Future-proof your career with transferable skills

Around the world, we are seeing employers look beyond domain expertise and formal qualifications when they are assessing potential hires. Many of the skills they are looking for are not specific to any single profession or role. Instead, they are competencies and attributes that show you can be productive and adaptable in the modern workplace.

The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Jobs of the Future 2025 report highlights analytical thinking, resilience and agility as the most sought-after abilities among employers in 55 countries. Companies want their employees to be collaborative, adaptable and innovative as well as to have the baseline skills and qualifications for their jobs.

The growing importance of transferable skills

These capabilities are often referred to as transferable skills because they are relevant in many, if not most, roles in today’s organisations. Building up these transferable skills will help you to stand out in your current role or profession and make it easier to change careers in the future. Transferrable skills can also give you an edge if you do not yet have any experience and are looking for your first job.

In today’s complex job market, career growth is not always linear. It is not unusual for professionals to change tracks in their careers. But in every role or industry change, you continue to build your transferable skills. These skills are part of your career progression and make you valuable in any environment.

Transferable skills range from giving presentations, budgeting and writing reports to using technology effectively in your job, negotiating and leading teams. These skills will remain relevant in a wide range of jobs, even in an environment where the skills employers need are changing faster than academic programmes can keep up.

Here are some categories of transferable skills that are valuable in the workplace:

• AI and digital literacy: Most jobs involve using technology to a great or lesser extent. Knowing how to use AI tools effectively is becoming a basic requirement for many roles, in the same way as using productivity software or the internet. Our research shows that demand for AI-skilled roles (workers using AI tools in traditional jobs) has grown 151% in the last three years.
  
• Collaboration, communication and leadership: Skills such as leadership, social influence, negotiating, communicating and emotional intelligence appear near the top of global employer priorities. This reflects growing demand for human-centric capabilities as an organisation’s key differentiator in a tech-driven world.
  
• Critical thinking, problem-solving and innovation: Employers value people who can interpret data, weigh risks, make good decisions, adapt when the world changes and come up with creative solutions to problems. These capabilities are relevant across industries, from finance and healthcare to retail and manufacturing.
  
• Leadership: Leadership is no longer limited to senior management roles. Organisations increasingly expect employees at all levels to take ownership, show initiative and guide others when needed. Managing stakeholders, mentoring colleagues and driving projects forward are all key aspects of leadership.
  
• Organisation: Strong organisational skills enable you to be more productive and effective. This includes time management, prioritisation, planning, budgeting and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Building transferable skills

The average mid-level or senior professional will already have a lot of transferable skills learned on the job. But those that continue to develop these skills through continuous learning will have an edge in the job market. Leadership, project management, AI and data analytics skills, for example, may help you to land your next job or secure a promotion.

For entry-level workers, transferable skills are also a meaningful way to stand out from other applicants. If you can demonstrate great organisational skills or communication skills, employers will be more confident that you will be productive soon after they hire you.

There are many ways to develop your transferable skills. Platforms such as Coursera and Udemy offer affordable online courses and many training companies offer classroom-based training in areas such as leadership, presentation skills and technology skills.

Platforms such as Pnet are a great way to research real-world demand trends, so you can understand the skills and qualities employers are looking for. This can help you determine where your skills gaps are to decide which areas of your skills base you need to strengthen, as well as help you to position yourself better in job applications.

Remember to showcase your transferable skills on your CV and in online jobseeker profiles because recruiters often search for suitable candidates using desired skills as keywords. When writing a cover letter for a job application, highlight your transferable skills, especially any that are relevant to the job description. Also think about stories you can use to highlight your transferable skills in job interviews.