Transferable skills are abilities you can use in many jobs: communication, problem-solving, teamwork, organization, customer service, leadership, technical troubleshooting and attention to safety. Find yours by listing what you actually did in past roles, then translate them into the language of your target career with specific, measurable examples.
The most valuable transferable skills
| Skill | Where it shows up | Careers that value it |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service | Retail, food service, call centers | Medical assistant, pharmacy technician, real estate agent, optician |
| Problem-solving | Repairs, troubleshooting, operations | IT support, HVAC technician, appliance repair technician |
| Organization and scheduling | Admin work, parenting, event planning | Logistics coordinator, project manager, production planner |
| Safety awareness | Construction, warehouses, healthcare | Safety specialist, hazmat technician |
| Leadership | Shift leads, coaching, military service | Project manager, construction foreman, maintenance supervisor, supervisors in any field |
| Accuracy with data | Cash handling, inventory, bookkeeping | Medical coder, bookkeeper, cost estimator |
| Calm under pressure | Emergency response, hospitality rushes | EMT, security guard |
How to find your transferable skills
- List every job, volunteer role and major responsibility from the past 10 years.
- For each, write what you actually did: verbs, not titles. (Trained new hires. Handled complaints. Tracked inventory. Fixed equipment.)
- Add results where you can: numbers, time saved, money saved, satisfaction scores.
- Circle the skills that appear in job postings for your target career.
Translate into the new field’s language
Read three to five job postings for your target role and note repeated words. Then rewrite your skills using those words.
- Before: “Server at a busy restaurant.”
- After: “Managed 6–8 tables per shift in a fast-paced environment, resolving customer concerns and coordinating with kitchen staff: skills directly applicable to patient flow as a medical assistant.”
Prove it in interviews with STAR stories
Prepare three or four stories using Situation, Task, Action, Result. Choose stories that show your top transferable skills, and end each by connecting it to the new job.
Frequently asked questions
What are examples of transferable skills?
Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, organization, leadership, customer service, time management, data accuracy and technical troubleshooting.
Are transferable skills enough to get hired?
They help a lot, but many careers also require specific technical skills or credentials. Combine transferable skills with targeted training.
Keep reading
How to Write a Career Change Resume
How to write a resume when changing careers: the best format, a strong summary, leading with skills and training, translating past experience and a before-and-after example.
How to Change Careers: A Step-by-Step Plan
A realistic, step-by-step plan for changing careers: clarify why, choose a target, map transferable skills, test the work, retrain efficiently, budget for the move and land the first role.
10 Soft Skills Employers Want (And How to Prove Them)
The soft skills employers value most (communication, reliability, teamwork, problem-solving and more) with practical ways to build each and prove them on your resume and in interviews.