Transferable skills & personal attributes

While it is important that an applicant’s skills match the requirements of the job, often employers (particularly those recruiting graduates) are interested in the potential of their candidates. Graduates may have limited work experience, but they have developed skills and personal attributes through other interests - extracurricular activities or community involvement. This is why it is important that you include in your resume a range of examples and situations where you have demonstrated these required skills.

Transferable skills are those you may have developed outside of your specific discipline of study e.g. teamwork and communication. Personal qualities differ from skills, but are just as important e.g. enthusiasm, positive attitude and motivation.

Employers are interested in these, because they show potential. Employers often want graduates who are broadly competent and flexibly skilled, so they can work around the organisation and in different roles if required.

These skills are often difficult to assess through a resume or online application, so many employers will use additional selection tools like behavioural interviews and/or assessment centres to really find out what skills you have.

Referees are also a good source of feedback about your transferable skills – refer to the next page.

More information about how to identify your own transferable skills is available in Module 1, Unit 2: Preparing your Resume.

Some of these transferable skills and personal qualities include:

• Strong verbal and interpersonal skills: Able to communicate clearly and effectively and at the appropriate level with various types of people (i.e. with senior managers, colleagues and the public).
• Leadership/Influencing others: Can articulate a common vision and provide others with a sense of direction. Able to persuade, convince, influence or impress in order to gain support or to have a specific impact on others.
• Problem solving skills: Identifies the root causes and breaks the problem down into the key issues. Grasps new concepts and can see the problem in relation to the bigger picture. Generates mutiple explanations and solutions.
• Self-motivated/Self-managed/Self-starter: Has an underlying concern for doing things better. Is self driven, self-motivated and enthusiastic.
• Analytical and conceptual thinking: Able to analyse and synthesise experience, observations and information to evaluate options and identify patterns and future possibilities.
• Flexible/Adaptive/Resilient: Able to shift strategies and accept other viewpoints. Adapts quickly and effectively to changing situations. Able to overcome disappointments and learn from the setbacks to bounce back. Able to adjust to unexpected change.
• Team player: Able to work effectively with others to achieve an optimal outcome. Able to interpret the feelings, unspoken concerns, desires, strengths and weaknesses of others.
• Strong written communication skills: Able to express in a written form the key information in a succinct and professional manner.
• Energy and enthusiasm: Excited, positive and motivated to be involved and get started.
• Creative/innovative/initiative: Able to go beyond what the situtation requires and act before being asked. Brings new approaches to problems.
• Customer focus: Able to set priorities and evaluate options on a business and community basis.

Go to the next page to find out more about how you can find referees for your resumes.