Interviewing Like a Pro: Identifying and Highlighting Transferable Skills

During an interview, you want to identify and highlight any transferable skills that you have that may help you in your new job. While you may have many skills you would like to highlight for the hiring manager, it is important you pare them down to those that are going to have the most impact. During your prep for the interview, take the time to think over your answer to this question, weighing which skills will grab the attention of the hiring manager. Consider this when you are crafting your answer:

Think Of Skills That Are Specific To the Job

The skills that you list during your job interview should be specific to the job that you are interviewing for. If the job involves interaction with clients or customers, talk about your experience working one-on-one with people in the past, or your on-the-spot problem solving abilities. When listing these skills, try and give examples of how they can help you in your new job. Make your skills come to life in “actionable” ways.

Use Your Answer as a Way to Show that You Fit With Company Culture

Hiring managers are looking for candidates who can fit in with company culture. With this in mind, you want to weave in information throughout the interview that will show how you will fit. When talking about transferable skills, don’t shy away from talking about items that will make you seem like a great fit. For example, if their company relies on teamwork and solving complex questions on a deadline, talk about your experience working on deadlines within a team setting.

Bring Your Answer Together

“In my experience as a customer service professional, I have thrived in situations where I have had to solve complex problems quickly, balancing the interests of both the client and the company. While I have experience problem solving on my own, I especially like to do it in a team environment where we collaborate to make sure that customers and clients remain happy and committed to the brand.”