In a competitive job market, young professionals need to work hard to develop skills that will make them employable. No matter what your degree is in, you should master a few transferable skills to help yourself get hired across multiple career fields to give you a helping hand as you start looking for work. Start early, and take advantage of areas you can build and improve your resume. Here is a list of 7 skills that are transferable which all young professionals and interns should have on their CV:
As a young professional, your communication skills are essential. Regardless of your job, you’ll need to effectively articulate your thoughts on paper for clear communication with your team and perhaps even for the wider company. Excellent writing, grammar, and editing skills are some of the most sought-after soft skills when recruiters are looking for new team members. Fortunately, you can practice these both in university and at internships. With sharp communication skills, you will be able to take part in vital projects for a company and become a trusted pair of hands in all matters of communication. If you enjoy writing and want to develop your skills further, you might choose to join a journalism and media internship or try your hand at PR and marketing.
If you can work effectively with a team, you’ll be able to move up quickly within an organization. Collaboration is a key skill for any position. Furthermore, working with people toward a common goal is an excellent way to build relationships professionally and personally, and discover unique ideas you might not have considered before, helping you to become a more creative person. Whether you’re part of a small start-up or a large corporation, teamwork is one of the most important transferable work skills a young professional can develop. Luckily, you're likely to have worked as a team on projects at university or during your internship, already putting you ahead of the curve and other applicants to roles.
Strong analytical skills are the best way to become a problem-solver at work. If you want to move up in your organization, you need to show that you’re ambitious when it comes to facing issues in the company and not be afraid to tackle the issue head-on with research and data to back up your thoughts and ideas for company improvements. If you combine analytical skills with strong research, you’ll be the go-to person when it comes to developing strategy. Even though it might feel like all that research during your studies feels like a waste of time, it's preparing you for your future career prospects, as you'll know how to research any project effectively!
Public speaking is perhaps one of the hardest transferable work skills to achieve. Many professionals never master this ability, and stage fright can even affect the most self-assured and competent workers! If you can stay calm and confident when presenting in front of crowds, you’ll be an asset to any team or organization. When working in groups, the team member with public speaking skills will make the biggest impression in presentations and will often become the face of the project, making you the go-to person when people want to collaborate. If you enjoy public speaking and want to pursue it in your future career, you may consider taking a politics internship or going into entrepreneurship.
Organization and time management are important skills, both in and out of the office. To maximize your work efficiency, try to master these skills early on so you can manage almost anything that comes your way! Being organized and managing your time will ensure you keep track of your assignments and projects, and show employers you are capable of leading projects and you can deliver great results on time. With consistent organization and time management, you can also prove you don't need a manager looking over your shoulder all the time, making you an excellent independent worker.
If you ever hope to hold a management position, you should start by improving your leadership skills. Fortunately, many skills go into leadership. Start by boosting your own creativity, leadership and interpersonal skills. Taking on leadership roles in university during projects or societies, and early in your career will help develop confidence and make you a more effective employee. You can even look for a mentor to help you hone your skills and give you tips as you work. To help increase your leadership abilities, you could consider taking an internship in business or entrepreneurship, careers that rely heavily on their leaders.
For adventurous young professionals, the most important transferable work skills are those that allow you to work anywhere. Adaptable employees are highly valued in today’s marketplace as you can work in multiple fields or locations without becoming overly flustered. Get some international experience on your CV to show employers that you’re globally-minded, culturally aware and able to succeed in any environment. With many businesses expanding globally, they'll need people like you who can adapt to different cultures with ease.
Internships abroad and online are a great opportunity for you to develop these key transferable skills, putting you in a better position in the job market, even if you change your mind on your desired career field later. To discover which internship is best for you, browse through our programs.