"Many employers are shifting to a skills-based approach within their organizations and when hiring. Evaluating employees and new hires based on their transferable skills instead of their work history can help level the playing field. Employers are no longer screening out candidates because they do not have specific industry experience or hold a similar title. This is great news for job seekers and those currently employed looking to advance their careers with their employers." (Excerpt from Leading the Future of Work)

Skills can be broken into two categories. Hard skills like computer programming, animation, or accounting and soft skills such as time management, emotional intelligence, and collaboration. Hard skills require specific learning and development that are measurable, easy to define, and specific. Soft skills are, by nature, harder to learn in a formal setting and harder to measure, and often difficult to define.

According to a study in 2016, 93% of employers term soft skills as either “very important” or “essential.” However, 54% of the employees say they have not included soft skills in their CV
Source: https://www.trvst.world/work-skills/soft-skills-facts-statistics/

Transferable skills are the skills and abilities that are relevant and helpful across different areas of life: socially, professionally, and at school. They are 'portable skills' and are owned by you, not your employer. Think of transferrable skills like tools in your toolbox that you take with you wherever you go.

Companies are looking to innovate and future-proof their businesses by relying on employees with creative-problem solving, leadership communication, and technology skills to help them innovate and remain competitive.

You can obtain and hone your transferable skills anywhere: in school, volunteering, internships previous jobs, etc. They are the skills you can use in any professional setting.

So, what will be the top transferable skills in 2022?

1. Adaptability – ability to adapt; thrive in an everchanging environment

2. Resilience – ability to bounce back despite roadblocks or hindrances

3. Collaboration – ability to work with others to share and solve a problem

4. Emotional intelligence - skill in perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions and feelings.

5. Empathy – being able to relate and experience the feelings, thoughts or attitudes of another

6. Problem-solving – ability to identify and assess challenges and evaluate possible solutions

7. Technical ability – hard skills in a particular area where precision and training is required

8. Communication – The ability to impart, transmit ideas and concepts through written and spoken word; depending on the role this can be a hard or soft skill

9. Thrive in a virtual environment – the ability to perform one’s job autonomously without significant oversight and be able to navigate technology to succeed remotely

10. Critical Thinking - disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence. The ability to identify and assess multiple factors and derive a recommended outcome

If you leave the workforce or opt for a career change, these transferrable skills are yours. In fact, they can help you adapt, grow and succeed throughout your career. Ensure you bring them out in your resume, and are able to demonstrate your acumen during job interviews by preparing examples of how you used these skills to complete your responsibilities.