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Top 8 Skills For Career Changers That Will Apply To Any Profession
Being a career changer isn’t easy; it requires a lot of hard work and dedication. So, you have to take advantage of any strength you have to make yourself stand out among maybe younger or slightly more qualified candidates. Using transferable skills is one way to do that; here are some of the skills you may use from your past career.
What Are Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills are skills that you learned in your previous career that can be applied in any job you have, no matter the profession. When you are a career changer, you aren’t starting 100 percent from zero when it comes to working experience. It is different than being just out of college and finding your first job; a career changer may have ten years of experience in their industry.
So, even though you are going to be looking for entry-level positions, you still have working experience that makes you stand out among other candidates. Mostly, this refers to interpersonal skills, but there are a few technical skills as well. You have to make sure to mention this in your interviews and highlight your transferable skills.
Communication
Communication skills are vital to building good relationships in any area of our lives. At work, you have to talk and collaborate with other team members or clients continually, and having strong spoken and written communication skills is a must. It also depends on the career you choose, but most roles require some level of communication, at least with your superior.
Without good communication, you aren’t able to express your ideas and help others understand your projects. Even during an interview, you will have problems answering questions smoothly.
Analytical Thinking
Analytical thinking is one of the primary skills that allows you to confront and solve problems. If you have this skill, your brain is able to break down complex problems into simpler parts and tackle them one by one. The brain does this automatically, and you don’t have to think about it.
This skill is most needed in technical careers, but it can also help in any profession. Knowing how to find solutions quickly and efficiently will improve your performance. Plus, with the increase of data-driven companies, being analytical when making decisions is the way to go.
Leadership
Being a leader is complex; it is not the same as being a boss or a manager. A manager could be a good leader, but not all of them are. People who are leaders inspire others to follow them because of their capabilities and values. If you are a great leader, you will inspire others to become better versions of themselves just by emulating you.
Some people are natural leaders born with this skill, but it doesn’t mean you can’t learn it. And if you have it, you are more likely to get promotions and climb up the ladder quickly. This is also one of the most sought after skills by employers.
Project Management
Project management refers to a set of skills project leaders need to supervise all the processes in a company. It can be managing a team of professionals, overseeing the development and launch of a product, or supervising the acquisition of new systems. The primary skills you learn in one of these positions are organization and time management.
Having this experience in your resume will surely make you stand out to the point that you may even find a position higher than entry-level. Being able to manage a team of people is hard work, so if you have experience with it in your previous career, it will surely be a transferable skill.
Adaptability
We live in a society that sees constant change. New technologies are being introduced in all industries, the work environment changes continuously, and even unexpected changes like the pandemic can hit us at any time. Being able to adapt to these changes is a skill that many employers look for.
The reason for this is that some people don’t do well with new things and have emotional reactions that hinder their work. It could also make it difficult to maintain a positive relation with other team members from diverse backgrounds.
Problem-Solving
This skill goes hand-in-hand with analytical thinking. The ability to face problems and find the best approach to get a solution is something that not many people have. Some people get stressed and end up admitting defeat, saying they can’t do it. But if you are the kind of person that looks at a problem from all angles until you find a solution, you will stand out.
Digital Marketing
Digital marketing, like analytical thinking, is a more technical skill, but it is still a good skill to have and can apply to any profession. Digital marketers create and manage marketing campaigns and strategies to increase a brand’s audience. They are experts in expanding a company’s online presence, whether that refers to social media platforms or increasing organic traffic.
The reason why this skill is transferable is that you can always offer to help with a company’s marketing strategy. All businesses should use some of their budget for this, and if they can hire a WordPress Developer with some knowledge in digital marketing, the better.
Web Development
Web Development skill is also an excellent technical skill to have. Web developers are the ones that design, program, deploy, and maintain websites. If you have experience with this, you could help your company with some one-time tasks like solving some error or changing a feature. As with digital marketing, some employers may choose you because you have these useful skills.
In Summary
There are tons of transferable skills that can help you stand out in your next career. Some soft skills include communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and leadership. Some technical skills include analytical thinking, digital marketing, project management, and web development. Identifying which skills you already have and which can be transferable is part of changing careers.