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Cambridge Hub: 01223 628740
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TemporaryHave you ever looked at a job advert and thought, “I could do that job, but I do not have experience in that industry?"
You might have more relevant experience than you think.
When employers recruit, they are not always looking for someone who has already done exactly the same job. Your previous roles may have given you skills that can be used across different positions, industries and working environments.
These are known as transferable skills, and knowing how to identify them can open up considerably more opportunities during your job search.
Transferable skills are abilities you have developed through previous employment, education, training or other experiences that can be useful in a different job.
They are not necessarily linked to one particular industry.
For example, someone who has supervised a team within a warehouse may have developed leadership, communication, organisation and problem solving skills. Those skills could also be valuable in a production or manufacturing environment.
Similarly, someone working in hospitality may have excellent customer service, communication and time management skills that could transfer well into an office based customer service position.
The job title might change, but many of the skills required remain the same.
There are many transferable skills that employers look for when recruiting.
Communication
Being able to communicate clearly with colleagues, customers, suppliers or managers is valuable in almost every workplace.
Teamwork
Most jobs require you to work alongside other people. Being able to support colleagues, share information and contribute towards a common goal is an important skill.
Leadership
You do not necessarily need to have held a management job title to demonstrate leadership. Training new starters, supervising colleagues, allocating work or taking responsibility during a shift can all show leadership experience.
Problem Solving
Employers value people who can identify problems and find practical solutions. Think about situations where you have resolved an issue, prevented a delay or improved the way something was done.
Organisation
Managing workloads, prioritising tasks, meeting deadlines and keeping accurate records are useful skills across a huge range of jobs.
Time Management
Being able to complete work efficiently and meet deadlines is particularly important in busy environments where priorities can change throughout the day.
Customer Service
Experience dealing with customers can transfer into many different positions, including sales, administration, account management and office support.
Attention to Detail
Accuracy is important across Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance, Administration, Quality and many other areas.
Adaptability
Workplaces change. New systems are introduced, responsibilities develop and priorities move. Being able to adapt and learn can make you valuable to an employer.
Start by looking at what you actually do in your current or previous jobs rather than focusing solely on your job title.
Think about a typical working day.
Do you speak with customers? Train new employees? Work towards targets? Operate machinery? Manage deadlines? Deal with complaints? Complete paperwork? Use computer systems? Solve problems when something goes wrong?
You may be using valuable transferable skills every day without thinking about them.
It can also help to read job descriptions for the positions you are interested in and compare the requirements against your own experience.
You might be surprised by how much crossover there is.
Simply listing skills such as “good communicator” or “team player” on your CV does not tell an employer very much.
Where possible, show how you have used those skills.
Instead of writing:
Good leadership skills
You could write:
Supervised a team of 10 warehouse operatives, allocating daily workloads and ensuring orders were completed within agreed deadlines.
This gives the employer evidence of your leadership experience.
Instead of:
Good customer service skills
You could explain that you managed customer enquiries, resolved complaints and maintained relationships with key accounts.
Your CV should help the employer understand how your existing experience could benefit their business.
Transferable skills can be particularly important if you are considering a career change.
Changing careers does not mean starting again.
You may be entering a new industry, but you are taking years of workplace experience with you.
Someone moving from retail management into an office based position may already have experience managing staff, dealing with customers, organising rotas, monitoring performance and handling difficult situations.
Someone moving from warehousing into manufacturing may already understand health and safety procedures, quality standards, working to targets and operating within a fast paced environment.
The key is showing the employer the connection between what you have done previously and what they need from their next employee.
Candidates often decide not to apply for a vacancy because they do not meet every point listed in the job description.
It is worth remembering that job adverts often describe the employer's ideal candidate.
Some requirements will be essential, particularly where specific qualifications, licences or technical knowledge are needed. Others may be desirable rather than essential.
If you meet many of the requirements and have transferable skills that could help you succeed in the position, the opportunity may still be worth exploring.
If you are unsure, speaking with a recruiter can help you understand which requirements are essential and where an employer may have some flexibility.
Transferable skills are particularly useful when moving between different Engineering, Manufacturing and Industrial environments.
You may not have worked with exactly the same machinery, products or processes, but you could have experience with similar equipment or working practices.
Health and safety awareness, reading engineering drawings, fault finding, quality inspection, continuous improvement, team leadership and working to production targets can all transfer between different businesses.
Employers may be willing to provide training on their particular equipment or processes when a candidate already has strong foundations and the right attitude towards learning.
The same applies when moving into a Commercial or Office Support position.
Administration, customer service, sales, hospitality and retail roles can have significant crossover.
Experience using computer systems, speaking with customers, managing diaries, processing orders, handling enquiries, working towards targets and organising workloads can all be relevant.
Rather than concentrating on the industry you have worked in, focus on what you were responsible for and what you achieved.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make during a job search is assuming your experience is irrelevant because it comes from a different industry.
Employers recruit people, not just job titles.
Your previous experience may have given you valuable skills that could be used in a completely different working environment.
Take some time to identify those skills and make sure they are clearly demonstrated throughout your CV.
If you are considering a new career but are unsure which jobs your experience could be suitable for, speaking with a recruiter can be a useful starting point.
At Busy Bee Recruitment, we work with candidates across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and surrounding areas, recruiting for temporary and permanent opportunities across Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial, Office Support, Customer Service, Sales and Marketing.
Our team can look beyond your current job title and help identify opportunities where your experience and transferable skills could be a good match.
Take a look at our latest vacancies or get in touch with Busy Bee Recruitment to discuss your next career move.
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Temporary
Have you ever looked at a job advert and thought, “I could do that job, but I do not have experience in that industry?" You might have more relevant experience than you think.
%20(1).png)
Temporary
If you have a gap in your employment history, you may be wondering whether it will affect your chances of finding a new job.The short answer is that an employment gap does not automatically make you a less suitable candidate.
Temporary
Have you ever looked at a job advert and thought, “I could do that job, but I do not have experience in that industry?" You might have more relevant experience than you think.
