As a skilled newcomer, you already bring many skills to the Canadian workforce. However, it's also crucial to highlight these transferable skills so that hiring managers notice your resume. In this blog, we'll demonstrate some transferable skills and provide simple tips to help you showcase them effectively.
What Are Transferable Skills?
Transferable skills are the abilities you've gained through life experiences like education, capstone projects, co-op placement, previous jobs, volunteering, and everyday life. They can also be referred to as "soft skills" and are highly desired skills that are useful in many different jobs. Here are a few examples:
- Communication is about being able to express yourself and understand others, both in writing and when speaking. Communication is important for jobs where you talk to coworkers, customers, or the public.
- Problem Solving is about figuring out solutions to problems. Employers love candidates who can think creatively and suggest creative solutions.
- Teamwork is about being able to work well with others and be part of a team.
- Time Management is about being good at planning your time, meeting deadlines, and doing tasks in the appropriate order.
- Adapting is about learning quickly and changing your ways of working/thinking in response to unfamiliar situations.
Showing Transferable Skills on Your Resume
Canadian employers care about soft skills as much as job-specific skills. By showcasing your transferable skills, your resume will be much more effective in helping you get discovered. Here are some tips for highlighting your transferrable skills!
- Make a List: Start by listing your transferable skills. Think about the skills you've learned and how they can help you succeed in your next job.
- Make Your Resume Fit the Job: Look at job postings and see what skills employers want. Then, match your skills to these needs in your resume. Remember to focus on the skills that matter most for your desired job.
- Use Action Verbs to Describe Your Skills: When you talk about your skills on your resume, use words like "managed," "organized," "helped," and "worked with others." These words show how you used your skills.
- Give Examples: Talk about a time when you used your skills. For example, if you're good at teamwork, you could mention how you worked with others to finish a project.
- Use Numbers: Numbers and specific statistics can show a hiring manager how much you did in previous jobs. Try to use numbers instead of simply listing out your prior responsibilities. For example, you could talk about how you made a process faster and saved time by 20%.
- Share Your Learning: If you took classes or got certificates for your skills, tell employers about them. It shows you want to learn and grow.
Have more questions?
If you need more guidance on showcasing your skills and finding the right job in Canada, we're here to help. Newcomers in Ontario can connect with our settlement and employment counsellors at NIC Online. We provide valuable resources and support to newcomers like you.
Register now to get started on your journey in Canada!
