Transferable Skills and Core Competencies Inventory
Step One: Review and complete the transferable skills inventory
Top Ten Attributes Employers Are Looking For
1. Communication skills (written)
2. Leadership
3. Analytical skills
4. Strong work ethic
5. Ability to work in a team
6. Problem solving
7. Communication skills (verbal)
8. Initiative
9. Detail oriented
10. Computer skills
Source: NACE Job Outlook 2014
http://www.howard.edu/careerservices/job-outlook-2014.pdf
What are Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills are any skills that you have acquired throughout school, jobs,
volunteer activities, life experiences or hobbies that would be beneficial to employers.
They are skills that emphasize process more than product. Therefore writing about
transferable skills will be more reflective and connect to your authentic learning
experiences. Sometimes it is difficult to realize what your transferable skills are, or it is
hard to put them into words. This worksheet defines some of the major skills employers
are looking for.
What are Core Competencies?
Core competencies more product oriented than transferable skills. These competencies
make up the core of your learning experiences during your time in school. You can learn
critical-thinking in many classes and use this core competency in many or all of your
homework assignments; core competencies make up the big-picture of your learning.
When writing about your core-competencies, you should provide ample pieces of
demonstrated evidence.
Authentic Learning Experiences
What is an authentic learning experience? An authentic learning experience provides
you with the ability to definitively describe it in terms that show your mastery of skills or
knowledge. An authentic learning does not have to necessarily occur within the
university or college classroom. For example, you may have an authentic learning
experience related to a job, or international travel experience.
Demonstrated Evidence
Demonstrated evidence should be tangible evidence. A product of your learning such as
papers written for classes, pictures, videos, audio files, PowerPoint projects, science
projects, art projects, drawings, songs you have composed, etc. Anything that provides
verification of your level of mastery of the skill or subjects in your learning experience
could be evidence. When you speak about your learning experience, you should be able
to produce some evidence of that experience.
Put an X in each corresponding box. If you have an authentic learning experience and
you can provide demonstrated evidence, put an X in both boxes.
Communication Skills
A candidate that has good communication skills is essential to employers and graduate
schools. Good communication isn't just about writing or speaking well. It includes
presenting your ideas in an organized and concise manner. It also includes how
persuasive, enthusiastic, and engaging you can be. You could have picked up
communication skills through giving lectures or presentations, writing letters or
proposals, being a member of a debate team, tutoring a student, and more.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Speaking to capture
attention
Teaching or Training
Persuading or debating
Working in a team
Making Presentations
Thinking on one's feet
Providing appropriate
feedback
Facilitating discussion
Perceiving non-verbal
messages
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Written Communication
The ability to develop your ideas in writing is important for most jobs and all graduate
programs. Communicating through writing is vastly different than communicating in
person, therefore writing must be clear, and concise at the very least. Written
communication allows for more fluent and graceful use of language which is a highly
sought after skill.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Writing for appropriate
audience
Using graceful language
Writing with fluency and
clarity
Incorporating original
metaphors
Utilizing appropriate style
Utilizing reliable sources
Editing
Proof-reading
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Organization
Employers and grad schools want to know that you can focus, prioritize work, and finish
tasks on time. The more organized you can be, the more efficient you are at the work
that you do. Organization skills can be picked up in a number of ways; planning events,
stocking and organizing products, or creating schedules, to name a few.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Meeting deadlines
Multi-tasking
Coordinating tasks
Setting priorities
Setting and keeping
schedules
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Quantitative Literacy
Some professions demand a high level of data analysis. While others may not be data
heavy, it is still important to be well versed in analyzing data. It is also helpful to be able
to take information and arrange it into various graphs or charts. Utilizing this skill can
help your boss, co-workers, or professors easily access information visually.
Transferable Skill/ Core
Authentic learning
competency
experience
Explaining mathematical
data/charts
Converting information into
charts or mathematical
forms
Producing accurate and
comprehensive calculations
Making judgments based
on quantitative analysis of
data
Demonstrated evidence
Problem Solving/Analytical skills
The ability to efficiently solve problems is a key skill in the work place. Clients often have
problems that need to be solved and many companies gain revenue in solving these
problems. Graduate school also want to see you are able to tackle problems and provide
creative solutions. You may have gained this skill in group projects, service industry jobs,
or even in your own home.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Utilizing cause and effect
reasoning
Calculating and comparing
Anticipating problems
before they occur
Developing plans
Selecting most appropriate
solutions to resolve
problems
Decision making
Forming independent
conclusions
Testing possible solutions
Comprehending large
amounts of data
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking involves researching, analyzing, and looking at different viewpoints
before drawing a formal opinion or conclusion. It can be something as simple as
checking the sources of an article or as complex as formulating and testing a hypothesis.
Transferable skill/core
Authentic learning
Demonstrated evidence
competency
experience
Explaining issues
Critically
examining/exploring
problems
Questioning various
viewpoints on one issue
Stating position on an issue
Acknowledging limits and
complexities of viewpoint
Creative Thinking
Creative thinking involves curiosity and innovation. Many people believe creativity is
mostly related to art, but creative thinking also involves assessing problems and finding
fresh and innovative strategies to solve those problems. Graduate programs in
particular are looking for students with new, exciting ideas and a unique outlook on the
future.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Considering alternative
directions or methods
Embracing contradictions
Exploring controversial
topics
Working outside the
boundaries of an
assignment or project
Utilizing unique or novel
ideas
Organizing in a visually
appealing way
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Flexibility
It is important now more than ever to be flexible. New technologies are making it
possible to work on multiple projects and tasks at once. However, technologies can fail
and projects can become complicated. Employers want to know you can handle change
and make appropriate adaptations.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Adapting to change
Open-minded to new ideas
Facilitating change to new
rules/environments
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Initiative/Self-Starting
Many times there will not be a supervisor constantly telling you what your next task
should be. Employers value someone that recognizes a task that need to be done and
begins working on it. Professors also value students that bring new ideas to a class and
can implement those ideas on their own.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Anticipating problems
Brainstorming new ideas
Improvising
Anticipating consequences
of actions
Creating ideas
Anticipating needs of
others
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Leadership
Leadership skills are also highly sought after. Being a good leader demonstrates an
ability to work with people, accomplish goals, and critical thinking. When speaking
about your role as a leader, focus on what your team accomplished under your
leadership. You could have picked up leadership skills in a campus club, sports team,
internship, or group project.
Transferable Skill
Motivating colleagues
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Delegating tasks
Receptiveness to new ideas
Teaching
Setting priorities
Resolving conflicts
Assuming responsibility
Facilitating discussion
Teamwork
Teamwork is invaluable in the workplace and grad school. Employers want to know they
can rely on you to work with people in achieving a common goal. You should be able to
communicate your role in a group, and how you helped to achieve set goals. This skill
can be found in many experiences such as volunteer work, student organizations, sports
teams, performances, projects and more.
Transferable Skill
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Listening and offering
opinions
Working to attain goals
Sharing responsibilities
Willingness to accomplish
delegated tasks
Working with others
Assisting team members
Ability to lead when
appropriate
Ability to support when
appropriate
Human Relations
The ability to form good relationships with people is valuable in all aspects of you life,
however it is a key ability in the work place. Having good human relations means you
can influence people in positive ways, recover gracefully from set-backs, and promote
harmony and efficiency in your work environment.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Creating positive,
hospitable environment
Utilizing appropriate humor
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated Evidence
Communicating with
diverse groups
Expressing feelings
appropriately
Listening and being
empathetic
Ethical Reasoning
While it isn't appropriate to speak at length about your ethical views in the office,
employers want to know that their employees have good ethics. Professors in graduate
programs may instigate an ethical discussion. It's helpful to know how to solve
problems, but solving problems unethically will not help your company nor will it help
fellow classmates. Ethical reasoning helps facilitate empathy, self-awareness, and fair
solutions.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Analysis of core beliefs
Analysis of origin of beliefs
Understanding of other
ethical perspectives
Recognition of complex,
multi-layered ethical issues
Consideration of
implications applying
ethical solutions
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Local Community Skills
Caring about your local community shows employers and graduate schools that you are
able to work toward goals that benefit everyone. It also illustrates that you are able to
consider others opinions and work well with people. Good community skills will benefit
you in many aspects of your life.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Considering your role in the
community
Assisting others in the local
community
Connecting learning to the
local community
Authentic learning
experience
Demonstrated evidence
Generating ideas that
benefit the community
Listening and adapting to
others ideas
Global Connections
More and more American companies are becoming global entities. Now more than ever
it is important to be well informed on global issues and have the skills to work with
diverse clientele or coworkers. You can pick up global learning skills in foreign language
classes, study abroad programs, and much more.
Transferable skill/Core
competency
Assessing cultural
differences and similarities
Understanding local global
cause and effect
Connecting or extending
experiences to different
cultures or countries
Utilizing diverse
perspectives
Adapting to new world
views
Using problem solving skills
for global issues
Addressing social,
economic, or ethical world
issues
Authentic Learning
Experience
Demonstrated evidence