How to switch jobs using transferrable skills (with tips)

Everyone's career path is different, and sometimes it involves switching jobs or industries. There's no right or wrong time to consider changing your career path. One of the best ways to ensure you secure a job that uses your talents is to consider your transferrable skills during your job search. This will help you identify your strongest traits that you can list once you start applying to open roles. Read on to explore tips for switching careers and using your transferrable skills to help you land your next role.

Consider why you want to change roles

Before you start thinking about how to switch jobs, focus on why you have the desire to. There are many reasons to change careers, such as feeling apathetic about your job, dreading going to work, and noticing that your job is affecting your personal life. These are all signs that you might be experiencing burnout or are in a career that isn't fulfilling your needs.

You don't need a dramatic reason to change jobs — you might pursue different options if you feel generally unhappy in your position or want to try out new job duties. Thinking about why you want to switch careers is a great way to identify qualities to look for in your new position, such as better work-life balance or specific responsibilities.

Identify your transferrable skills

Perhaps the most important step in this process is identifying your transferrable skills so you can highlight them to employers. If you're unsure which of your skills are transferrable, you can uncover your hidden transferrable skills by considering which of your abilities might be useful in other positions. For instance, if you currently work as a customer service representative, you likely have strong communication, interpersonal, and customer service skills. These abilities are highly useful in sales, managerial, and retail roles. 

Explore a variety of industries

One of the most exciting parts of changing careers is the opportunity to explore different industries. Countless industries are hiring new employees at any given point, so it's helpful to browse all the areas you're interested in and identify which industries would be best for you in terms of employment. For instance, if you're interested in writing and creating digital content but you've only worked in marketing thus far, you might explore the publishing and research industries, as they often deal with similar topics and events.

"There's no right or wrong time to consider changing your career path. One of the best ways to ensure you secure a job that uses your talents is to consider your transferrable skills during your job search."

Browse open roles that use your skills

While exploring different industries, review job descriptions to identify job opportunities that ask for skills that are already on your resume. This will help you determine which of your transferrable skills will be most useful in the industry of your choice. For instance, if you're searching for career paths that use organizational and time-management skills, you might explore roles such as team lead, office manager, or teacher.

Rebrand yourself in your application materials

Once you find a few jobs you want to apply to, think about how you'll convey your personal brand in your application materials. By rebranding yourself using a thoughtful strategy, you can stand out among other candidates and highlight the transferrable skills that make you unique. Aside from showcasing the work habits and elements of your personality that will make you a great asset to the company, this will also help build your credibility by offering proof of your abilities.

There are several ways to establish your personal brand. Revise your resume and cover letter to showcase the aspects of your personality and experience that make you stand out as an exceptional candidate. You can also benefit from creating a portfolio that includes samples of your work, when applicable, as this can convey even more of your personality and give solid examples of your transferrable skills in action.

Highlight your transferrable skills during interviews

Once you start getting invitations for interviews, think about how you'll market your transferrable skills to potential employers. Review examples of skills-based interview questions and practice how you'll answer in a way that showcases how your transferrable skills will help you excel in the role. For example, if you're interviewing for a graphic designer job and the interviewer asks how you use creativity in your work, discuss times in your previous jobs when you used creative skills that also are useful in graphic design, such as color theory, image sourcing, and typography.

Changing your career may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. By thinking about your transferrable skills and showcasing them whenever you can, you'll be able to market your strengths to different companies and show how your experience is relevant to a variety of roles. Use these tips to guide your next career change, focusing on how you can use your transferrable skills to land the job you've been dreaming about. When you're ready to start changing career paths, create a profile on CareerBuilder so employers can find you easily.

More tips for getting a new job

For advice about optimizing your job search to ensure you love your new role, learn about how to find a job you love.

If you're looking to transition to part-time work, read about how to go from full-time to part-time hours.

When transitioning to a career in a new industry, learn about how to find a job with no experience.

For insight into securing employment for the holidays, explore what jobs for the holidays are and how to find them.