Transferrable Skills - Seton Hall University

Transferrable skills are skills and experiences attained in one type of position (i.e. job/internship, activity, student club, volunteer work, community involvement, class project) that can be effectively applied in a different context. Developing a resume that highlights skills relevant to a new position can be a difficult, but crucial task.

You must learn how to market these skills to convince a new employer that your past experiences are related to the new position. Consider the following items to help expand the way a skill can be described:

Explain in greater detail the task involved.
Identify specific skills utilized to execute the task.
State how these tasks and skills assist in accomplishing the work objectives of your newly sought position.

Consider the following examples:

1.A student who volunteered with Habitat for Humanity as part of a community service project who is looking to obtain a summer internship in a non-profit setting:

Before	After
Helped build a house Took students to work sites Asssited with other projects as needed	Committed five Saturdays per semester to building a home for a needy family Initiated and participated in fundraising efforts for Habitat for Humanity both on campus and in the community Organized and scheduled 3 student teams and ensured safe transport to and from different work sites

2. A current student who has worked part-time completing administrative work for a plumbing company who is looking for an internship in his/her major:

Before	After
Answered phones Entered data Filed paperwork Completed various clerical duties	Served as a primary contact between clients and owners of a small, independently owned plumbing company Utilized multitasking skills to maintain an 8-line phone system x Accurately input confidential financial data for 150+ customer accounts per day into Excel Coordinated travel arrangements and maintained the travel calendar for the vice president of organization

3. A senior who worked as a waiter/waitress throughout college who is looking for a full-time position

Before	After
Greeted and seated customers Took orders and served food Cleaned tables	Averaged 20 hours per week (nights and weekends) in the highest volume NJ store while a full-time student Independently accountable to close store and inventory products on weekly basis Trained 7 new employees on corporate mission while modeling exceptional customer service

4. A first-year college student with a part-time retail position who is seeking an internship.

Before	After
Check out customers at the cash register Strong work ethic	Complete cash and credit transactions with an average of 200 customers per shift in a timely manner Consistently surpass daily sales goals in a large volume store by demonstrating extensive product knowledge and superior customer service skills Monitor inventory levels and alert supervisor when products need to be restocked and/or reordered

For additional resume writing tips, please call The Career Center at 973-761-9355 or stop by 209 Bayley Hall to schedule an appointment with your career advisor.