How to Identify Transferable Skills Using Benchmarking
Shabuddin MS
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What is Benchmarking?
Compare your skills to industry standards or peers to find gaps and strengths. -
Why Transferable Skills Matter:
Over 80% of career changes involve new employers, making skills like project management, communication, and problem-solving essential. -
Steps to Use Benchmarking:
- Group skills into technical, interpersonal, and problem-solving categories.
- Use tools to compare your skills internally (within your company) and externally (against market demands).
- Align your skills with career goals by addressing gaps and building a plan.
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Resources to Help:
Free tools like skills assessments and career planning platforms can guide you.
Quick Tip: Regularly evaluate your skills and refine them based on market trends to stay relevant and ready for new opportunities. Benchmarking isn’t a one-time task - it’s your roadmap for growth.
How Benchmarking Can Help You Identify Transferable Skills
What Is Skill Benchmarking?
Benchmarking involves three main steps:
- Assessing your skills against the requirements of a specific role.
- Comparing your abilities with industry standards.
- Pinpointing transferable skills that can be applied across roles and sectors.
This process gives you a clear view of your strengths and how they fit into various career paths.
Why Transferable Skills Are Key for Career Transitions
Did you know that more than 80% of career shifts involve changing employers instead of moving up internally [2]? Transferable skills are crucial for navigating these transitions. Real-time skills data highlights the abilities most sought after across industries [1], making it easier to tailor your expertise for new opportunities.
Take project management as an example - it’s relevant in IT, construction, healthcare, and more. These types of skills are particularly helpful when:
- Shifting to a new industry.
- Adapting to changes in the job market.
- Strengthening your career flexibility.
How Benchmarking and Skill Maps Work Together
Skill maps, when paired with benchmarking, help you:
- Spot shared skills between different roles.
- Understand how your abilities can cross over into new industries.
- Pinpoint areas where you need to grow.
This structured method allows you to make the most of your current skills while focusing on development areas. By comparing your capabilities to market demands, you can strategically decide which skills to sharpen to reach your career goals.
Armed with these insights, let’s dive into the steps to uncover your transferable skills.
Steps to Identify Your Transferable Skills
Grouping Your Skills into Categories
Start by sorting your skills into three main categories: technical, interpersonal, and problem-solving. This makes it easier to analyze and understand your strengths. For instance, a software developer might list coding languages under technical skills and teamwork under interpersonal skills.
Here’s how you can organize your skills:
- Technical: Programming, data analysis, project management
- Interpersonal: Communication, leadership, conflict resolution
- Problem-solving: Critical thinking, strategic planning, creative solutions
Once categorized, use tools to see how your skills compare to industry benchmarks.
Comparing Your Skills with Benchmarking Tools
Benchmarking tools can help you evaluate your skills in two ways: comparing them with colleagues (internal benchmarking) and measuring them against industry standards (external benchmarking). This process highlights areas for growth and keeps you updated on new trends.
Here’s what to focus on:
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Internal Benchmarking:
- Compare your abilities with peers in similar roles.
- Identify skills that make you stand out.
- Spot opportunities for internal training.
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External Benchmarking:
- Measure your skills against industry expectations.
- Stay informed about new, in-demand skills.
- Pinpoint transferable skills that are highly sought after.
By understanding these comparisons, you can better align your skills with your career path.
Matching Your Skills to Career Goals
Once you’ve benchmarked your skills, the next step is aligning them with your career goals. This process helps you create a clear plan for personal development. Career changes often depend on how well you can apply your transferable skills [2].
Here’s how to get started:
- Evaluate your current skills against the requirements of your target roles.
- Research what industries are looking for in candidates.
- Build a focused plan to develop or refine key skills.
For example, if you’re transitioning from marketing to product management, highlight skills like stakeholder management, data analysis, and strategic planning - abilities that are valuable across many fields.
Resources and Services to Build and Benchmark Skills
Free Tools to Evaluate Your Skills
With half of the global population needing to update their skills due to technological changes [1], several tools can help you measure your abilities and align them with current market demands:
- Skills Assessment and Resume Tools: Platforms like Gloat's Skills Foundation and ATS checkers analyze your skills, compare them to industry standards, and highlight gaps in your resume.
- Career Planning Tools: Salary prediction calculators and interview prep resources help you understand the value of your skills and get ready for career changes.
These tools provide actionable insights, making it easier to group and compare your skills based on the methods discussed earlier.
scale.jobs: A Service to Simplify Job Applications
Scale.jobs takes the hassle out of job applications, giving you more time to focus on building skills and expanding your network. For $4/hour, this service is especially helpful for:
- Recent graduates breaking into the tech industry
- Professionals dealing with layoffs
- Career changers using transferable skills
- International job seekers navigating visa challenges
The platform offers resume writing, cover letter creation, and application tracking, ensuring your skills are presented effectively to potential employers. Additional tools like the Portfolio Website Generator make it easier to showcase your expertise.
Together, these resources help you identify and present your skills in a way that supports your career transition. Next, we’ll dive into how to use these insights for planning your career growth.
Using Benchmarking to Plan Your Career Growth
Finding and Fixing Skill Gaps
Addressing skill gaps starts with a clear plan. Here’s how you can do it:
- Conduct Regular Skill Assessments: Use online tools to compare your current skills with industry standards. These platforms provide data that can guide your focus, showing exactly where you need improvement.
- Focus on Key Skills: Identify which abilities are most relevant to your career goals. For instance, if project management is an area you need to improve, consider enrolling in certification programs or targeted training courses to strengthen your expertise [3].
| Skill Type | Suggested Actions |
|---|---|
| Technical Skills | Take courses tailored to your industry |
| Soft Skills | Attend leadership workshops to boost teamwork |
| Industry Knowledge | Participate in seminars or conferences to stay informed |
By regularly using benchmarking tools, you can evaluate your progress and ensure you’re closing those gaps. Once you've addressed your weak areas, the next step is aligning your strengths with your long-term career objectives.
Building a Career Plan Based on Your Skills
Frequent career changes often mean working with new employers, so showcasing your skills effectively is crucial.
When crafting your career plan:
- Align Skills with Industry Needs: Use benchmarking insights to connect your abilities with current market demands. Set clear, measurable goals to guide your growth.
- Track Your Progress: Continuously evaluate your development through online tools to make sure you’re staying on course.
This approach ensures that your career plan evolves with your skills and the demands of your chosen industry.
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Conclusion: Start Using Benchmarking to Identify Your Skills
Benchmarking can help you identify transferable skills, align them with market needs, and plan career transitions more effectively. Considering that over 80% of career moves involve changing employers [2], understanding and refining your skills is key to advancing professionally.
"No organization can afford to take their foot off the gas when it comes to training and development" [1]
Here’s what benchmarking can do for you:
- Compare your skills directly with industry standards.
- Provide a clear roadmap for career growth.
- Ensure your abilities align with what employers are looking for.
To make the most of skill benchmarking:
- Evaluate your current skills using professional tools to measure them against industry benchmarks.
- Prioritize both technical and soft skills that are valuable across various roles.
- Develop a step-by-step plan to address any skill gaps.
- Keep your skills inventory updated to remain relevant in the job market.
Benchmarking isn’t a one-and-done task - it’s an ongoing process. By incorporating it into your career planning, you can pinpoint key transferable skills and set yourself up for long-term success in a constantly changing job market. This structured approach not only helps you categorize your skills but also ensures you’re ready for future opportunities.