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Wednesday, 3 October 2023

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Jobseekers

Showing your transferable skills

If you are changing career or starting a job for the first time then the skills you have built up are important. You need to show an employer what you can do, how these skills are useful and how they will benefit any business.

Covering letter

You should include:

your previous experience
how you have developed your communication skills

You should point out how you:

developed your skills and any qualifications you have got
meet the criteria set out in the job description
answer questions in person and on the phone - include how you deal with complaints and handle difficult customers

For more information on drafting a letter, follow the link below.

Letters and job application forms

Example application forms

Where you list your previous employment on an application form, include where you developed transferable skills. The following example shows someone who was a representative on their local Christmas club.

When filling in the application form they have listed the main duties, highlighting the skills they have developed.

Dates	Employment
January 2005 to present	Representative - Christmas club I manage the local Christmas club, helping my neighbours to save regularly and budget for Christmas. My main duties include answering questions from customers in person and by phone. I have developed my communication skills by handling difficult customers and complaints.

January 2005 to present

Representative - Christmas club

I manage the local Christmas club, helping my neighbours to save regularly and budget for Christmas. My main duties include answering questions from customers in person and by phone. I have developed my communication skills by handling difficult customers and complaints.

Don’t expect the employer to work out for themselves what transferable skills you have. Where you’re listing your previous employment, highlight your transferable skills.

Dates	Employment
June 2004 to present	I have been secretary for the Smalltown Cricket Club for a number of years. My duties have included drafting the minutes of meetings and putting together the club newsletter. These duties improved my written communication skills. The newsletter was well received by members.
October 2003 to November 2005	Warehouse operative – Farm Feeds My duties included stock control, organising deliveries and operating a forklift truck.

CV

Take the same approach when you update your CV as with the application form above. Make sure you spell out the skills that you have, and include your successes and good feedback from employers.