The Difference between technical skills, transferable skills, personal values, and how to communicate them to others.

During my time in management, I have seen my fair share of resumes and applicants seem to be confused in regards to the difference between technical skills, transferable skills, and personal values. They often use a skill or a value in the wrong context. For example when asked, “What is the most admired traits about yourself?” I’ll receive a flood of answers that describe a tehechnical or transferrable skill rather than a characteristic or personal value that is unique to them. In article, I will attempt to demystify the difference between technical skills and transferable skills, personal values, and how to communicate them to others.

Why It’s Important to Know Specific Skills and Traits

So why is it important to know specific skills and traits? It is important to know specific skills and traits because hiring managers can see right through generic ones and can identify the fluff from the facts. When discussing skills, there are two types: technical skills and transferable skills.

Technical Skills

Technical skills are the competencies that give you the ability to do you job (Certo, 2016).The best way to determine if you have technical skills is by proving it through certifications and sample work. A good example of a technical is being profienct in Mircorsoft Word. A good way to prove this is by having a Word Certficiation.

Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are a set of skills that can be applied to any profession and underlines your ability to do you technical skills effectively (Yate, 2014). As such, technical skills can only be transferred within a profession, whereas transferable skills apply to any. Transferable skills can be evident in your professional employment history. For example, does your resume demonstrate you have worked in a team or have lead others?

Traits aka Personal Values

Traits are the qualities or characteristics of a person. In professional development, traits are better referred to as professional values or the set of beliefs and behaviors that allow professionals to make good judgment calls that are in the best interest of the organization (Yate, 2014). Professional values can be observed during the interview process when answering behavioral questions.

Conclusion

Knowing the difference between technical skills, transferable skills, and professional values is key into establishing a comprehensive inventory of them. Once you are aware of the skills you have a much more clearer understanding of how to communicate them to others. Thus, you will have a significant chance of standing out from the rest of the crowd.

References:

Certo, S. C. (2016). Supervision: Concepts and Skill-Building (9th). New York, NY. McGraw-Hill.

Yate, M. (2014). Knock ’em dead: The Ultimate job search guide. Avon, MA. Adams Media.