People wrap up so much of who they are into what they do. Their occupation becomes an extension of their identity. When they face a career change, Imposter Syndrome can creep in and it becomes easy to be overwhelmed with the question, “What am I actually good at doing?”
Transferrable skills do not rely on a standard operating procedure, industry-recognized credential, or general best practice. These skills can be utilized in multiple ways across a spectrum of occupations. How does a workforce development professional start to sift through these job duties, talents, and abilities to find the skills that will adapt to fit another setting?
A workforce development professional’s job is to guide discussions that help the client not only recognize their value but learn to advocate for it. Calm that nagging Imposter, and help the client understand their worth. This can be broken down into three steps: evaluating the source, identifying the ability, and adapting it to new occupation(s).
Evaluate:
The moment people begin to trade their knowledge and ability to build relationships, they have begun the process of learning new skills. A paycheck is not a prerequisite to obtaining a skillset. When assessing a client’s transferable skills, consider the past work history.
It’s a straightforward exercise to take a client’s former job titles, head over to ONET Online, and identify skills that are easily adaptable in new fields. ONET further simplifies this by offering “Related Occupations” for common tasks. They’re just a click away from helping a client or a workforce development professional broaden the scope.
The more difficult way to identify skillsets is through activities completed outside of traditional employment. Some still translate to jobs that are searchable through familiar resources. However, others require a bit more investigative work. The workforce development professional can pull from experience volunteering, serving on a committee, holding an elected or appointed position, enjoying a hobby, or community involvement. Any responsibility could become a skill with practice and intention.
Let’s evaluate three opportunities as we keep this discussion going:
| Experience |
| Little League Coach |
| Board Position |
| Community Volunteer |
Identify:
Once a person’s work and volunteer history has been harvested for skills, the workforce development professional begins a balanced act of creativity to draw out details and integrity to ensure the skills are factual and indicative on the client’s true ability. This is where that battle with the Imposter truly begins as the workforce development professional strives to help the client understand the layered skillsets, they’ve learned without really trying. If the conversation is not productive, consider using an aid like the assessments found at CareerOneStop.
Broad conversations can help highlight skills hidden beneath the surface. The key is to maintain an honest reflection of the person’s skills and abilities. The conversation can be guided by the workforce development professional, but the skills must be acknowledged by the client. Encourage them to keep an open mind!
Several skills can develop from the previous experience:
| Experience | Skills |
| Little League Coach | Teamwork, Leadership, Travel and Liability Procedure |
| Board Position | Governance, Parliamentary Procedure, Executive Function |
| Community Volunteer | General Labor, Communication, Adaptability, Problem Solving |
Adapt:
Adapting quantifiable skills to a spectrum of potential employment opportunities is where the labor market information meets the career coaching. The type of skill doesn’t change the process by much. It could be something technical like a type of software or equipment with which the client has proficiency. It could also be a soft skill that filters through several potential work environments. Regardless, the workforce development professional now has the opportunity to show their knowledge and skill in diversifying the potential job opportunities.
Could a client’s experience provide a foundation for a new entry-level industry? Is their work history stackable with their volunteerism to help advance into leadership? The key here is potential. Every experience has a potential skill, and every skill can lead to a potential occupation. The workforce development professional can now coach the client on integrating these newly identified skills into a stronger resume or a more impactful interview.
The opportunity to adapt to new occupations continues through the skills obtained:
| Experience | Skills | Possible Occupation(s) |
| Little League Coach | Teamwork, Leadership, Mentoring, Travel and Liability Procedure | Supervisor Positions, Teaching, Coaching |
| Board Position | Governance, Parliamentary Procedure, Executive Function | C-Suite Occupations, Executive Assistant, Consulting |
| Community Volunteer | General Labor, Communication, Adaptability, Problem Solving | Labor, Human Services, Community Development |
Learning new facets of one’s identity can be a scary process. Work, credentials, experience, and skills all play a part in helping people discover who they are. Through evaluating, identifying, and adapting a client’s transferable skills, workforce development professionals are helping them create a stronger foundation for tomorrow’s workforce and providing a deeper insight to the person they have become.
