Transferable Skills: Definition and Examples for a Resume

Changing careers is a big step, but it’s more common than you think. The average person moves from one career to another several times, and almost half of employees are considering quitting in the next year. If you’re planning a career change, dust off your resume and think about the skills that could help you in a new role. This guide will explain the benefits of highlighting transferable skills and list the top transferable skills for a career change.

What Are Transferable Skills?

Transferable skills are applicable across a variety of industries and roles, which makes them especially valuable for those considering a career change. Job-specific skills are necessary only for a particular role. However, transferable skills are professional competencies that apply more to how you work in general than what you do daily.

For example, QuickBooks is a job-specific technical skill for an accountant, while transferable skills include solution-finding, critical thinking, and organization.

Benefits of Highlighting Transferable Job Skills on a Resume

Because transferable skills are applicable across industries, they show your versatility as a candidate. Strong communication skills are a significant plus no matter what role you’re in, and hiring managers are looking for candidates who can work as part of a team and contribute to the company culture.

While candidates can learn technical skills during onboarding training or through classes and certifications, transferable skills require more work and are more complex to teach. While you can undoubtedly lead management or leadership skills, having these competencies often leads to better results.

Key Transferable Skills to Include on Your Resume

Communication skills

Clear, professional communication is critical in the workplace, and this skill is listed in almost every job description. Highlight your communication skills, including verbal and written, on your resume to show potential employers that you can interact with coworkers and clients in a productive, professional manner. 

Example: “Collaborated with external vendors, negotiating service agreements that resulted in a 10% decrease in annual supply costs.”

Leadership and teamwork

Leadership and teamwork skills are critical in management and executive positions, where you must motivate others and collaborate across departments. Mention these competencies on your skills list, but work them into job responsibilities bullets with metrics to provide more context.

Example: “Liaise between the information system (IS) security officer and an information technology (IT) team of 15 specialists to ensure compliance with federal standards.”

Problem-solving and critical thinking

Problem-solving and critical thinking include analytical skills, creativity, and the ability to make decisions under pressure. Provide concrete examples of how you used these capabilities in previous roles.

Example: “Applied critical thinking skills to analyze project data, resulting in a 15% reduction in delay.”

Time management and organizational skills

Managing your time and staying organized positively impacts productivity and efficiency and ensures deadlines are met — all of which are great things for the company. Showcasing these skills indicates to a hiring manager that you can prioritize tasks and manage your workload.

Example: “Coordinated schedules for a team of 12 employees, ensuring project completion and 99% on-time deliverables over six months.”

Technical proficiency and computer skills

Being comfortable with technology and having basic computer skills is valuable in almost all positions and industries. Even hands-on jobs like the trades require employees to track inventory, fill out project sheets, and perform other tasks on a computer or tablet. Some of the most in-demand tech skills across industries include database administration, project management, and working with AI tools.

Example: “Utilized advanced Excel functions to automate reporting, reducing manual data entry time by 35%.”

Customer service and interpersonal skills

Whether you’re working directly with guests as a customer service representative or need to rely on interpersonal skills to work as part of a team, the ability to build relationships, demonstrate empathy, and resolve conflicts is key.

Example: “Developed strong client relationships by providing personalized service, leading to a 30% increase in repeat business.”

How To Create a List of Transferable Skills

If unsure of your transferable skills, conduct a self-assessment to create a master list. Reflect on your past roles, listing times when you solved a problem or presented an unconventional solution. Online personality tests and career assessments can also help with this step.

Colleagues, mentors, and former supervisors can also suggest what transferable skills to include in your resume and where you excel. Explain what roles you’re targeting in your career change to get more detailed feedback.

How To List Transferable Skills on Your Resume

Your resume should include a list of your transferable skills. Depending on the role and your experience, it can be helpful to split up your skills into two lists: technical proficiencies and transferable soft skills. This gives you a place to work in keywords from the job description for applicant tracking systems (ATS) and ensures the hiring manager sees qualifications that are a good fit before reading your resume in detail.

The profile summary and work experience sections should also include transferable skills. Focus on those most relevant to the position or mentioned in the job description.

Examples of Transferable Skills for Resumes

Resume Examples With Transferable Skills

Analysis
This resume effectively demonstrates Emma’s transferable skills, such as team leadership, time management, and budgeting, all of which are crucial in project management. Quantifiable achievements, like improving guest satisfaction and reducing event costs, show her impact in previous roles. The skills and experience are framed to highlight project coordination, organization, and customer service—transferable skills that support her transition into project management.

Analysis
Lucas’s resume emphasizes transferable skills relevant to sales account management, such as client relationship management, data analysis, and sales strategy. The achievements reflect his success in driving customer loyalty, reducing costs, and increasing revenue, all valuable in a sales context. By presenting his retail management skills as relevant to account management, he demonstrates the adaptability and people skills required in his desired role.

Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.