Putting transferable skills into your CV Transferable skills are skills that are useful for a range of positions,

and can be transferred into different job areas. Depending on what job you're going for, you should highlight different transferable skills in your CV. Contents:

"I can work confidently under pressure" "I like to achieve my goals" "I have strong communication skills" "I am able to motivate others" "I have excellent organisational skills" Work out some examples for your own transferable skills Find out more If you're not sure what your skills are, you can find out more on these pages: Figure out your skills - work out what skills you've got Skills gained outside the workforce - learn more about transferable skills When writing about transferable skills in your CV, you need to give the employer examples of when and how you've used these skills. This helps to prove to the employer that you are capable in a particular area. Below are some examples showing how you can do this. "I can work confidently under pressure" How I use the skill

At school, I handed in all of my assignments on time while also working in two part-time jobs.

In my role as president of the local Plunket committee, I coordinated a large team of volunteers for the annual appeal, working to strict deadlines. As a member of the school gala committee, I co-ordinated the school cake stall in a very short time frame and managed a busy stall on the day, resulting in a profit of $3000. What this says to the employer If I can work under pressure and still make deadlines, I will be able to take on new challenges with confidence. "I like to achieve my goals" How I use this skill

"It has been my goal to complete a marathon for three years. After starting out with some 10km runs, I completed four half-marathons and this year ran and finished my first marathon." I have been a member of my school's First 15 rugby team for two years. We won the national First 15 Championship both years. What this says to the employer I always set and achieve goals, so I am sure I will rise to the challenge of settling into my new role quickly and successfully meet any demands of me. "I have strong communication skills" How I use this skill

I gave a presentation to the local youth council about the need for a youth group in our neighborhood and was asked to speak at a city council meeting. In my environmental action committee, I helped to mediate between two people in conflict and come to a solution we were all happy with. I write a blog about dog-training that has [number] followers.

What this says to the employer I am able to get my ideas across clearly, engage and lead other people. I will be a pleasure to work with. "I am able to motivate others" How I use this skill

I have coached two junior basketball teams while at school, one of which won their division. I encouraged my neighbours to join me in the womens triathalon as a team and set a time goal. We were placed in our age division! What this says to the employer I can help others achieve great things, so I know I can I will be an effective addition to your team. "I have excellent organisational skills" How I use this skill

"I was the treasurer of my local playcentre, and organised all of its fundraising events last year." "I had overall responsibility for my school's Smokefree Stage Challenge, making sure everything went smoothly." What this says to the employer "If I can pull this off, I know I can contribute to your team." Work out some examples for your own transferable skills Download the transferable skills worksheet and use it to write down some transferable skills of your own. Then create statements and examples you could use on your CV.

Figure out your skills Being able to identify all the skills you have can open you up to more career options. It can also help you work out if you have any skill or knowledge gaps that can be addressed with further training. Contents:

What are skills? What are hard and soft skills? What different types of skills are there? Identifying your skills can help you plan your next steps Find out more What are skills? A skill is the ability to do something. We are not born with skills, we learn them as we go along - through the life and work experiences that we have. A skill can be simple, such as tying a knot, or more complex, such as composing a waiata. They may have been developed through work, study or training, recreational and community activities, or in the home. Skill areas include:

Constructing - building, making, assembling, manufacturing things or materials Creating - inventing, originating, designing or composing Creative writing - writing articles, stories or lyrics to inform or entertain Calculating - using maths to solve problems Investigating - researching, studying, questioning for information Problem solving- looking at problems from different points of view and exploring possible solutions Decision making - weighing up options and making a choice

Budgeting - managing money, budgets or finances Planning- predicting, scheduling, preparing for tasks, events, projects Influencing - selling, persuading, encouraging Training - helping and guiding others to learn and develop new skills Leadership - leading, directing, guiding others Time management - meeting deadlines, setting priorities, being on time Teamwork - achieving goals with others Organising - arranging, co-ordinating people, resources and schedules Physical strength and co-ordination - being fit, strong and able to move your whole body smoothly and accurately Precision work - handling things accurately, carefully and quickly Fixing and repairing - mending, restoring, renovating things Mechanical operation - operating tools, machinery or technology.

"You dont always think something is a skill until you actually do it. Like when I was working as a checkout operator I thought I wasnt confident enough talking to people I didnt know. But as I dealt with more and more people, I become more confident." Chelsea Harmer, Completed Airline Qualification What are hard and soft skills? Hard skills are specific, sometimes technical activities that you can do well. These may include being able to:

do precise, detailed and accurate work analyse, evaluate and solve problems drive vehicles and use equipment organise and co-ordinate activities and other people

do repetitive tasks competently and reliably communicate clearly in writing and orally sell products or services. Soft skills are qualities and strengths that are specific to you as an individual. These may include being able to: readily take responsibility persuade and influence others adapt easily to a wide range of activities and unexpected changes perform work under stressful conditions. What different types of skills are there? Each skill that you have will also fall into one of three main categories, depending on its nature. These categories are: Transferable skills A transferable skill is one that can be used in a variety of situations or jobs - you transfer them from one job to another. The great thing about transferable skills is that they make you adaptable. Transferable skills can be hard or soft skills. Examples include:

problem solving the ability to organise others the ability to work with facts and figures good communication skills. good writing skills good verbal and communication skills ability to work unsupervised ability to use initiative accuracy and/or an eye for detail ability to work confidently under pressure reliability and integrity ability to motivate others ability to recognise and meet new challenges.

Unlike job-specific skills (like being able to use a drill), transferable skills can be used in lots of ways. They are also like building blocks from which you can develop many more skills. Self-management skills Self-management skills enable you to work well in different types of situations with a variety of people. These can be hard or soft skills. Examples include: meeting deadlines, being motivated and showing initiative. Specialist skills Specialist skills usually relate to a specific job or group of jobs. These are usually hard skills. Examples include: fluency in a language or the ability to use specific computer programs and technical equipment. Identifying your skills can help you plan your next steps When planning the next steps in your career, it's important to identify the skills and competencies you have. This will help you to:

decide what sort of jobs you might like to do decide what areas you need to focus your study or training on write your CV if you are applying for a job. Skills employers are looking for Not sure if you've got the skills employers are looking for? You may be surprised. Many of the skills employers look for in a candidate are transferable skills, or skills that can be used in a variety of jobs. Find out what skills are most valued, and what skills would be useful to learn. Contents:

The 10 skills most valued by employers What employers look for in a job candidate Basic skills that employers look for in workers Find out more The 10 skills most valued by employers

The ability to work well as part of a team is essential for many jobs According to Business New Zealand, the top 10 skills employers look for are:

communication skills customer service skills in person, on the phone, and online ability to work well in a team literacy and numeracy skills confidence learning about and using computers and technology planning and organisational skills initiative and a can-do attitude problem-solving skills good work habits and independence health and safety skills. These skills are all transferable, which means that they are useful in a wide range of jobs and are not specific to just one job or field. So even if you don't have a lot of job-specific skills, you may already have transferable skills that you can use to sell yourself to employers. What employers look for in a job candidate

Can you do the job?

Do you have the necessary abilities, skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications? How soon can you become productive? Are you a fast learner? Are you able to work unsupervised, use your initiative and work confidently under pressure? Will your work be accurate and high-quality? Are you organised and able to achieve goals? Are you motivated? Are you motivated, and do your goals benefit the company? Will you work for the best interests of the organisation? Are you dependable (ie. reliable and trustworthy)? Do you fit with the organisation? Do you have a good attitude? Does your presentation and appearance represent the company well? Are you a team player? Do you get on well with others? (The employer wants someone who won't create problems among other workers.) It is your responsibility to provide employers with the best information to help them make a quality hiring decision. If you consider all the needs listed above, you will increase your chances of getting a job offer. Basic skills that employers look for in workers Literacy and numeracy skills Literacy (being able to read and write) and numeracy (being able to do simple calculations and make sense of numbers) are the two most basic skills that employers look for. You can get help improving these two skills from organisations such as Literacy Aotearoa.

How literacy and numeracy skills affect your job chances Literacy Aotearoa website - find out about tuition in your area A driver's licence Having a driver's licence can give you an edge over candidates who don't have a licence. Many jobs involve driving not just professional driving jobs such as bus driver, courier or truck driver. For example, caterers transport food to events, journalists drive to interviews, and sales workers make deliveries. How does work fit in with your life? How well do you balance your job with your life outside work? Do you find time to spend with family and friends, and time for your hobbies, or does work always come first? Find out how you can get a better split between your job and the other aspects of your life. Contents:

What is work-life balance? How do you know if your work-life balance isn't right? How will you know when you've a good balance? What can you do if work is taking over too much of your time? The employer's role in helping workers find work-life balance Find out more What is work-life balance?

Spending time with your family is part of keeping a work-life balance "Work-life balance is about the interaction between our paid work and other activities, including unpaid work in families and the community, leisure, and personal development. "Work-life balance is about creating a productive work culture where the potential for tensions between work and other parts of people's lives is minimised. This means having appropriate employment provisions in place, and organisational systems and supportive management underpinning them. "Work-life balance for any one person is having the 'right' combination of participation in paid work (defined by hours and working conditions), and other aspects of their lives. This combination will not remain fixed, but may change over time." Source: State Services Commission, 'Work-Life Balance: A Resource for the State Services', March 2005. How do you know if your work-life balance isn't right? Getting the right ratio of work to other activities in your life can be a challenge. Have a look at the list below and think about your own situation. Are you:

working long hours, varied hours and rotating shifts? working at night? working hours in your own time? taking your laptop home, just in case you have a spare minute? taking your laptop to bed with you? taking your cellphone to bed, on holiday, out on the boat? taking work with you on holiday?

If you answered yes to most of the questions above, you may be overworked or trying to juggle too many things. Take time to reflect on what small things you can do to put more balance into your life.

Feeling stressed out? Find out if you're suffering from burnout by taking our quiz

Striking a balance between work and family I used to find it hard not to take stuff home and this was because I found it hard to start things and then not finish them. Now if I dont finish things, I just dont finish them. My baby is more important than my job, but my job is key for our survival. So its a vital balance to strike. Carla Russell, Event Manager

Read more about how Carla has found a balance between work and raising her child How will you know when you've a good balance? Generally, you know you have a good work-life balance when you:

have a sense of control in your work and life have a strong sense of achievement from work and life gain enjoyment from everyday life. Not sure if you've got the right balance between work and the rest of your life? Use the tools below to help you work out what activities are taking up most of your time, and to help you think over your priorities. Work in Life tool - assess how much time you spend on work in relation to other areas of your life

Mind Tools website - try the Wheel of Life exercise to see how wellbalanced different aspects of your life are What can you do if work is taking over too much of your time? If you recognise that something is wrong - dont ignore it! It wont go away. Check out the tips below. Decide what is most important to you Sometimes we become so busy that we forget what is important to us. Its a good idea to step back and take some time to have a good look at the quality of your life. Ask yourself:

Which areas of my life are the most important? Do I spend as much time as Id like on these areas? Am I getting enough leisure time? Am I spending enough time with the people who are important to me? Do I look after myself? Do I eat well, give myself some quiet time, and keep fit? Simplify your life Check out your time management can you make changes? You may not be working too many hours, but you may be trying to do too much in the free hours you have. Are there steps you can take to free up some of those busy hours at home? Are you able to ask for help with some chores? If you are too tired to talk to people in the evening, dont answer your phone, and ignore those texts coming through. Look after yourself Take time every day to do something you love. Say no sometimes. Recognise when you are getting stressed, and develop techniques to manage your stress levels.

Ask for help if you need it - your colleagues, employer, business partner and family members may all be able to help. Can your work patterns change? Can you work more flexible hours? The employer's role in helping workers find work-life balance Employers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance and economic benefits of maintaining healthy and happy staff.

Negotiate your hours with your employer so you can spend more time with the kids There are many different ways that employers can help workers find good work-life balance. It makes sense for employers to encourage employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as it is a win-win situation for both parties. Employers can help their workers achieve better work-life balance by letting them:

have access to a phone and/or phone messages have minor variations in start and finish times choose their own lunch break use sick/domestic leave to look after family members choose, have input into, or change rosters or shifts have extra unpaid leave, or be able to buy or negotiate extra annual leave choose how many hours they work (such as part-time hours) have access to a shower (for use after lunchtime sport or the gym) regularly or occasionally work from home.

If you think your employer could help you get a better work-life balance, talk to them about putting in place some of these ideas.

"New research shows New Zealand employers are genuinely trying to provide their staff with flexibility at work. The Department of Labour study, Work-Life Balance in New Zealand, demonstrates that employers are viewing work-life balance as an increasingly important business issue."