More than getting a degree: developing your key transferable skills

I write this short article on the day of the worst storm to batter Southern England since the last great storm way back in 1987. Today the Careers Service has had to adapt as staff were delayed on their way into work, hampered by the travel chaos that ensued. It got me thinking about all the key employability skills that have had to be used today to remain up and running and providing a service to you guys. Problems have been reviewed, solutions put in place, changes communicated to students and team members briefed. All this from just the first hour at Imperial this morning! All these key transferable skills came into play during one short period on a Monday morning, just think what core skills you can develop over the course of your studies and use to great effect in your future applications for employment or internships and placements!

As you settle back into the College academic year you are no doubt becoming aware of the myriad of events that the Careers Service arranges to help you come to a career decision and to set you on the pathway for a rewarding and fulfilling career. No matter what route you choose to pursue after completing your studies, whether to remain in academia or to go into the world of work, either through an internship or by entering a graduate training programme- you will undoubtedly have to go through some form of selection process.

For many this can seem daunting but the key to success is giving evidence of what you can offer and importantly how you have been gaining valuable transferable skills during your studies. Employers are looking for a well-rounded future colleague. They can see you have the academic qualifications, but how can you show them you have all the skills and behaviours that they are looking for? Often when I speak to students they do not fully appreciate what they have to offer and overlook key skills they have developed or will have obtained by the time they graduate.

So, what do we mean by transferable skills? Transferable skills are a key set of attributes that employers require from you. As you review opportunities either on line via Jobslive (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/careers) or from company websites, you will see job descriptions and person specifications for different roles. Time spent reading and understanding the requirements for any role is time well spent. Obviously you will need to pay attention to the academic requirements for the role, but what of the other aspects that you will most likely see.

Are they asking for communication skills, time management skills, team working skills, problem solving skills, a positive ‘can do’ attitude, and so on? Any application, whether for a Graduate level role, internship or higher level study will require you to fully assess what you have to offer. To succeed our job is not to discount areas that you have solid experience in or undersell yourself. Those reading your applications will want good evidence of your skills. It is not enough for example to say, “I’m a good communicator”, you need to say where and how you have developed these skills. For example this could come from group projects you are undertaking as part of your course. How many people are in the group? Are you aware of cultural differences? Do you listen to others and propose solutions? Do you actively involve others in the group and so on. Already, by expanding on one aspect, communication, your response to application questions or laid out on your CV really comes to life. This enables the reader to start to gain a more detailed picture of you and how you might be able to use the communications skills you have developed.

You will have lots of opportunity to gain these key transferable skills while at Imperial. These can come from work and experiences you are gaining throughout your studies or from your extracurricular activities from clubs and societies.

So, where might you start to look for evidence of your transferable skills? The table is just a starting point but by thinking these areas through you will start to identify more as you really think about what you have to offer.

If you are unsure how to interpret your skills in the best possible way don’t forget you can get help from the Careers Service by booking to see one of our Careers Consultants. www.imperial.ac.uk/careers