Why Transferable Skills Matter More Than Ever

Have you ever caught yourself downplaying the skills you’ve gained outside of paid employment?

Many of those returning to work after a career break, having previously cared for loved ones, managed a household, freelanced, or ran their own business, underestimate the skills they’ve gained through non-traditional employment. When it comes to listing their achievements and skills on a CV, they draw a blank. Sound familiar?

As a career coach, I’ve met countless people who’ve said, “But I haven’t worked in years—I don’t have any skills to show!” The truth is, you absolutely do. In fact, many of the most sought-after skills in the workplace today are built through life, not just employment. Research by the World Economic Forum back in 2020, showing the growing need for adaptable workers, stated that by 2025, 50% of all employees will need reskilling, highlighting the importance of adaptable, transferable skills

Confidence in your transferable skills will strengthen your job applications and get you interviews. This blog will help you explore and understand those experiences under the concept of transferable skills.

What are transferable skills?

Transferable skills are the core abilities you can take with you from one role or context to another. They’re universal rather than job-specific, and you can accumulate them through a mix of previous jobs, volunteering, personal life, hobbies, education and extracurricular activities.

Think:

●      Communication

●      Time management

●      Problem-solving

●      Empathy

●      Adaptability

These are just a few. The real list is actually endless.

Understanding your transferable skills are very important in career transitions, like re-entering the workforce, as showcasing these skills can help bridge the gap between your past experience and future opportunities.

Skills in action: the story of Rachel

Take Rachel. She’s spent the past 12 years raising her children. In that time, she earned certifications in Change Management and Holistic Massage, volunteered for her kids’ school events, and coached her local under-6 girls' football team.

To some, that might not look like a “career.” But to a potential employer? That’s a goldmine of transferable skills: organisation, time management, coaching, leadership, teamwork, creativity, and resilience, to name a few.

The key is learning to identify and showcase those abilities confidently and clearly.

Self-reflection: your starting point

Start by asking yourself:

📝 What have I done in the last week?

🔍 What skills did I use to get those things done?

Write down your answers. Be specific.

This could be anything from organising a birthday party (planning, budgeting, coordination), to helping a friend with their CV (communication, critical thinking, empathy). By making this list, it will show you that you don’t need to be engaged in paid work to be accumulating skills.

Turning your skills into CV gold

Now you will want to translate this real-life experience into compelling CV content. You can showcase your transferable skills on your CV by:

1. Adding a dedicated skills section – Make your skills easy to spot.

2. Tailor your CV to each role – Focus on the skills each job ad values most.

3. Use strong action verbs – Use your language to show impact e.g. Led, Delivered.

4. Show, don’t just tell – Use examples to back up your claims.

5. Craft a powerful transition statement - Allows you to own your career story.

Add your transition statement to your Professional Summary at the top of your CV, because people remember stories. Facts tell, stories sell. A transition statement is your chance to own your narrative and frame your career break as a chapter, not a gap.

For example, instead of saying “I am returning to the workforce after a career break”, which is flat,  generic, and doesn’t show who you are or what you bring,

Instead you could say:

“After taking time to focus on my family, I am ready to bring my skills, energy, and real-life experience back into a workplace where I can add value.”

Remember accomplishments speak the loudest of all the words when it comes to job searching, so ensure you are using the language of achievement in your CV. You can do this by writing powerful accomplishment statements using the CAR method:

Challenge – What was the problem, need or goal? What wasn’t working?

Action – What did you do to address it? What did you do about it?

Result? What was the outcome or impact? What changed or improved because of you?

Now it’s your turn. Pick one skill you highlighted during your Personal Reflection above and write an accomplishment statement using the CAR structure.

For instance,

Example: Skill – Time Management / Logistics

Challenge: Coordinating overlapping school pickup schedules for three children while managing other household responsibilities.

Action: Created a weekly calendar with color-coded priorities, shared pickup responsibilities with other parents, and adjusted routines to improve efficiency.

Result: Reduced daily commute stress, saved 4 hours per week, and ensured consistent, on-time pickups.

Accomplishment Statement: “Coordinated daily logistics for a multi-child household by implementing a shared calendar and shared lifts, resulting in 4 hours saved per week and improved schedule reliability."

Can you see how that is much more impactful?

You don’t need to change who you are to restart your career—you just need to reframe how you talk about what you’ve done. Your skills are already there. It’s time to recognise them, value them, and put them forward with confidence.

Heather Thompson Bio

Hi, I’m Heather, The Success Coach, a certified career coach and former hiring manager.

I’ve a proven track record of helping people globally make positive changes in their career.

Through my one-to-one coaching, workshops and group programs, I’ve supported 150+ people from America to Ireland to Mongolia to update their CVs, excel at interviews, switch jobs, boost their confidence and even completely change careers.

Having sat on the other side of the table reviewing hundreds of CVs, I know exactly what stands out—and what gets skipped. I bring that insight into every session, helping you position your skills and tell your story in a way that gets results.

Want help telling your story career with confidence? Explore my career coaching ireland services at https://www.thesuccesscoach.ie/services and let me help you make your career comeback a success!

Interested in learning more? Book a free, 30 minute discovery call with Heather, The Success Coach, to explore how she can help you create a plan to return to work. Schedule your call here: https://calendly.com/successcoachheather/discovery-call.