Top transferable skills companies are looking for

Organisations are increasingly looking for transferable skills, or human skills, but most people do not know how to articulate the these skills they have. Never fear, we're here to help.

Because job seekers with strong transferable skills are in high demand, we want to get you up to speed on defining and evidencing your non-technical skill set.

What are Transferable Skills?

Transferable skills, sometimes also called Soft skills, human skills or behavioural skills, are the interpersonal attributes you need to succeed in the workplace. They make your technical skills more impactful. They are how you work with and relate to others. They include your personality, attitude, flexibility, motivation, and manners. Transferable skills are so important that they are often the reason employers decide whether to keep or promote an employee.

Transferable skills are different from technical skills, which relate to the subject-specific skills you gain through learning or experience. Technical skills are often more quantifiable, and easier to learn than transferable skills.

Transferable skills are hard to teach, so employers want to know that job seekers already have them skills and so we see more and more asking for them as mandatory in the recruitment process.

What Transferable Skills are Employers always looking for?

Below is a list of the most important transferable skills employers look for. Work on these skills and emphasise and evidence them in Clu profile, applications and interviews.

Evidencing to your interviewers that you have the key transferable skills their organisation is looking for will help you stand out because you really know your strengths and areas for growth. This will significantly help you increase your chances of getting hired.

So what are the most common transferable skills Employers look for and what are the supplementary skills that make someone good at them? To help you understand the main requirements of the most common transferable skills Employers are looking for in Clu, we've analysed thousands of job adverts and collated the most common ones. Enjoy! _______________________

Communication:

Communication skills are important in almost every job. You will likely need to communicate with people on the job, whether they are clients, customers, colleagues, employers, or vendors. You will often need to be able to speak clearly and politely with people in person, by phone, and in writing too.

You will also likely need to be a good listener. Employers want employees who can not only communicate their own ideas but who also listen well to others. Listening is a particularly important skill in customer service jobs.

Communicative

Someone who is communicative can speak and correspond easily with others

Empathetic

Good listener

Negotiation

Persuasive

Respectful & Respectable

Storyteller

Critical Thinker:

No matter what the job, employers want candidates who can analyse situations and make informed decisions. Whether you are working with data, teaching students, or fixing a home heating system, you need to be able to understand problems, think critically, and devise solutions. Skills related to critical thinking include creativity, flexibility, and curiosity.

Analytical

Someone who is analytical is good at taking a problem or task and breaking it down into smaller elements

Consultative

Creative

Critical Thinking

Curious

Continual Learner

Innovative Thinker

Logical Thinker

Problem Solver

Transformational

Leadership:

Leadership is not only displayed by senior managers. And whilst not every job opening is a senior manager role, most employers will want to know that you have the ability to make decisions when push comes to shove and can manage situations and people. The ability to step up to the plate in a difficult situation and help resolve it is something employers always look for in prospective employees.

If you are interviewing for a job that has the potential for advancement, the employer will want to know that you have what it takes to be a leader.

Other skills related to leadership include the ability to resolve problems and conflicts between people and to make executive decisions.

Accountable

Someone who is accountable is responsible for what they do

Assertive

Conflict Management

Dependable

Diplomatic

Emotionally Intelligent

Has Integrity

Inspiring

Impactful

Leadership

Mentor

Motivating

People-centric

Positivity: Employers are always seeking people who will bring a positive attitude to the office. They want employees who will be friendly to others, eager to work, and generally a pleasure to be around. Being able to keep things positive is especially important if you're working in a fast-paced, high-stress work environment.

Adaptable

Someone who is adaptable is able to adjust their self to different conditions

Approachable

Energetic

Enthusiastic

Friendly

Honest

Inspiring

Open-minded

Passionate

Patient

Trusting & Trustworthy

Project Management: While “project manager” seems like a fairly straightforward job title, this role is responsible for far more than keeping projects on track. Understanding what these skills are and how you can improve them can help you excel in your career.

Project management skills can have a direct impact on the team's ability to complete an assignment.

Agile

Someone who is agile can work across different tasks easily and quickly

Flexible

Inclusive

Negotiation

Organised

Proactive

Relationship management

Stakeholder manangement

Time management

Teamwork: In an ideal world, everyone will get along at work and the focus will always be on delivery. We all know, however, that that isn't the case. Whether you will be doing a lot of team projects or simply dealing with some difficult stakeholders, you need to be able to work effectively with the people around you. You need to be able to work with others even if you do not always see eye to eye.

Some skills related to teamwork include the ability to collaborate with others and to recognise and appreciate differences of views and approaches in a team. Another related skill is the ability to accept and apply feedback from others.

Collaborative

Someone who is collaborative works well with other people to complete tasks

Consultative

Empathetic

Open-minded

Patient

Reflective

Self-aware

Work ethic:

Your work ethic defines how you show up at work, and really encapsulates a lot of the above. Employers are always looking for candidates with a strong work ethic. Such people come to work on time, manage stakeholder relationships and expectations, engage with their colleagues respectfully and stay focused and organised.

They are able to manage their time and complete their work to a good standard. While they can work independently, people with a strong work ethic can also follow instructions and work well in a team.

A strong work ethic is difficult to teach, so employers will be impressed if you can demonstrate it in your job application.

Balanced

Someone who is balanced has a sensible and reasonable attitude towards life and work

Culturally sensitive

Customer-focused

Detail oriented

Determined

Efficient

Focused

Growth Minded

Intuitive

Loyal

Resilient

Strategic

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