How to Apply Your Transferable Skills to a New Career

Individuals, on average, will change their career up to 5 – 7 times over their lifetime, not just jobs but different industries. There are many reasons why someone may want a career change, and it can be daunting to start the process. The best way to get started is by making a list of your transferable skills. Transferable skills are expertise or abilities that can transfer from one job to the next that you pick up from different work and life experiences. Next, start researching what new career you might want to pursue and the education necessary to start that journey, whether that is through an online career program or continuing education courses.

Relationship Building, Communication, and Teamwork 

Do you enjoy communicating with different departments, helping clients, or talking with external partners or the public? Do you excel at interpersonal relationships in your personal life? If yes, a career involving relationship building, leadership, teamwork, or communication could be the path for you. 

If you want to work with adults and help individuals one-on-one, becoming a life coach may be something of interest to you. With life coach training, you can become a business coach, employment coach, or relationship coach. If working with adults is not your thing, consider getting into the education industry with an education assistant course. Educational assistants are in high demand across Canada and require someone with high interpersonal and teamwork skills. 

Do you want to combine your relationship skills with your administrative skills? Immigration practitioners are always in need of trained assistants to help with administrative tasks and client communication. Individuals with customer service, hospitality, or office backgrounds would excel in this field with the help of a legal assistant course. 

Are you passionate about making a positive and safe work environment? Are you able to be proactive rather than reactive in all kinds of situations? Pursuing a human resource management certificate program might be for you! The most common skills listed in human resource job openings are communication skills, people management, proactivity, and recruitment. 

Analytical Reasoning, Problem Solving, and Adaptability 

Do you like dealing with numbers or solving problems, sometimes before they even happen? Do you excel in a high-stress environment that could change at any moment? A career involving problem-solving, dealing with data, or working in challenging situations might be the path for you. 

Are you the person that can think of every potential problem and solve it? Do you excel at design and working on the computer? A UX design course combines design and problem solving to create a high-impact user experience and easy-to-navigate webpages. Individuals who excel at research and have strong analytical skills have a high potential to succeed in this industry. 

If you enjoy working with people and want to utilize your analytical and critical thinking skills, healthcare or human services are promising industries. In both fields, you work in ever-changing and potentially high-stress environments facing new challenges every day. Mental health and addictions support worker certificate course will give you the tools to work one-on-one with clients solving problems in their daily lives. While in a nursing unit clerk program, you will learn the skills necessary to maintain a functioning team in a hospital setting and work with different people every day. 

If a high-stake work environment is the opposite of what you want in a career change, then a stable career in accounting might be of interest. Individuals with an eye for detail and who enjoy working with forms and numbers will excel in an accounting program. The demand for accountants in Canada is high, making a career in accounting an excellent choice for professionals seeking job stability and competitive wages. 

Starting a new career can be daunting so take your time to research all your potential interests; utilizing and understanding your transferable skills will make that transition a lot easier.