Step 1) Understanding Transferable Skills

What are transferable skills?

In the course of your degree, work experience, voluntary work and leisure pursuits, you will have developed skills that are applicable in a range of settings e.g. organisational skills, communication skills. These skills are the basis on which future employers will make selection decisions about you. It is important to recognise, be aware of and market your own transferable skills. Employers in the graduate/postgraduate market look for what you can do on a competency basis. They need to know if you can contribute well within a team, communicate effectively with other people, and plan and organise your time. Employers expect you to know the key skills that they require for a specific opportunity and for you to be able to prove you can match their needs and back this up with evidence.

For more information on what skills employers are looking for visit the "Finding your first job in Scotland" seminar.

Practice analysing vacancies and job descriptions on websites, in newspapers, and graduate directories so that you know what the employer wants.

Read the following job adverts and think about the transferable skills required by the employer.

Research Assistant, Political Party Events Fundraiser
Trainee Researcher Sales Administrator