In 2023, it’s all about collecting skills, not fancy job titles. 

If you want that career-changing role, a resume with a list of impressive job titles isn’t going to cut it. You need the skills to back it up.  

In our most recent webinar, we tackled the topic of transferable skills with Jamie Bryant, Recruitment Consultant at Talenza and Gillian Kelly, Director Head of Talent Marketing at Outplacement Australia. 

With over 20 years of experience in Talent Marketing, Gillian knows a thing or two about what it takes to get yourself hired in 2023. 

Read on to power-up. 

What even is a transferable skill? And why are they so important? 

Get the point, why don’t you? 

Basically, a ‘transferable skill is anything you can take from one role into another position’. 

Think of your career as a ‘backpack of skills’ that you’ve been carrying along your entire 

journey. 

With each new position you’ve developed new skills - new items to ‘throw into your backpack’ and carry along as you go. While some skills may be niche to the role you had, others will come in handy across multiple positions.  

As Gillian says, think about a pilot. 

“Flying a plane is a pretty niche skill,” she says. “Their ability to communicate information clearly, think analytically under immense pressure and collaborate with others… those skills are valuable no matter what workplace you’re in!” 

We love a good metaphor (who doesn’t), so think about transferrable skills like your ‘currency’. 

Hiring managers are looking for someone with ‘a particular set of skills’ when trying to fill a position, to make sure they’re capable of fulfilling that role. 

You might not be Liam Neeson, but are your acting skills just as good? 

Understanding the transferable skills you have up your sleeve means you can ‘sell [that you have] that capability’ they’re looking for. 

 

How can you identify your transferable skills? 

“The truth is,” says Gillian, “most of us are inherently crap at identifying our transferable skills! And to be fair, it can be hard to do.” 

Citing the World Economic Forum, Gillian highlights that on average, people can only identify 11 of their skills.  

11 sounds like a lot, but how old are you? 

(Really? Goodness, you must drinks lot of water.) 

But seriously, have you only learned 11 skills in all your years? 

How do we improve this number - making sure it tells the true story of our talents? 

Gillian suggests, if you have a target job in mind, ‘analyse the hell out of that job’ description and create a list of skills needed for the role. 

Then, look at your current and/or past job descriptions and see where things match up.  

If you don’t have a job in mind and just want an idea of the skills you’ve collected, start by just sitting, thinking and see what you come up with (you’ll probably be able to come up with at least 11). 

From there, think broader. 

Think about areas outside of work such as community or volunteer work you’ve done! 

Lists can also help. These can be a great ‘brain prompt’ to identify what skills you have. Places like Indeed, Seek, LinkedIn and the World Economic Forum are great resources for understanding what skills are in demand from hirers right now. Ask yourself ‘do I have those [skills]? How good am I at those [skills]? … where is the proof of my performance using those [skills]’? 

We guarantee you’ve got more than you think. 

How do you put those transferable skills into action? 

The truth is, it’s hard! 

“In an experience-based hiring market, hirers are tyically looking for someone with a title match,” says Gillian. “It can be hard to get noticed. But thhat doesn’t mean you can’t do it!” 

“You don’t need a job title to be able to do that role, you just need to be able to convince someone that you can do that role!” 

First thing to understand is hirers are generally looking for ‘fit and proof’.  

They’re simply looking for someone that is ‘a good bet’ and therefore reduces risk -  so tell them why that’s you. 

BONUS tip from Gillian: throw away your old resume! 

“Most of us, when we’re applying for a new role, start with our old CV and try to build on top of it to make it fit.” says Gillian.  “Instead, start with the job description.” 

It’s reverse engineering! To get the job, understand the job: build your understanding of the role, its pain points, what skills are needed and what skills are in demand for that type of role. Then, go back to your experience and look for evidence of you using those skills. 

Then it’s time to re-write your resume.  

“Think of your resume is like an episode of Shark Tank,” suggests Gillian. “You’re making a pitch about why you are both a good fit and a good bet.” 

She’s right: your resume is your spotlight opportunity. Get your jazz hands ready - your opening summary is your time to shine! 

“Don’t be afraid to hit them with the big guns straight up,” encourages Gilliian. “Flag the big ticket transferable skills you have that are relevant to that position. Then sprinkle in a little more story-telling!” 

“But remember to focus on the parts that are most relevant for the future position and then drill down on achievements that show those skills in play.”   

Both Jamie and Gillian agree: you need to think of your skills as keywords. 

Make sure those keywords pop up multiple times throughout your CV - don’t be afraid to bold that text! 

Finding your confidence 

When it comes down to it, you need to know your worth - be ready to take that into the world. 

“Take heart that we are moving into a skills-based hiring economy,” shares Gillian. “In fact, recent research suggests that 75% of organisations feel skills-based hiring will be increasingly used over the next 18 months!” 

“Don't talk yourself out of an opportunity,” she continues. “Understand the value you have and how to convey that value to potential employers. Look for organisations that embrace a more non-linear path and that embrace you.” 

“You don’t have to be a culture fit, you can be a culture add’. 

Remember, you don’t have to have a 100% match to be successful, to get the role. You just need to understand how to get there. 

By building the skills to know how to market yourself - and knowing how to build a future-focused resume - you just might be surprised at what you can achieve! 

Ready to discover your stash of secret skills? Click here to check out the full webinar, including a detailed Q&A session.