Simply put, they are skills you have acquired during any activity in your life -- jobs, classes, projects, hobbies, sports, virtually anything

 In resumes, cover letters, and during interviews, you need to portray your skills and experience as applicable to the job you seek.  You need to emphasize the skills and qualities that virtually all employers are looking for.  You all have experience and skills that go beyond the skills necessary for a specific job…you need to identify your skills and articulate how they can be used in any occupation. Why Are Transferable Skills Important?

 Ability to meet deadlines, thrive under deadline pressure  Ability to handle multiple tasks  Ability to achieve goals  Ability to adapt  Writing skills  Research skills

National Association of College and Employers According to employers…  Communication Skills (written & verbal)  Honesty/Integrity  Teamwork Skills  Strong Work Ethic  Analytical Skills  Adaptability  Interpersonal Skills  Motivation/Initiative  Computer Skills  Detail-orientation  Organizational Skills  Leadership Skills  Self-Confidence

Skills Sets and Transferable Skills For Any Career

 Speaking effectively  Writing concisely  Listening attentively  Expressing ideas  Facilitating group discussion  Providing appropriate feedback  Negotiating  Perceiving nonverbal messages  Persuading  Reporting information  Describing feelings  Interviewing  Editing

 Forecasting, predicting  Creating ideas  Identifying problems  Imagining alternatives  Identifying resources  Gathering information  Solving problems  Setting goals  Extracting important information  Defining needs  Analyzing  Developing evaluation strategies

 Developing rapport  Being Sensitive  Listening  Conveying feelings  Providing support for others  Motivating  Sharing credit  Counseling  Cooperating  Delegating with respect  Representing others  Perceiving feelings, situations  Asserting

 Initiating new ideas  Handling details  Coordinating tasks  Managing groups  Delegating responsibility  Teaching  Coaching  Counseling  Promoting change  Selling ideas or products  Decision making with others  Managing conflict

 Implementing decisions  Cooperating  Following policies  Being punctual  Managing time  Attending to detail  Meeting goals  Enlisting help  Accepting responsibility  Setting and meeting deadlines  Organizing  Making decisions  Entrepreneurial skills… These skills include the capacity to be a self-starter, the ability to manage projects, and a talent for marketing oneself.  Confidence  Critical thinking and problem-solving skills  Flexibility  Ability to acquire new technical, analytical, computer or foreign-language skills quickly  Creative problem-solving talents

Transferable Skills Exercise

Transferable Skills in Cover Letters Examples

As a sales associate in a retail store, I successfully handled customers' needs every day. To succeed, I had to be a patient and diplomatic problem-solver

My work-study position as a computer-lab assistant involved solid knowledge of the technology within the labs, the ability to teach that technology to fellow students, and the skills to assist those who had problems with the software and hardware. To me, that's what consulting is all about — possessing the knowledge to teach and assist clients and the interpersonal skills to do so successfully.

I am very excited about contributing my talents in the field of promotions and event planning. I served as a resident advisor for two years, and I was very surprised at how much I used my persuasion, creativity and organizing skills. I learned quickly that the more you know about your customer, the outcomes desired, and how to adapt to each situation, the easier the event becomes. My success in selling my ideas to residents and administrators and designing all types of events makes me an ideal candidate for your event planning assistant position.

Resume:  Developed, planned and facilitated innovative weekly events for over 25 students during the First Year Experience.  Co-presented with Residence Life Student Staff accurate information about college life and explained college policies.

Resume:  Communicated on phone and in writing with a wide range of customers to identify problems, describe policies, offer solutions and solve problems to provide high rate of customer satisfaction.

Resume  Coordinated and promoted monthly events for the Augsburg Asian Student Association increasing attendance by 20%  Designed new marketing print materials and social networking reducing overall costs

QUESTIONS??? questions ???