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Defining Transferable Skills for your Job Change or When Changing Careers
By Shannon | June 15, 2008
There are four steps to identifying and translating your skills and experiences when you are writing resumes and cover letters for making a job change or changing careers:
Step One - Brainstorm
Brainstorm a comprehensive list of all of your skills. Use your resume or a cover letter to jumpstart your brainstorming.
Step Two - Basic Elements
Take each of the skills on your list and break it into basic elements. What are basic elements? It might be writing, problem solving, customer service, planning, research, organization, supervising, etc.
Step Three - Jargon
Comb through your descriptions to pinpoint and delete any language that is specific to your current career, but not applicable to a new one. This might include words and phrases like: client with a capital C; work product; pitch; deliverables; ERP; BPI; operating units; deploy.
Step Four - Translate
Write your skills and experiences using the language of your new job or new career.
Not sure about that language? Use job postings for clues. What are the words that are used to describe the responsibilities or skill requirements in job postings in your new job or new career?
Topics: Career Plan, Changing Careers, Cover Letters, Job Change, Resumes |