Credit;PA
Economic instability across Europe shows no signs of abating anytime soon, and yet new research shows that the labour market remains buoyant, with candidates in the driving seat demanding higher salaries, more flexibility and a stronger sense of work life balance.
In fact, the latest Talent Outlook from Universum shows that 68 per cent of workers believe they currently control the labour market, compared to just 14 per cent of employers.
In reality, this means that bargaining power remains strong among those looking for new opportunities, with new hires earning significantly higher salaries compared to those who remain with their employer and seek promotion. In some instances, workers who jump ship and take up a new role, can increase their salaries by up to 30 per cent, which is certainly one way of dealing with the rising rate of inflation.
However, what can you do if your current employer lacks opportunities for progression or if your current sector has been hit by a growing number of layoffs? Embrace your transferable skills and look at making a more horizontal move into a new sector or position.
Every job has its own required skill set, for example engineers use the same skills whether they’re working in fintech or ecommerce while HR and marketing use their role specific skills no matter their industry, but where sectors and skill sets combine is where transferable skills come into play – especially those more closely linked to softer skills, which are universally applicable.
Defined as skills that enable a worker to succeed in any situation, highlighting and developing your transferable skills is oftentimes the difference between career progression and stagnation.
Communication, collaboration, multi-tasking, teamwork and creativity are all required no matter the industry, and are considered the benchmark of a good leader. Which means, if you can highlight and showcase your mastery of these skills, you’re more likely to receive that high-paying job offer.
The best way to showcase your skills is to tailor your CV to ensure you speak about achievements not responsibilities, while also mentioning any transferable skills that are listed in the job description. At the interview stage, it’s a matter of leading with examples that showcase said skills. You can say you’re a great leader or have stellar communication skills, but without an example to back it up it remains hearsay.
Set the scene and name the situation / problem you were facing, outline the skills you used to tackle the task at hand, show your transferable skills through the action you took and reiterate your involvement by listing the successful results.
If you want to discover your own list of transferable skills, The London Economic Job Board is a great place to start. Full of opportunities from leading companies, the job board lists all requirements and soft skills for each role providing a virtual checklist from which you can conduct your own personal audit. Companies hiring include the three highlighted below and many others such as Burberry, Improbable and Octopus Energy. Roles exist across tech, marketing, HR, accounting and more.
Fintech company Monzo is leading the charge for electronic payments as it looks to grow its offering to include loans by the end of the year. As such, it is hiring for a number of new roles, all of which are open to those with transferable skills. Benefits for workers at Monzo include health insurance, pension contribution, continued education, flexible working hours and hybrid working.
Explore all available roles at Monzo.
Ranking higher than the average as a Great Place To Work (79 per cent of employees would recommend) TikTok is renowned for its focus on innovation and hiring workers from different backgrounds. With a commitment to diversity and intersectionality, TikTok offers workers health insurance as well as an opportunity to work fully remote for a number of weeks each year.
Discover roles that suit your skill set at TikTok.
Streaming giant Roku is currently hiring for a number of roles across Europe and prides itself on paying competitive salaries to creative thinkers from all backgrounds who want to push the company forward. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV – creating a system that essentially turns any TV into a smart TV, and with such a high level of innovation it is committed to employee retention, offering unlimited vacation days as well as comprehensive medical, wellness and financial benefits.
Explore all available roles with Roku.
