Transferable Skills

We are in a forever changing world. Gone are the days when you knew that your first job was also going to be your last, because you retired from it. Since you knew your job was secure, there was no real reason to learn any new skills to advance, let alone skills that would transfer to another job in the same or different industry.

I saw a slide show article on www.forbes.com, titled “America’s Top 20 Growing and Disappearing Jobs”. As I’m not going to list everyone one of the jobs here, I will tell you most of the disappearing jobs were no- and low-skilled manufacturing jobs and the top five were:

1. Entertainers and Performers
2. Health Diagnosing and Treatment Practioners
3. Material Moving Workers
4. Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders
5. Actors

Most of the growing jobs were in the financial or medical industries, with the top five being:

1. Roustabouts, Oil and Gas (Assemble or repair oil field equipment using hand and power tools)
2. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging and Systems Assemblers
3. Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas and Mining
4. Counselors, Miscellaneous (All counselors; not substance abuse, educational, family, mental health or rehabilitation counselors)
5. Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers

The article didn’t specifically mention any reasons for decrease or increase. It just showed the decrease or increase in these job selections from 2006.

Since jobs no longer hold the same value from year to year, it is in your best interest to make sure your skills are transferable. Transferable skills are basic reading, writing and arithmetic, but more importantly, skills that you can transfer to another employer. Some transferable skills include, but not limited to:

• Language Skills: Global economy means international customers. The ability to speak and write in a language where companies do business will make you a valuable asset.
• Computer Literacy
• Leadership
• Business Awareness: Your ability to know what drives the business and how it works - making a profit!
• Team work
• Problem Solving
• Communication: Strong verbal and written.
• Self Management
• Self-Awareness: The most important, knowledge of self! Your ability to identify your skills, learn from your experiences and recognize where you need to develop.

Take an inventory of all your current and past responsibilities performed. Make a list of the skills you gained from these responsibilities. Check to see how many skills are transferable to another job in the same industry or a different one. Are your skills transferable?