
Mar 19, 2021 - 12:59 PM
There are two types of transferable skills: soft skills and hard skills. Transferable soft skills include communication, writing, professionalism, relationship building, safety consciousness, leadership, creativity, strategic thinking, customer service and problem-solving. Transferable hard skills include speaking multiple languages, knowing how to use computer software and essential management abilities like billing and employee training.
These transferable skills, and others, can help you transition between industries more effectively. Let's take writing, for example. An English teacher is expected to write lesson plans and coach her students in writing and reading comprehension. If she ever wanted to switch industries, she could use her writing skills to find work in public relations, advertising, journalism or even other academic jobs like grant writing.
Hard skills are similarly useful in transferring between industries. An information security analyst who understands database management and related software programs, for example, may be able to land a job in marketing, banking or any other industry in which data analytics are valued. Or a retail worker who knows point-of-sale software can find positions in virtually any industry with customer sales.