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Transferable Skills: Perspectives from All Sides

Carollee Lockwood

Transferable skills can be a secret weapon in a successful job search. Seeing these skills through the lens of all three perspectives—candidate, recruiter, and hiring manager—can transform the way you navigate your job search.


Hiring Managers: Hiring managers often approach transferable skills with a mix of curiosity and caution. While they value direct experience, some are willing to consider transferable skills when the role demands adaptability or when talent is in short supply. However, they need clear, concrete examples of how those skills will directly contribute to the success of the role. Hiring managers are most convinced when candidates tie their transferable skills to specific challenges or goals they’ll face in the job.


Recruiters: For recruiters, transferable skills are the key to finding hidden gems—candidates who can thrive despite lacking direct industry experience. Recruiters work to connect the dots, often digging deeper during interviews to uncover how a candidate’s previous roles align with the new opportunity. They look for candidates who can clearly articulate their skills and directly relate them to the job description, making it easier to present them as strong contenders to hiring managers.


Polishing Your Transferable Skills

If you’re applying for roles where you don’t meet every qualification, here’s how you can make your transferable skills shine:

1. Go Beyond the Surface: Generic statements like “I’m great at communication” or “I’m a team player” won’t cut it. Instead, focus on specific examples that demonstrate how you’ve successfully applied these skills.

  • Example: Instead of saying, “I’m good at problem-solving,” say, “In my previous role, I developed a scheduling system that reduced project delays by 20%, requiring me to analyze data, collaborate with teams, and implement solutions.”

  • Example: Rather than stating, “I’m organized,” highlight, “I managed a pipeline of 30+ clients at a time, prioritizing follow-ups and achieving a 95% customer retention rate over 2 years.”


2. Address the Recruiter’s Challenges: Recruiters need clear, specific examples to advocate for you. Tie your transferable skills directly to the role you’re applying for, showing how your current or past experience aligns.

  • Example: A candidate transitioning from B2B to medical sales might say, “In my previous role, I worked with customers to provide customized solutions in high-pressure environments—skills directly aligned with the consultative approach needed in medical sales.”


3. Make It Easy for Hiring Managers to See the Fit: Hiring managers want to visualize how your skills will translate to the new role. Use examples framed within the context of the position you’re targeting.

  • Example: Applying for a sales role? Try saying, “While I haven’t worked in your industry, I exceeded a $2M sales quota last year by understanding customer pain points, delivering personalized solutions, and maintaining long-term relationships—key to succeeding in this role.”


It is important to note...

While transferable skills can be incredibly valuable, there are some roles where they alone may not meet the immediate needs of the position. Hiring managers often seek candidates who can hit the ground running, and transferable skills must be paired with a humble and adaptable mindset. Simply saying, “I’ve been in sales for over 20 years,” won’t impress anyone if your approach comes across as arrogant or disconnected from the specific requirements of the role. Success lies in showcasing your skills in a way that’s relevant, collaborative, and specific to the job at hand.


 

Hi, I’m Carollee. I support candidates in various ways, from discussing available opportunities and guiding them through the interview process to providing coaching on resumes, interviews, and LinkedIn profiles.

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