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Call us on 0800 222 733Skills gained outside the workforce
You can pick up skills from many places - not just from jobs you may have had. This page helps you think about the skills you've gained outside the workforce.
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Skills that you develop in your day-to-day life are often transferable skills - that is, skills that are useful to many types of jobs. Below are some examples.
Household activities
- Work you do around the house requires a range of skills
Activities that may help you develop skills include:
- Evaluating and purchasing food, furniture and appliances
- Household maintenance, or repairing and maintaining cars
- Managing the household budget and general bookkeeping
- Planning and organising parties, holidays, entertainment and children's activities.
Skills you may develop include:
- Evaluation, analysis and problem-solving skills
- Skill in doing precise, detailed and accurate work
- Book-keeping, budgeting and maths skills
- Skill in organising and co-ordinating activities and other people.
Voluntary or community work
You may do things such as:
- Work as an elected officer of an organisation, where you might chair meetings, organise speakers or events, do fundraising, keep books, write reports or make submissions on reports
- Teach or counsel children or adults
- Provide physical and/or emotional support for groups of people with disabilities or special needs.
Skills you may develop include:
- Planning and organisational skills
- Writing skills, including report writing
- Problem solving
- People and communication skills
- Bookkeeping, budgeting and maths skills.
Recreation and hobbies
- Participating in and organising sporting activities
- Using creativity to produce floral art, fine arts, music, drama
- Participating in clubs and organisations: environmental, religious, service, youth, etc.
Skills you may develop include:
- Planning and organisational skills
- Problem solving
- People skills
- Skill in doing precise, detailed and accurate work.
Educational activities
- Doing part-time study or night classes, and hobby or craft courses
- Taking tertiary education courses
- Learning informally, via study groups, home reading, book clubs, writing groups etc.
Skills you may develop include:
- Planning and organisational skills
- Writing skills, including report writing
- Problem solving
- Communication skills.