles. Write down examples, and try to be as comprehensive as possible.

3. Once you have examples of how you've used these skills in the past, jot down any key achievements that resulted from your use of each skill.

Congratulations! You now have a list of your most impactful transferable skills. When you apply for jobs, follow the steps below to add these skills to your resume and be prepared to discuss them in any job interviews.

Tip: One way to identify valuable transferable skills in your desired area of employment is to read through job postings and identify the skills they highlight. Once you have made a list of the desired skills, use the above exercise to identify the ways you have used those skills in your personal and professional life. 

For more inspiration, consider asking a friend, family member, or coworker what they think your best skills are. Sometimes, the people closest to us can see our strengths better than we can.

Adding transferable skills to your resume

Once you know which transferable skills you want to include, consider adding or integrating them to the resume sections below:

• Professional summary: Use a resume summary to call out specific transferable skills that have helped you make an impact in the past.

• Work experience: For the roles where you used your transferable skills most, make sure to include a bullet point noting as much. If you can, go one step further and add any key results you delivered thanks to those skills.

• Skills: You can group together transferable skills by category, such as leadership and communication. For instance, "Leadership: Team development, conflict resolution, strategic planning."

Build transferable skills on Coursera

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