Have you ever tried to reinvent yourself only to have people tell you that it’s too bad your skills aren’t broader or more applicable to the opportunity they have?
I have.
As a career Retail Store Manager who spent many years managing a very successful Home Furnishings store it is amazing how little other people seem to value those skills and experiences.
The concept of transferrable skills does not seem to be on the radar of very many prospective employers. I know that I am not the only person who has found themselves excluded from opportunities by the limiting and ultimately false belief that my skills and experiences cannot be transferred to other segments of the economy.
If more organizations would broaden the scope of their search, looking with an open mind at transferable experience, not just specific industry experience I believe they would find more candidates than they would by only considering sector-specific applicants.
Let’s use me as an example.
As a former Retail Store Manager, what are the skills I possess that could be transferred and applied to other organizations?
Ability to Execute.
One of the key attributes of any successful manager is to have a clear vision and/or mission statement and be able to turn that vision into a workable and successful reality. To be able to take concepts and execute them, to inspire, to train, to problem solve, and to grow an organization. Proven leadership skills can be applied in every workplace. Sector-specific skills can be taught.
Sales, Marketing, and Advertising.
Combining all of these separate skills into one grouping is almost unfair. However, to understand and to be able to use the six Steps of selling is to be able to apply those skills in any situation and for any organization. As a proven leader, having the ability to train sales associates provides not only the ability to teach, develop and hone their skills; it follows that you can plan and execute interesting and successful meetings on a daily, weekly, and annual basis.
Marketing and Advertising skills cross all organizations and sectors whether “for-profit or not-for-profit sectors. The innovative mindset and ability to execute people skills that successful managers have, make training these people to become part of your specific area of operation easier than trying to train someone from your sector with marketing and advertising skills.
Problem Solving.
Working in a busy retail location, I was used to handling hundreds of questions daily, from the simple and mundane to questions that would severely impact the business if I made the wrong decision. Regardless of the sector, the ability to quickly identify the facts, determine alternatives, and make the best decision, immediately and under pressure, is a valuable transferrable skill.
The second component is to be able to objectively ask, “What did I do right? What did I do wrong? And then “What would I do differently the next time?” is just as important.
Managing, inspiring, and developing People.
This is the key area where transferable skills can make the largest difference. An experienced manager, skilled in managing people can transfer those skills to virtually any type of organization. Too many organizations believe that only people from their particular segment of the workplace can effectively manage and that is simply not true.
In my particular situation, I joined an organization that had fewer than a dozen associates. Through growth, insight, and additional training our organization not only multiplied our sales by a factor of 10, as we grew our profitability and customer service got even better.
The ability to motivate and develop people while meeting and/or exceeding the organizations’ growth targets covers key areas such as:
Identifying Needs. As an organization grows, having a leader with the ability to see what skills are needed, what personality types are required, how to add new positions and people without upsetting a wage structure; and, tying all of those aspects together while creating a positive environment and strengthening the organization’s culture; is rare and is entirely transferrable between sectors.
Creating Job Descriptions. Matching an organization’s personnel requirements with a concise job description sets the stage for future growth and all future evaluations. Just like future performance, conversations are a living document, so should a job description. Salaries and commissions as well as future incentives and bonuses are clear and transparent for all future and existing associates. These skills are also not sector-specific.
Searching, interviewing, and finding the right person. Annually, I interviewed hundreds of people as we searched for people who would help build our organization. Learning how to match the right person to the right job is part science and part craft. Analyzing and reading between the lines on a resume and engaging in an interview is a skill again that transcends organizational types. Knowing the needs of an organization and matching the identified abilities of the interviewee and noting the missing pieces can make the difference between a successful process, and one that has to begin again because of a hiring mistake.
Onboarding. Integrating new hires into the culture of a new organization and ensuring compliance with all government regulations is a key part of the onboarding process. I believe training begins when a person decides to apply and only ends when they leave an organization. Reducing staff turnover helps to perpetuate culture and allows mentoring at every level of your organization. Like the others, this standard is not sector-specific and an effective manager who is prepared to learn can be an asset to any organization regardless of their previous employment.
Performance Conversations and Associate issues. An effective manager learns and knows their associates. By being genuine, and truly interested in their lives, an effective manager can see nuances that many others miss. An effective manager is fair, consistent, and takes into account non-empirical factors when making decisions. They use reviews and daily interaction to build morale and rapport while driving the organization to achieve its goals without sacrificing discipline when necessary.
Health and Safety. Most Health and Safety standards are common regardless of sector. I bring skills and experience, for example, am certified in First Aid and CPR. I am certified for Levels 1 and 2 for Joint Health and Safety. My duties included safety drills, training, regular inspections, and working to develop policies and procedures to mitigate hazards to keep our associates as safe as possible. All of these skills are transferable.
Meetings. Effective communication across departments on a daily, weekly, and quarterly basis was a key component of my tasks and responsibilities. Interesting, interactive, and challenging meetings are one of the most effective tools for a manager regardless of the type of organization.
System and process evolution. In a very competitive retail environment, as an effective manager, it was up to me and our people to constantly challenge old thinking, old procedures so we could adapt and anticipate a changing marketplace. There are few sectors where this is not also true.
Whatever is necessary. I used to joke that this was my job description. The ability to solve unexpected problems is a useful skill in any sector. For example, toilets back up, fires happen, people get hurt, sprinkler systems malfunction and storms happen. Effective managers know when to step up and take ownership of issues calmly and quickly resolve them efficiently and effectively.
Procurement. Being responsible for multi-million dollar budgets provides insight into; planning, organization, delays and damage, exchange rates, tariffs, freight, sales projections, inventory management, delivery standards, execution, and presentation. This gave me skills that can transfer to many other sectors. As a buyer and manager, I also used financial statements on an ongoing basis to ensure plans not only drove the business but ensured our ongoing financial stability.
Customer Service. Retail is about people, retail is about creating a plan and executing that plan. It is also about solving problems quickly and effectively. I cannot think of another set of skills that is more transferable than great customer service.
Instead of thinking, retail does not have transferrable skills. Know that retail is a great breeding ground for many skills that are transferrable to almost any sector of the economy or not-for-profits.
Retail managers are also accustomed to working more hours each week than most other people. Retail Managers often work upwards of 50-70 hours per week including evenings, most Saturdays, and Sundays. Pressure is a constant companion, as most decisions need to be made immediately as screaming customers demand immediate solutions.
For those of you involved in hiring for your organization, do not automatically discount applicants from other sectors. Read all of the resumes and look for skills that you may not have originally considered applicable to your team. You may find a person with a unique skill set that has the skills you need and they may be a better choice than people who only have sector-specific skills.
Paul