Transferable skills checklist

Communication

Getting ideas across clearly, in writing or in person.

• Active listening

  You summarise what someone said and they agree you got it.

• Written communication

  You write emails, reports or posts that people act on without follow-up.

• Public speaking

  You have presented to a group and handled questions.

• Explaining complex ideas simply

  You regularly translate jargon for people outside your field.

• Negotiation

  You have reached agreement when both sides started far apart.

• Giving feedback

  You have told someone what worked and what to adjust without them shutting down.

Leadership & influence

Guiding people, decisions and momentum even without a job title.

• Team leadership

  You have kept a group aimed at a shared goal.

• Delegation

  You hand off work and it comes back complete.

• Motivating others

  People put in extra effort when you are involved.

• Conflict resolution

  You have calmed a disagreement and found a workable path.

• Decision making

  You make calls with incomplete information and own the result.

• Mentoring

  You have helped someone else get better at something.

Problem solving & analysis

Breaking messy situations into clear steps and solutions.

• Critical thinking

  You question assumptions before accepting a conclusion.

• Research

  You find reliable information and summarise what matters.

• Data analysis

  You use numbers or patterns to support a decision.

• Troubleshooting

  You fix things when the obvious answer does not work.

• Process improvement

  You have made a routine faster, cheaper or less error-prone.

• Risk assessment

  You spot what could go wrong before it does.

Organisation & planning

Keeping time, tasks and resources under control.

• Time management

  You meet deadlines without last-minute panic.

• Project planning

  You break big goals into ordered tasks with owners and dates.

• Prioritisation

  You drop lower-value work when something urgent appears.

• Scheduling

  You coordinate multiple people and commitments reliably.

• Budgeting

  You plan and track money against a limit.

• Record keeping

  You keep information accurate and findable.

Interpersonal & service

Working well with people, including difficult ones.

• Empathy

  You adjust your approach based on how someone else is feeling.

• Customer service

  You have turned a frustrated person into a satisfied one.

• Collaboration

  You share credit and adapt to how others work best.

• Networking

  You build useful relationships deliberately, not just when you need something.

• Patience

  You stay effective when progress is slower than you would like.

• Cultural awareness

  You work respectfully across different backgrounds and norms.

Adaptability & resilience

Staying useful when plans change or pressure rises.

• Flexibility

  You switch approach when the situation changes.

• Resilience

  You recover from setbacks and keep going.

• Learning quickly

  You get competent at new tools or topics fast.

• Handling ambiguity

  You move forward when instructions are unclear.

• Stress management

  You stay clear-headed when demands pile up.

• Self-motivation

  You start and finish work without someone checking.

Digital & technical

Practical tools and platforms that most roles need.

• Spreadsheets

  You use formulas, sorting or charts to organise information.

• Presentation software

  You build slides that support a message, not replace it.

• Social media

  You have grown or managed an online presence.

• Basic coding or automation

  You have written a script, formula or no-code flow to save time.

• Data entry

  You input information accurately at speed.

• Digital security awareness

  You handle passwords, phishing and privacy sensibly.

Creativity & initiative

Generating ideas and acting on them before being asked.

• Creative thinking

  You come up with options others have not considered.

• Initiative

  You spot a need and act before being told.

• Storytelling

  You make information memorable by framing it as a narrative.

• Design sense

  You make things clear and visually organised.

• Innovation

  You have introduced a new method, product or approach.

• Attention to detail

  You catch errors others miss.

Frequently asked questions