Maximizing Your Value: How Recognizing Your Transferable Strengths Can Lead to Greater Opportunities and Work Life Harmony

“Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.” -Julia Child

Maximizing Your Value: How Recognizing Your Transferable Strengths Can Lead to Greater Opportunities and Work Life Harmony

“Realize that everything connects to everything else.” -Leonardo da Vinci

In today's fast-paced, ever-changing world, it's more important than ever to have a strong understanding of your transferable skills aka strengths. 

These strengths are your special abilities and all the knowledge that you've developed throughout your career that can be taken with you and leveraged in a new job or industry or even passion project. 

Recognizing your transferable strengths can help you identify new career opportunities, improve your chances of landing your dream job, or make you feel even more fulfilled in the current work you’re doing.

Why Are Transferable Strengths Important?

The job market and world around us are constantly changing, and it's important to be able to adapt to new roles, industries, or to feel confident in navigating a pivot.

Transferable strengths can help you make this transition by highlighting the skills and experiences that you already have. This can make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers and increase your chances of finding your next job or add even more leverage to a current role

Knowing your transferable strengths can also help you identify areas where you may need to improve or stretch. 

This can help you focus your professional development efforts and make you a more well-rounded human.

How to Recognize Your Transferable Strengths

Recognizing your transferable strengths can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you've been doing the same type of work in the same field for a long time. However, there are a few steps you can take to identify your skills and experiences.

Review Your Job Descriptions

The first step is to review your previous job descriptions. Look for common themes and skills that are mentioned across multiple positions. For example, if you've held several different marketing positions, you may find that project management, communication, and data analysis are strengths of yours that you've developed across all of your roles.

Identify Your Accomplishments

Next, make a list of your accomplishments in each of your previous positions. This can include projects you completed, goals you achieved, and awards you received. Look for the skills that are necessary to accomplish these things. For example, if you were able to increase sales by 25%, you likely have strengths in both communication and sales.

Think About Your Hobbies and Volunteer Work

Your transferable strengths aren't limited to your professional experiences. Think about the skills you've developed through your hobbies and volunteer work. For example, if you've volunteered as a coach for a youth sports team, your strengths would include leadership and effective communication.

Ask for Feedback

Finally, don't be afraid to ask for feedback from colleagues, mentors, and managers. They may be able to provide insights into your strengths and weaknesses that you may not have considered.

Utilize external resources

Assessments, like Gallup StrengthsFinder, alongside the outside perspective of a coach can be extremely useful tools in helping to tease out & give language to your superpowers.

Some Common Examples of Transferable Strengths

Now that you have a better understanding of how to recognize your transferable strengths, let's take a closer look at some common examples.

Communication

Communication skills are essential in almost every job. They involve the ability to effectively convey information, both verbally and in writing. Examples of communication strengths include strong public speaking skills, effective writing skills, and empathetic active listening.

Leadership

Leadership skills involve the ability to motivate and guide others towards a common goal. If leadership is one of your strengths, this means you can influence a team, delegate effectively, resolve conflict, and practice strong decision-making capabilities.

Project Management

Project management skills involve the ability to plan, organize, and execute projects from start to finish. If project management is one of your strengths this means you can effectively manage time, allocate resources, and manage risk.

Technical 

Technical skills involve the ability to use specialized tools, software, or equipment. The ability to effectively code, graphic design, and analyze data comes with technical strength.

Analytical

Analytical skills involve the ability to gather and interpret data in order to make informed decisions. If analytics is one of your strengths, this means that you are well suited to strategize, critically  think, problem-solve, and conduct research.

Interpersonal 

Interpersonal skills involve the ability to build relationships, interact, and communicate with others to maximize impact. Interpersonal strengths means your teams or the people you manage run effectively and cohesively. 

Organizational 

Organizational skills involve the ability to manage time, resources, and information efficiently. If organization is one of your strengths this means you likely excel at prioritizing tasks, managing calendars, and maintaining records.

Creative

Creative skills involve the ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions. If creativity is one of your strengths this means you’re good at brainstorming, ideation, and design.

Sales 

Sales skills involve the ability to persuade and influence others towards a particular product or service. If sales is one of your strengths it means that negotiation, relationship building, and customer service is an area of the business or organization you excel at.

Adaptability

Adaptability involves the ability to quickly adjust to changes in the work environment or industry. If adaptability is one of your strengths this means you’re flexible, willing to learn, and able to handle ambiguity.

The Importance of Highlighting Your Transferable Skills

If you’ve made it this far, you may have a better understanding of what your transferable strengths are and how to recognize them. 

With that said, it's important to now know how to effectively highlight these strengths to potential employers.

Customize Your Resume

Your resume is often the first thing a potential employer sees, so it's important to tailor it to the job you're applying for. Highlight your transferable strengths that match the job requirements, and provide specific examples of how you've used these skills in your previous roles.

Prepare for Interviews

Interviews provide an opportunity for you to showcase your transferable strengths in person. Be prepared to provide specific examples of how you've used these skills to achieve success in your previous positions. This is a great way to use some storytelling to own the narrative of who you are and what you are capable of.

Additionally, be sure to research the company and industry in advance, so you can speak to how your strengths can add value to their organization.

Network

Networking is an essential part of any job search. Attend industry events, connect with professionals on LinkedIn, and join professional organizations. By networking, you can learn about new job opportunities and make connections with people who can help you showcase your transferable strengths.

Seek Professional Development

If you find that you're lacking in certain transferable strengths, consider taking professional development courses or hiring your own coach or professional support point person. These can be online, or in-person courses, a group cohort, or a 1:1 container you engage in with a coach. Any of these can help you develop & refine your strengths and make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers.

In today's constantly changing world, it's important to have a strong understanding of your transferable strengths. These strengths can help you identify new career opportunities and make you a well-rounded human. 

By taking the time to recognize your transferable strengths, highlighting them effectively, and continuously developing them, you can set yourself up for success in any industry, role, or project you want to take on. 

Thanks for reading! Andrea is a life, work & leadership coaching for movers & shakers, non-conformists & humans on a mission to do good. Schedule time to connect with her here.