Job hunting can be a difficult task but knowing how to communicate your transferrable skills can help put you squarely in the running.
Employers see the value in transferable skills – it’s worth utilising them when you apply for a role.
Transferable skills are the life skills that go beyond a certain job or company. For example, if you’ve got fantastic people skills, you’ll be in good stead whether you’re looking to work in agribusiness sales, management, or as a senior executive.
Transferrable skills can be broken into 4 main groups: organisation, communication, leadership, and people skills.
Organisational Skills
Your ability to effectively plan, prepare and execute tasks is one of the most desirable skills a potential employer is looking for.
A well-organised and efficient person often demonstrates an aptitude for research, analytics, financial management, planning and digital literacy (among others).
E.g.: Planning inputs, from dollars per hectare to ratio of costs to crop revenue, requires a high level of organisational skills.
Communication Skills
Excellent communication in a workplace is necessary for things to run smoothly. From emails between suppliers and yourself to verbally communicating a request to a co-worker, the way you communicate is important.
Verbal, written and in-person communication requires listening, critical thinking, and negotiation skills as well.
E.g.: Managing a team of employees to successfully maintain an agribusiness requires strong communication skills.
Leadership Skills
Teamwork, motivation, communication – they all come under a banner of “Leadership Skills”.
Effective leaders are experts in prioritisation, delegation, problem solving and mentoring. All of which are important transferrable workplace skills.
E.g.: Successfully working with your team to complete a harvest can demonstrate excellent leadership skills.
People Skills
The way you interact with co-workers, customers or clients can demonstrate other valuable transferable skills.
Being able to work within a team culture uses co-operation, empathy, patience, flexibility, and collaboration skills.
E.g.: Working with a neighbour to share equipment or shed space, maximising both your profits demonstrates collaborative people skills.
Everyone can develop transferable skills and make them a part of their professional brand. Being able to subtly reference them in job applications and interviews can help you get ahead in your job search.
Sources: Forbes, SEEK