Meeting the Transferable Skills Challenge!

 

Out July 9, 2024, Sarah K. White from CIO just released a POWERFUL, MUST READ ARTICLE entitled Generative AI and preparing for a shift to skills-based hiring!  This article was the catalyst for our article on Transferable Skills! 

A skill is a learned or acquired behavior, activity, competency, or proficiency. When writing a resume, applying for a job, going for an interview, preparing for college or growing a business, your transferable skills provide a clear picture of who you are.   Employers, schools and customers are looking for people who have good transferable skills. (careerplans4all.com)

 

·        Transferable skills show your hard, soft, interpersonal and general skills that make you successful in any environment.

·        Transferable skills are a product of our talents, traits and knowledge. These skills determine how you respond to new activities, work situations or jobs.

·        Transferable skills are also non-job specific skills that you have acquired during any activity or life experiences. To be successful in the school, workplace or entrepreneurial activity, you have to possess transferable skills. (careerplans4all.com) 

Universities and professional organizations agree that transferable skills are essential. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is a professional association that connects at least 17,000 college career services professionals, university relations and recruiting professionals, and the business solution providers. NACE has compiled the twenty (20) top personal qualities/skills that employers requested the most:

 

1.        Analytical skills

2.        Communication Skills

3.        Computer skills

4.        Creativity

5.        Detail-oriented

6.        Entrepreneurial skills/risk-taker

7.        Flexibility/adaptability

8.        Friendly/outgoing personality

9.        Honesty/integrity

10.   Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)

11.   Leadership and management skills

12.   Motivation/initiative

13.   Organizational and time management skills

14.   Real Life Experiences

15.   Self-confidence

16.   Strong work ethic

17.   Tactfulness

18.   Teamwork skills (works well with others)

19.   Technical Skills

20.   Well-mannered/polite (NACE)

Besides competencies, there are three (3) Foundation Skills: Basic, thinking, and personal qualities. The types of Foundation Skills are:

 

·        Basic skills involve reading, writing, arithmetic, mathematics, listening, and speaking.

·        Thinking skills include creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, seeing things in the mind's eye, knowing how to learn, and reasoning.

·        Personal qualities are responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self-management, and integrity/honesty. (careerplans4all.com)

 Transferable keys are keys to success!!! Here are other reasons why Transferable Skills are important!

Kevin Gray from the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) wrote an article entitled The Key Attributes Employers are looking for on Graduates’ Resumes.  The article states 90% of the employers are seeking evidence of a student’s ability to solve problems and nearly 80% of the employers are seeking candidates who have strong teamwork skills... (naceweb.org) 

In addition, Kevin Gray also stated at least two-thirds of the employers look for:

 

·        A strong work ethic

·        Written and verbal communication skills

·        Analytical/quantitative skills

·        Flexibility/adaptability

·        Technical skills (naceweb.org)

 Since Transferable Skills are important not just for students but for everyone, need to understand the meaning behind transferable Skills.

According to our career experts, the top four transferable skills are –

 

·        Hard skills

·        Soft skills

·        General skills

·        Interpersonal skills (careerplans4all.com, betterup.com, careeraddict.com naceweb.org, theforage.com, wikijob.co.uk)

Next, here is a review of transferable skills.

 

1.        Hard Skills 

Alison Doyle from thebalancecareers.com wrote that Hard Skills provide specific knowledge and technical abilities required to accomplish certain tasks, which are quantifiable, and you can learn them through training, education or on the job. Also,  

In addition, Brita Long from insightglobal.com stated that there are a wide variety of hard skills that pertain to all different industries and job functions.

What are Hard Skills?

According to experts, the examples of hard skills are -  

·        Budgeting

·        Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

·        Carpentry

·        Copywriting

·        Data analytics or coding ()

·        Data mining

·        Engineering

·        Google Analytics

·        Project management

·        Sales and customer service

·        Search engine optimization

·        Software system expertise

·        Technical/ Trade jobs – Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.

·        Video production

Sources for hard skills resources are - careeraddict.com, betterup.com, edgepointlearning.com - extensive article with videos and  50+ examples, ennielifecoach.com, GCF Global -awesome graphics and videos, theforage.com and more and wikijob.co.uk..

 

2.            Soft skills 

 Ennie Chikwema from ennielifecoach.com requoted the wikijob.co.uk article stating that soft skills as “personal attributes, characteristics and competencies that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people, at work and in life”. Soft skills complement hard skills and can also be referred to as people skills or interpersonal skills. (ennielifecoach.com)

According to other career specialists, different types of soft skills include –

 

·        Attention to detail (edgepointlearning.com, theforage.com)

·        Human skills (betterup.com)

·        Communication skills (betterup.com, careeraddict.com, edgepointlearning.com, wikijob.co.uk,)

·        Dependability (betterup.com, wikijob.co.uk)

·        Flexibility (careeraddict.com, edgepointlearning.com, naceweb.org,)

·        Interpersonal skills (betterup.com)

·        Listening skills (betterup.com, wikijob.co.uk)

·        Persuasion (betterup.com)

·        Time management (betterup.com, careeraddict.com, theforage.com)

·        Verbal communication (naceweb.org)

·        Written communication/ writing (naceweb.org, betterup.com, careeraddict.com)

·        Other soft skills (edgepointlearning.com, insightglobal.com)

 

3.        General Skills 

 General skills exist in a lot of different environments. There are a variety of General Skills.

According to influencers, different types of General Skills include –

 

·        Analytical skills (naceweb.org, betterup.com, theforage.com wikijob.co.uk)

·        Creativity (betterup.com, careeraddict.com, theforage.com)

·        Critical thinking skills/ Logical reasoning (wikijob.co.uk, careeraddict.com)

·        Decision making skills (betterup.com)

·        Leadership skills (betterup.com, wikijob.co.uk)

·        Logical reasoning skills (careeraddict.com)

·        Multitasking skills (careeraddict.com) Numeracy skills (careeraddict.com)

·        Organizational skills (betterup.com, wikijob.co.uk, careeraddict.com)

·        Problem-solving skills (naceweb.org, betterup.com, careeraddict.com, theforage.com)

·        Project management skills (betterup.com)

·        Self-motivation (careeraddict.com)

·        SMART Goals (ennielifecoach.com)

·        Transferable Skills (betterup.com, careeraddict.com, ennielifecoach.com, wikijob.co.uk) 

·        Writing skills (careeraddict.com)

4.    Interpersonal skills

Maggie Wooll from betterup.com stated Interpersonal Skills are also known as people skills or social skills. People or Interpersonal Skills are vital for building positive relationships and collaborating effectively with others. 

Adaptability is an Interpersonal Skill.  According to Maggie Wooll from betterup.com, Adaptability is how well you’re able to adjust to new circumstances.  Adaptability is also reviewed by  naceweb.org, careeraddict.com, theforage.com, wikijob.co.uk.

Collaboration & Teamwork is a second Interpersonal Skill. Zoe Kaplan from theforage.com stated that Collaboration & Teamwork happen when you are working with others, whether virtually, in-person, synchronously, or in different time zones.

Other collaboration articles are written by betterup.com, theforage.com.

According to consultants, additional types of Interpersonal skills include –

 

·        Conflict resolution (careeraddict.com)

·        Customer service(careeraddict.com)

·        Emotional intelligence (EQ) (betterup.com)

·        Empathy (careeraddict.com)

·        Motivating others (careeraddict.com)

·        Patience (careeraddict.com)

·        Relationship building (betterup.com, wikijob.co.uk)

·        Strong work ethic (naceweb.org)

·        Teamwork/ Team Management (naceweb.org, betterup.com, wikijob.co.uk)

·        Trust-building (careeraddict.com)

 5.        Transferable Skills and Interest Areas

Transferable skills fall into three (3) interest areas:

·        Working with people

·        Working with things

·        Working with data/information

These terms are defined below:

 

·        Working with people skills happen when people sell, train, advise, and negotiate.

·        Working with things skills occur when people repair, operate machinery, sketch, survey, or troubleshoot.

·        Working with data/information skills involve budgeting, researching, and analyzing. (findcareerpathway.com)

Transferable Skills Reference List

 This is just the beginning of your journey to understand Transferable Skills. Want to read more about Transferable Skills?  Here is a list of consultants that can provide you additional information:

 

Askew, Mary. Transferable Skills Career Tools. (careerplans4all.com)

Bleich, Corey, Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: Definitions and 50+ Examples!  EdgePoint, LLC, 4340 E. Indian School Rd., #21-554, Phoenix, AZ 85018, https://edgepointlearning.com.

Chikwema, Ennie Chipembere. (2019, April 23). Soft Skills and Transferable Skills – What are they and 10 Tips on How to Develop Them. https://ennielifecoach.com/2019/04/23/10-tips-on-soft-skills-what-are-they-and-how-to-develop-them/ 

Dale, Nikki. (2024,January 9). 25 Transferable Skills Employers Look For in 2024. https://www.wikijob.co.uk/interview-advice/competencies/transferable-skills

Dalley, Mike. (2022, June 3). The Complete Guide to Transferable Skills. https://www.careeraddict.com/transferable-skills.  

Doyle, Alison (2024,July 3), Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: What's the Difference? https://www.thebalancemoney.com/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills-2063780 

GCF Global, https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/jobsearchandnetworking/the-entrylevel-catch22/1/  has awesome graphics and videos.

Gray, Kevin. (2024,January 16). The Key Attributes Employers Are Looking For On Graduates’ Resumes. https://www.naceweb.org/talent-acquisition/candidate-selection/the-key-attributes-employers-are-looking-for-on-graduates-resumes 

Kaplan, Zoe. (2023, April 4). What Are Transferable Skills? Definition and Examples. https://www.theforage.com/blog/skills/transferable-skills

Long, Brita. (2022, August 16). Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: What Are They? (With Examples). https://insightglobal.com/blog/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills/  

Mellett, Edward. (2024, May 14). 20 Soft Skills Employers Look For in 2024 (With Examples). https://www.wikijob.co.uk/interview-advice/competencies/soft-skills. 

White, Sarah K. (2024, July 09). Generative AI and preparing for a shift to skills-based hiring. https://www.cio.com/article/2509754/generative-ai-and-preparing-for-a-shift-to-skills-based-hiring.html

Wooll, Maggie. (2024,February 15). 17 Essential Transferable Skills To Boost Your Job Search. https://www.betterup.com/blog/transferable-skills

 

Hope that you have enjoyed exploring Transferable Skills. Here are some of our other resources!

 

Web sites:

https://careersocialmedia.ning.com/

https://www.hollandcodes.com/

https://www.findcareerpathway.com/

 

Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/careerexploration/

https://www.instagram.com/careersocialmedia/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmaryaskew/

https://www.pinterest.com/hollandcodes/

https://www.slideshare.net/learning4life

https://www.thinglink.com/user/509915651716939777/scenes

https://www.youtube.com/@pathwayidentity

 

Blogs

https://hollandcodes.blogspot.com/

https://hollandcodes.wordpress.com/

Transferable Skills Scale as a preemployment information tool

One of our customers asked us the following question -

What is the applicability of using the TS score (Transferable Skills Scale) as a preemployment information tool?

Here is our response -

We believe that the Transferable Skills Scale is designed to be part of a battery of tools that are used during the preemployment screening process.

According to John J. Liptak, Ed.D. and Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., Tips for Using the Transferable Skills Scale in Career Decision Making and Job Search, the Transferable Skills are an indicator of a person's skills acquired from one life experience, education and training, leisure-time activities, and work experiences.

Liptak and Shatkin also summarized that -

• Transferable skills that are not job specific, but are skills that cut horizontally across all industries and vertically across all jobs from entry-level to chief executive officer (Sherer & Eadie, 1987).

• Skills that can improve with application and practice, enable people to make contributions and add value, and allow people to describe their value to prospective employers (Lawson, 2000).
  

Additional information about the applicability of using the Transferable Skills Scale is available in the following resources -

• Tips for Using the Transferable Skills Scale in Career Decision Making and Job Search, the Transferable Skills
• Transferable Skills Scale, Administrator's Guide

The following resources are FREE with any Transferable Skills Scale purchase.

• Tips for Using the Transferable Skills Scale in Career Decision Making and Job Search, the Transferable Skills
• Transferable Skills Scale, Administrator's Guide
  

Read more about the Transferable Skills Scale....

Transferable Skills Article, Web Sites, and Tests

To be successful in the workplace, employees have to possess transferable skills. Knowing about these skills will help teens and adults prepare to be successful in the workplace. Transferable skills are a product of our talents, traits and knowledge. These skills determine how you respond to new activities, work situations or jobs.

Transferable skills are non-job specific skills that you have acquired during any activity or life experiences. Student activities and experiences include campus and community activities, class projects, and assignments, hobbies, athletic activities, internships and summer part-time jobs.

Transferable skills skills fall into three (3) groups: Working with people, working with things, and working with data/information. These terms are defined below:

• Working with people skills happen when people sell, train, advise, and negotiate.
• Working with things skills occur when people repair, operate machinery, sketch, survey, or troubleshoot.
• Working with data/information skills involve budgeting, researching, and analyzing.

The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) is a model for transferable skills resources and web sites. In 1990, a commission of schools, government, unions, and corporations developed five SCAN competencies and three SCAN foundation skills. The five (5) Competencies are: Resources, information, interpersonal, systems, and technology.

The meanings of the competencies are:

• Resources competencies describe the allocation of time, money, material resources, facility resources, and human resources.
• Information competencies involve acquiring, evaluating, organizing, maintaining, interpreting, communicating and processing information.
• Interpersonal competencies include team participation, teaching, customer services, leadership, negotiation, and cultural diversity.
• Systems competencies work with understanding systems, performance monitoring, and systems designs.
• Technology competencies involve the selection, application, maintenance, and troubleshooting of technology.

Besides competencies, there are three (3) Foundation Skills: Basic, thinking, and personal qualities. The terms are explained below.

• Basic skills involve reading, writing, arithmetic, mathematics, listening, and speaking.
• Thinking skills include creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, seeing things in the mind's eye, knowing how to learn, and reasoning.
• Personal qualities are responsibility, self esteem, sociability, self-management, and integrity/honesty.

Universities and professional organizations, such as California State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Quintessential Careers, and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) agree these transferable skills are important. These organizations have created transferable skills surveys, exercises, and web sites.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is a professional association connects more than 5,200 college career services professionals at nearly 2,000 college and universities nationwide, and more than 3,000 HR/staffing professionals focused on college relations and recruiting. NACE has compiled the twenty (20) top personal qualities/skills that employers requested the most:

1. Analytical skills
2. Communication Skills
3. Computer skills
4. Creativity
5. Detail-oriented
6. Entrepreneurial skills/risk-taker
7. Flexibility/adaptability
8. Friendly/outgoing personality
9. Honesty/integrity
10. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
11. Leadership and management skills
12. Motivation/initiative
13. Organizational and time management skills
14. Real Life Experiences
15. Self-confidence
16. Strong work ethic
17. Tactfulness
18. Teamwork skills (works well with others)
19. Technical Skills
20. Well-mannered/polite

Communication skills are the most popular skills listed on the web sites. Communication deals with speaking effectively, writing concisely, listening attentively, and other abilities that result in the expression, transmission and interpretation of knowledge and ideas. Communication skills help you communicate what you know. Examples of communication skills include:

• Collaborating
• Forecasting
• Negotiating
• Projecting
• Publicized
• Selling ideas, products or services
• Speaking
• Translating
• Writing

Communication skills are involved in the other skills, such as organizational management, human relations, program administration, research & planning. Organization, management, leadership, and human relations skills are the ability to supervise, direct and guide individuals and groups in the completion of tasks and fulfillment of goals. Organization, management, leadership, and human relations skills consist of:

• Making decisions
• Assuming and delegating responsibility
• Organizing people and tasks
• Negotiating agreements

Management and administrative skills organize and coordinate people, projects and events. As a manager, you handle multiple tasks, set priorities, and adapt to changing conditions and work assignments. As leaders, you use skills to motivate individuals and groups to assess, perform, set goals, evaluate, and follow through situations effectively.

Managers and leaders use human relations skills. Human relations, interpersonal, or people skills develop rapport, negotiate, and help people overcome their differences.

In addition to human relations skills, managers and leaders need planning and reasoning skills. Program administration, research and planning skills are essential when you gather information, analyze data, present ideas, and generate solutions.

Analyzing, planning, and reasoning skills are used in the field of research. Research skills help you search for specific knowledge, determine future needs, investigate and record findings, find answers, and evaluate strategies.

Besides planning and reasoning skills, problem solving and creativity activities involve the ability to find solutions to problems using experiences, information, and available resources. Problem solving and goal setting involve assessing a situation, gathering information, identifying key issues, anticipating problems, and generating multiple solutions.

Transferable skills are also called Soft Skills. Simon Fraser University, a leader in management education, lists the ten (10) Soft Skills:

1. Adaptability
2. Communication
3. Dedication
4. Dependability
5. Energy
6. Flexibility
7. Hard-working
8. Honesty
9. Integrity
10. Leadership

There are surveys, activities, and exercises that help identify your transferable skills. Two Transferable Skills resources are -

• Binghamton University, State University of New York, Career Development Center
• Career Center California State University, Chico Chico, CA
  

An example of a transferable skills survey is the Transferable Skills Scale.

Transferable Skills Scale

The Transferable Skills (TS) Scale is a researched and validated assessment. The TS Scale is a short assessment that identifies an individual’s strongest transferable skills. The eight (8) TS Skills are:

• Analytical
• Numerical
• Interpersonal
• Organizational
• Physical
• Informational
• Communicative
• Creative skills

The benefits of the TS Scale are -

• Complete in 20-25 minutes
• Is easy to use
• Has color-coded design
• Is Self-scoring and self-interpreting
• Can be used as both a career exploration guide and a job search strategy tool
• Includes suggested resources for career exploration as well as a worksheet for comparing possible careers
• Includes job titles from the most recent O*NET database
• Can be given to groups or individuals

The TS Scale has 5 sections -

1. Mark Your Answers
2. Add Your Scores
3. Interpret Your Scores
4. Identify Occupations that Match Your Skills
5. Explore Occupations that Match Your Skills

Reference material for the The TS Scale lists the relationship between Transferable Skills and Holland Codes -

Holland Career Model Areas	Holland Codes	Holland Code Letters	Transferable Skills
Things	Realistic	R	5. Physical
Ideas and things	Investigative	I	1. Analytical
People and ideas	Artistic	A	8. Creative
People	Social	S	3. Interpersonal 7. Communicative
People and data	Enterprising	E	4. Organizational
Things and data	Conventional	C	2. Numerical 6. Informational

Read about more Transferable Skills tests, web sites, and resources.....