Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are those skills, strengths and proficiencies that are portable from one experience to another. When looking at your resume to determine whether you will be a good fit for a position, employers are seeking to identify your transferable skills. For example, many employers desire individuals with strong collaboration and teamwork skills. However, most employers do not have the opportunity to observe potential employees in a teamwork setting. Instead, they rely on your participation in class projects, research experiences, internships and activities to signify your ability to work in a team.
This resource will help you determine your transferable skills and guide you in the way you articulate your Rice experiences in a professional context. Still have questions? Schedule an appointment with a career counselor.
Getting Started
Not sure what to put on your resume? Think about where you spend your time at Rice both inside and outside of the classroom. Check out the list below of some Rice activities you might include - and don't forget about those class projects and research experiences!
Advising
- O-Week Advisors, Coadvisors, and Affiliates
- Diversity Facilitators
- Peer Academic Advisors
- Peer Career Advisors
- Rice Health Advisors
- Study Abroad Liaisons
- Resource Center Volunteers
- STRIVE Liaison
Government
- SA/GSA
- College government (President, VP, IVP, EVP, Secretary, Parliamentarian, Treasurer, Socials, Historians, Chief Justice, Associate Justices, Honor Council Rep, U-Court Rep, SA Senator, RPC Rep, Appointed Positions)
Community Service
- Community Bridges
- RSVP
- Service or Volunteer-Oriented Clubs
- Alternative Spring Break participants
Media and Publications
- Thresher
- Campanile
- RTV-5
- KTRU
- Rice Standard
- Catalyst
Student Run Businesses and On-Campus Jobs
- SRB employees and managers
- Research
- SMR
- IT liaison
- Lifeguard
- Swim instructor
- Work study and on campus jobs
- IM referees
Arts
- Rice Dance Theatre
- Campanile Orchestra
- MOB
- Mariachi
- Rice Band
- Arts-related Clubs
- College Theatre
- Rice Players
Athletics
- Varsity Athletics (players and managers)
- IM and Club Sports - captains, coaches, and participants
Program Development and Event Management
- O-Week Coordinators and Student Directors
- Beer Bike Coordinators
- Impact Rice Staffers and Coordinators
- Rice Program Council
Teaching and Instruction
- TA
- Peer Guide
- Academic Fellows and Mentors
- STC Teacher
Articulating Your Skills
Technical Skills
- Utilize software (e.g., excel, spss, python, illustrator, indesign, photoshop) to solve a problem/complete a task
- Conceptualize layout and design
- Plan, select, and manipulate photos
- Direct and edit videos for a variety of reasons (promotional, historical, etc.)
- Create website (layout, content, design, analytics, user experience, etc.)
Planning and Organizational Skills
- Develop goals for an organization
- Retain notes & documentation
- Office management
- Manage risks, make tough calls
- Plan events
- Identify tasks to be accomplished - maximize efficiency
- Prioritize and delegate tasks
- Facilitate brainstorming and discussions on program planning process
- Conduct meetings
- Coordinate organization members’ activities
- Motivate others on group projects
- Follow up with other members to evaluate progress, give constructive feedback and praise to others for work well done
- Hold peers accountable
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Time management
Interpersonal/Teamwork and Teambuilding Skills
- Collaborate on projects
- Motivate team members toward common goals, trust team members
- Understand strengths and weaknesses of members and use strengths to build team development
- Manage resources/volunteers
- Support and praise members for reaching goals and accomplishments
- Recruit and retain team members
Research and Investigation Skills
- Publications
- Utilize a variety of sources for information
- Apply a variety of methods to test the validity of data
- Identify problems and needs
- Formulate questions to clarify problems, topics, or issues
- Identify appropriate information sources for problem solving
Financial Management Skills/Business
- Develop an accurate budget, estimating expenses and income
- Justify the organization’s budget to others
- Work within a budget
- Keep accurate and complete financial records
- Bid out projects
- Ensure timeliness of payments
- Determine necessity of fund-raising events; strategize and organize as needed
Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving and Conflict Resolution Skills
- Understand the steps involved with effective decision-making
- Implement sound decisions
- Facilitate group participation in the decision-making process
- Take responsibility for decisions
- Evaluate the effects of a decision
- Evaluate all options, opinions, and feedback, and make decisions without feeling pressured
- Explain unpopular decisions to others
- Motivate others toward common goals
- Use appropriate management and mentoring skills with peers and/or subordinates
Verbal and Written Communication Skills
- Organize and present ideas effectively in formal and informal speeches and writing; public speaking
- Participate effectively in group discussions
- Prepare concise and logically written materials
- Listen carefully and respond to verbal and non-verbal messages
- Respond appropriately to positive and negative feedback
- Debate issues without being perceived as abrasive to others
- Make effective use of media resources
- Demonstrate courteous telephone skills
- Copyediting
- Marketing, outreach
Decision-Making, Supervisory, Management and/or Leadership Skills
- Gather feedback to inform decisions
- Understand the steps involved with critical thinking
- Anticipate problems before they occur
- Recognize if a problem needs to be addressed
- Define the problem and identify possible causes
- Facilitate conversation on identifying and evaluating possible solutions
- Identify range of solutions and select most appropriate ones
- Develop plans to implement solutions
- Handle multiple problems at a time
Putting it All Together
Check out the CCD Resume Guide and presentation for additional tips.