Leverage Your Transferable Skills for a Smoother Transition into Tech

Are you considering a move into the tech industry but worried that your background doesn’t align with what employers are looking for? It's likely you already have the tools you need to succeed. Transferable skills are your ticket to making a confident and impactful pivot into tech. Skills you've gained through your previous jobs, volunteer work, hobbies, or education can play a major role in your career change.

This blog explores how to identify and utilize your transferable skills, highlights examples that are particularly valuable in tech, and shows how we support you in showcasing these strengths. By the end, we hope you’ll feel inspired, informed, and ready to take action.

What Are Transferable Skills and Why Do They Matter?

Transferable skills are the competencies you’ve developed over time that can apply across various roles and industries. These universally valuable skills include problem-solving, adaptability, communication, leadership, and technical expertise with tools or platforms. According to LinkedIn’s 2024 report, communication, customer service, management, and leadership ranked among the top five skills employers are actively seeking.

For those breaking into tech, transferable skills are particularly significant. Why? Because they serve as proof to potential employers that you can handle challenges, collaborate with teams, and adapt to new technologies, which are qualities that are as critical in tech as specific technical proficiencies. They make your past experience relevant, even if it’s not directly related to coding, AI, or data science.

Example of Why Transferable Skills Shine in Tech

Imagine you’ve been a teacher. While you might not have been writing code, you became a pro at time management, public speaking, leadership, and creative problem-solving. These skills are pure gold in tech. Public speaking helps during client presentations or team meetings, while problem-solving is essential in debugging code or tackling project roadblocks.

Step 1: Identifying Your Transferable Skills

The first step in leveraging your transferable skills is identifying them. This can feel overwhelming at first, but breaking it down into smaller steps can help:

1. Reflect on Past Roles and Experiences: Think through your day-to-day tasks in previous jobs, volunteer work, or academic projects. What made you good at those roles?
2. Brainstorm Key Accomplishments: Examine moments of success. Did you lead a project? Solve a persistent problem? Adapt to unexpected challenges?
3. Ask for Feedback: Sometimes, we overlook our strengths. Ask peers, managers, or mentors what they think your core strengths are.
4. Match Skills to Tech Roles: Research the desired roles in tech and look for ways your abilities overlap. For example, if a role emphasizes teamwork and creativity, your experience coordinating group projects fits well.

Action Tip:

Create a “skills inventory” by listing tasks and achievements from past roles. Write down what was required to succeed and focus on skills like communication, organization, or adaptability.

Step 2: Tailoring Your Skills to the Role

Transferable skills are most effective when you clearly show how they’ll benefit a potential employer. If you’re switching careers, it’s especially important to connect your past experience to realistic on-the-job situations, so the hiring manager can envision the value you’d bring.

When applying, study the job description closely and highlight keywords that point to the skills the company values most. Showcase relevant skills you’ve gained in previous roles in the work experience section of your resume. Use concise bullet points, start each bullet with a strong action verb, and describe both what you did and the positive impact it had. You can also add a dedicated skills section to list hard and soft skills that align with the job description.

Use your cover letter to expand on the soft skills you’ve developed, offering brief, concrete examples of how you’ve applied them and how they’ll help you succeed in the new role.

Step 3: Showcasing These Skills to Employers

Knowing your transferable skills is only half the battle. You also need to communicate them effectively. Here’s how you can put them in the spotlight:

1. Tailor Your Resume: Highlight relevant skills or experiences under each job description. Use the language found in job postings to align your abilities with the position.
2. Craft a Standout Cover Letter: Share compelling stories where you effectively used these skills. For example, describe how managing a team prepared you for collaborative tech projects.
3. Use STAR Stories in Interviews: Structure your responses around Situation, Task, Action, and Result to offer clear and illustrative examples of past successes.
4. Network Strategically: When speaking to tech professionals, explain how your skills provide value in the industry. Networking often opens doors to possibilities you hadn’t even considered.

Real Story from Flatiron School Alumni

Mike Diaz, a 2020 Software Engineering graduate, shared how his management skills proved invaluable in his new tech role. As the head of customer service at a retail company, he initially had no interest in tech, but after realizing coding was becoming essential, he enrolled at Flatiron School. He explained that his previous non-tech experience played a key role in landing his tech job. During his interview, the hiring manager was impressed by his management skills, his experience, and his insights on people management and team dynamics. His story shows how transferable skills can give candidates a competitive edge, proving that expertise from non-tech roles can be powerful assets when breaking into the tech industry.

Pro Tip:

Recruiters are looking for employees who can grow with their company. Skills like adaptability and critical thinking show that you’re ready to handle growth and change. To stand out in a crowded marketplace, you need a clear narrative that shows how your diverse experiences and strengths are valuable. Whether you’re pivoting careers, pursuing a leadership role, or entering a new industry, the way you communicate your transferable skills can be the factor that sets you apart.

Transferable Skills That Shine in Tech

While many skills translate well into tech, certain ones stand out due to their relevance in the industry’s fast-paced, collaborative, and problem-solving nature. Here are some top skills that can set you apart:

• Problem-Solving: Tackling complex issues with innovative solutions is essential. Whether debugging code or creating user-friendly designs, tech thrives on problem solvers.
• Adaptability: The tech landscape evolves quickly. Showing that you can adjust to new tools, processes, or challenges can reassure employers that you’ll thrive in this fast-moving field.
• Critical Thinking: Analyzing data and making evidence-based decisions is key for roles in data science, software engineering, and beyond.
• Communication: The ability to share ideas clearly ensures smooth collaboration, whether you’re working with clients, non-technical colleagues, or fellow developers.
• Project Management: Keeping teams on time and projects on budget is an incredibly valuable asset, no matter the specific tech role.

Did You Know?

Even technical tools count as a transferable skill. Familiarity with platforms like Excel, CRM systems, or even social media can demonstrate your ability to pick up new software quickly.

How Furman CIL // Flatiron Tech Programs Help You Tap Into Your Skills

We understand that transitioning into a new industry can be daunting. That’s why we offer tools, resources, and support to ensure you’re making the most of your unique strengths as you begin your tech career. Here’s how:

• Personalized Career Services: Our career coaches help you identify your transferable skills and package them to impress hiring managers.
• Resume and Interview Support: We guide you in crafting resumes and interview answers that make your past experiences shine.
• Immersive Learning: Our curriculum teaches you in-demand tech skills while building on your existing strengths, with an emphasis on hands-on projects.
• Supportive Community: Learning alongside peers who share your challenges and triumphs helps build confidence and motivation.

We help you build technical skills and show how every part of your background adds value to your new tech role.

Your Next Steps

Transitioning to tech doesn’t mean leaving your past behind. It’s about bringing it with you in the form of transferable skills that set you apart. By identifying your strengths, highlighting them effectively, and receiving the right support, you can confidently pursue your new career path.

Remember that communicating your value is a transferable skill in itself. As you prepare for your next career step, think about the story your skills convey and create a plan to share that story more broadly.

If you’re ready to explore how we can help you make your move into tech, reach out to our team today. Our mentors, instructors, and community are here to guide you every step of the way and to help you achieve the career growth and stability you’ve been dreaming of.

Are you ready to take that first step? The tech industry is waiting for you! Check out our programs and start your journey.