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The job market has changed in recent years. It is increasingly uncommon for professionals to remain in the same role
with the same employer for the whole of their career. It is often beneficial to experience varied roles and different
working environments, and it pays to be flexible and adaptable when it comes to a change in your career scenery.
If you fancy a change of direction, recognising your transferable skills can help you to move across job titles and into new
industry sectors.
What are transferable skills?
Transferable skills can be specifically role-related, technical or general skills that can be put to use in a variety of
jobs across a number of industries. Many employers look at more than just job titles, preferring to concentrate on a candidate's
relevant skills and experience.
Generic skills high on employers' wish lists include IT, numeracy and languages. Other general skills include:
- communication;
- research and planning;
- interaction and liaison skills;
- organisation, management and leadership.
Taking responsibility for your skills
Andy Westwood, deputy director of policy at workplace campaigning body the Industrial Society, suggests taking
responsibility for your own long-term working future. 'Individuals need to look at their set of skills and ask,
'what do I need to stay in work?' It's all about individual motivation. If, for example, someone has been working
in manufacturing for a long time, they may choose to undertake some IT training. Self determination is at the heart
of lifelong learning,' he says.
Transferring across sectors
Retail
'Retail has a turnover of up to 50 per cent a year,' says John Dean, chief executive of the British Shops and Stores
Association. 'This means there are a huge number of opportunities for people from various sectors, particularly on
the shop floor.' The sector is full of opportunities for people with customer-facing skills.
Airline cabin crew would be ideally suited to retail work, as would people from manufacturing with sales experience. Team
leaders from various sectors could be equally effective managing teams within a retail environment. In the run-up to
Christmas most retailers will set out to recruit.
Management
General management skills are highly desirable, so good managers can often transfer between sectors. The key is leadership,
and businesses across the board are on the hunt for managers with proven leadership qualities.
Charities
Charity fundraisers are often scarce, and skills gained in advertising, marketing, PR and communications are highly
appropriate for this type of work.
It can pay to think laterally regarding movement across sectors. There is often, for example, a shortage of trust
fundraisers, who raise money from wealthy trusts formed by rich families and companies. According to Stephen Perrett,
managing director of charity recruitment agency Execucare, the job requires good business skills, precise communication,
analytical skills, plus the ability to deal with large complex organisations and pull together people of different disciplines.
It may not sound obvious but a chartered engineer would have these skills.
Finding a new job
Research different sectors and see what opportunities are out there by visiting job sites such as totaljobs.com.
Alternatively, recruitment agencies have a good overview of sectors and will be able to let you know if you have the
right transferable skills to move over and what additional training you might need.
Marketing your CV for a change of career
Your CV and covering letter should present your experience in a way that is directly applicable to the job you're looking for.
So, if you're seeking a career change it is advisable to move away from a chronological CV format and instead lead with bullet
points highlighting relevant core skills.
'Ensure that your covering letter sounds positive about previous work experiences and keen for new challenges,' says
author of Creating a Successful CV, Simon Howard.
Also see totaljobs' guide to CVs.
Further information: for an in depth look at transferable skills visit: http://www.d.umn.edu/student/sail/transfer.htm
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