TransFerable Skills

Transferable skills are skills that are learned in one situation that can be transferred or applied in a variety of situations; a few examples are communication skills, teamwork skills and presentation skills but there are many more.

Why are they important?

Employers look for transferable skills when they are hiring graduates using competency based interviews and application forms as they feel the best indicator of future performance is evidence of having completed a similar task successfully in the past.

With this in mind it is important that you take the time to develop a variety of transferable skills through your coursework, volunteering and social activities. Providing demonstrated evidence of transferable skills at an interview or in an application form will help you to stand out from the crowd at graduate recruitment.

Transferable Skills Self-Assessment

Download our transferable skills self assessment to rate your skills.

Examples of Transferable Skills

....and how to provide evidence of them on your CV or in an interview.

Communication (Oral and Written)

• Delivering presentations.
• Writing essays, projects and theses.
• Acting as a secretary of a club or society
• Joining the Literature and Debating society and getting involved.
• Getting involved in the Student Connect Mentoring Programme.
• Volunteering as part of the ALIVE Programme.
• Writing Articles for student publications such as SIN.

Leadership and Teamwork

• Volunteering as part of the ALIVE programme.
• Acting as chairperson for a project group.
• Captaining a Team
• Volunteering as a committee member of a club or society.
• Training or supervising staff members in a part-time job.
• Getting involved in the Student Connect Mentoring Programme.
• Acting a class representative.

Networking

• Attending Career Development Centre career fairs,  employer events & presentations.
• Sending speculative CVs to companies you are interested in.
• Applying for summer internships.

 Planning and Organisation

• Balancing full-time study with a part-time job or family commitments.
• Organising a charity event.
• Volunteering as a committee member of a club or society.
• Successfully establishing a new club or society.

 Initiative

• Getting involved in the Student Connect Mentoring Programme.
• Volunteering as part of the ALIVE programme.
• Acting a class representative.
• Sending speculative applications to companies you are interested in.

For more information on developing transferable skills contact  pamela.devinsnuigalway.ie  or phone (091 49) 2053.

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