Checklist of transferable skills gained outside the workforce
Many of us spend time out of the paid workforce developing skills through a range of non-work related activities.
It is useful to identify examples of the skills developed in these years as many are transferable to paid jobs and can form part of a CV.
Hard and soft skills
Hard skills are specific, sometimes technical activities that you can do competently. For example:
- Doing precise, detailed and accurate work.
- Analysing, evaluating and solving problems.
- Driving vehicles and using equipment.
- Organising and coordinating activities and other people.
- Doing repetitive tasks competently and reliably.
- Communicating clearly in writing and orally.
- Selling products or services.
Soft skills are qualities and strengths that are specific to you as an individual. For example:
- Readily taking responsibility.
- Persuading and influencing others.
- Adapting easily to a wide range of activities and unexpected changes.
- Initiating and directing yourself.
- Performing work under stressful conditions.
Use the checklists below to identify examples of activities outside of the workplace where you've developed hard and soft skills.
Household activities
- Evaluating and purchasing food, furniture and appliances
- Providing first aid and caring for others
- Repairing and maintaining cars
- Interior decorating
- Repairing electrical and plumbing systems
- Building bookcases, fences and other furniture
- Growing vegetables and flowers
- Cooking, preserving and freezing
- Meeting family nutritional needs
- Dressmaking, curtain and cushion making
- Budgeting and general bookkeeping
- Planning parties, holidays, entertainment
Recreation and hobbies
- Participating in and organising sporting activities
- Doing craftwork, such as weaving, knitting, macramē, toy-making
- Using creativity to produce floral art, fine arts, music, drama
- Growing plants, herbs, fruit, and undertaking landscape design
- Participating in clubs and organisations: environmental, religious, service, youth, etc.
Educational activities
- Undertaking part-time or night class study, hobby or craft courses
- Studying tertiary education courses
- Learning informally, via study groups, home reading, book clubs, writing groups etc.
Voluntary or community work
- Being an elected officer of an organisation, chairing meetings
- Developing agendas, organising speakers
- Writing reports or making oral submissions/reports
- Fundraising by telephone or door to door
- Teaching groups of children or adults
- Acting in a referral capacity for information or help
- Cooking or preparing food in large quantities
- Counselling children, adults or adolescents
- Conducting phone or written surveys
- Training others to work in an organisation
- Typing, filing, bookkeeping
- Providing support – physical and emotional – for groups of people with disabilities or special needs
