College graduates and career changers know the importance of transferable skills – those skills that can be used in other contexts and beyond the classroom. And as many of us know all too well, today’s market is competitive, and you need the whole package in order to make a good impression. Employers want to know what you can bring to the table from your experiences at work or school, on special projects, or from volunteer and charity work, parenting, sports, etc. You need to sell yourself and your talents and match what an employer is looking for. That’s where transferable skills come in, and for students with an online-only education, your talents far reach outside the digital classroom, more than you might think.
Types of Transferable Skills
Okay, so you’ve earned your degree online, and you’re preparing for an interview. It’s time to really think about what you know and how you learned it. Taking courses online requires all the skills necessary to be successful in traditional college courses, in addition to the self-motivation and discipline to be complete your coursework. Online study requires strong time management and multi-tasking skills that transfer to the workplace. But take a look at the list below. I bet your experience online also boosted a few other important competencies. For example, some of the transferable skills employers look for include:
- Dealing with crises
- Delegating responsibility
- Evaluating own and others’ work
- Keeping records
- Motivating others…and yourself!
- Multi-tasking
- Paying attention to detail
- Presenting written and oral material
- Time management
- Training or teaching others
- Utilizing computer software
In order to be a successful online student, you need motivate yourself and others. Participating in classroom forums requires you to engage with your peers and to encourage thoughtful dialogue. This can be challenging at times, given the lack of face-to-face interaction, but instructors carefully review forum participation and look for engagement that is contextually appropriate and meaningful. Share this with your employer and discuss how you gained exceptional writing skills and the ability to communicate information clearly. And while you’re at it, give a specific example with evidence to support how you effectively led on online discussion that resulted in a more in-depth understanding among your peers.
Also, online study requires you to know how to use a computer and to use it well. In today’s modern workplace, knowing how to navigate the Web and use computer software is a must. When meeting with potential employers, here’s your opportunity to discuss how you gained applicable work experience from taking classes online. And be specific. For example, if an employer asks if you’re comfortable working on a computer, you can share specific details about the online learning platform used by your school and how you successfully learned a variety of technological tools that be extremely useful on the job.
Why Transferable Skills Matter
It’s critical for a successful job seeker to carefully evaluate how their skills transfer into other opportunities outside of the classroom. But the key here is to be specific. You must look for ways to express this transferability to a prospective employer. The skills listed above are just a sampling of the many transferable skills that employers look for. Our advice is to make a list of skills and personal qualities an employer seeks and brainstorm how to illustrate your professional attributes in an interview. Think about the transferable skills you possess and relate any past job history, your experiences as an online student, or any pertinent experience for that matter to support your search and your resume. You just might discover that you’re more employable than you think!