Leverage your transferable skills

Career Development Center Presenter: Cam Helkowski, chelkow@luc.edu November 2011

Take inventory of what YOU offer  Major skills and abilities  Social, technical or field-specific skills  Important personal attributes (hard-working,

trustworthy, results-oriented, decisive)

 Ask: Where have I successfully used these abilities,

skills and attributes?

Why Look at Transferable Skills?  Leverage skills for new opportunities  Target skills will offer the greatest personal reward  Identify areas of strength and interest  Identify areas for growth and development  Identify areas of burnout or dissatisfaction  Data for self-marketing/ personal branding

3 Types of Skills ď‚— Technical/ Work-specific skills are specific to a job and are not easily

applied in other environments or situations. These skills tend to be technical and/or specialized.

ď‚— Functional/transferable skills can be applied in most environments and situations. They incorporate various combinations of data, people, and thing skills. Examples of functional skills include communication, planning, organizing, managing, analyzing, and problem-solving.

ď‚— Self-management/adaptive skills (sometimes referred to as personality

traits) are related to how we conduct ourselves and are rooted in temperament.

Examples of these skills include taking the initiative, resourcefulness, being good-natured, and reliability.

Assess Your Marketability  What Can You Provide that No One Else Can?  Transferable skills (i.e. communication, analyzing, organizing, problem-solving, planning, presentation)

 Experience by organizational function  Accomplishments

Assess Your Marketability:

What Can You Provide that No One Else Can?  What do you know? What have you done?  Personality and character (adaptive skills)  How can you help? What value do you bring?  Education and related training  Volunteer experience

Assess Your Marketability: Transferable Skills that Employers Seek  Collaboration and     

 Entrepreneurial attitude

Teamwork Skills and creativity  Understanding of multiple Diplomacy/Influence perspectives Adaptability and Flexibility  Problem-solving and Project Management analysis tied to the “big Interpersonal Skills picture” Communication Skills  Strategic planning

Transferable Skills Categories Communication Research and Planning Leadership and Management Human Relations and Interpersonal

Communication Skills  Speaking effectively in public  Writing clearly and concisely  Expressing ideas in an open forum  Facilitating group discussion  Providing appropriate feedback  Persuading or advocating  Reporting technical information to a non-technical

audience  Interviewing for information  Editing documents

Research and Planning Skills        

Generating ideas Identifying problems Developing alternative solutions Identifying resources Gathering information Goal Setting and Evaluation Conducting Needs Analysis Developing evaluation and feedback strategies

Leadership and Management Skills         

Recruiting and hiring staff Providing direction, coaching and feedback Handling details or coordinating tasks Managing groups Delegating responsibility Teaching or Instruction Counseling for performance improvement Promoting change Managing conflict

 Developing rapport  Listening actively  Providing support for others  Motivating  Sharing credit  Counseling  Cooperating  Representing others  Perceiving feelings, situations  AssertingRelations and Interpersonal Human

Skills

Communicate Your Value: Accomplishments          

Achieved Adapted Authored Built Completed Controlled Convinced Created Developed Directed

         

Established Evaluated Implemented Improved Initiated Maintained Managed Operated Produced Reduced

Accomplishment Statements Questions to get started: • What outcomes have you been recognized for?

• Did you improve processes, procedures? How? • Did you negotiate for savings or to generate revenue?

• Did you increase brand (think mission) awareness?

How? • Did you come up with an idea that improved the organization in a tangible way?

• How do you know you did a good job?

Examples of Accomplishment Statements         

Managed five program budgets totaling $$.

Improved collections procedure to capture $$$ in unrealized revenue.

Consistently exceeded sales goals by 20%.

Completed projects on time and under budget.

Managed projects across three research centers.

Trained and supervised (department) staff.

Identified and characterized (interesting research finding.)

Wrote and was awarded foundation grant for work on…

Invited presenter at 2011 XXX conference.

Next Steps  Complete a comprehensive skills analysis  Research career areas to find a possible fit  Online  Print  People

 Network to learn as much about the industry as you

can & to build key connections  Create a job search plan  Update your resume and practice interviewing

Determining Qualifications for Specific Jobs  Print Resources  Online Resources  Online Job listing sites  Information Interviews  Trade Professional Associations  Conferences, Industry Events, Meetings

Resources Skillscan- www.skillscan.net Occupational Outlook Handbook- www.bls.gov/oco O*Net- www.online.onetcenter.org