Transferable skills and its benefits in a highly competitive market

When we are looking for a new opportunity in our career, we tend to focus on the strict deadlines on what each job description requires in order to be eligible to apply. Now while that is very important, do not sell yourself short by not validating your transferable skills.

What are your transferable skills?

These are skills that a variable and not specific to a sector or type of job. These are skills that can be applied to across the board and should not be ignored because they are additional attributes that are an asset to both your professional and personal development, as well as the organisation that is blessed to have you utilise them to meet their corporate objectives.

Skills such as Leadership,Time Management, Prioritisation, Delegation, Listening, Communication and Analytical skills are all valuable in the workplace and shouldn't be downplayed on your CV.

In this very competitive market where there more professionals looking for the next step in their career than the opportunities that are available to them, one needs to differentiate themselves to be the more preferred hire. By including your transferable skills in your CV, your prospective employer can see your versatility and can also make a constructive judgment about how well you will fit into their team and the value to add to their organisation.

Transferable skills are learnt along the way, either in previous employment, voluntary work or natural attributes that people are born with. For example when someone is referred to as a "born-leader" this generally means that this natural attribute has been capitalised on to become an asset.

To convey your skills successfully in your CV you can include them in the following places:

Cover Letter: As you are summarising your experience, you can mention your transferable skills and how it has enabled you to be successful thus far

Summary: At the beginning of your CV, where you are summarising your experience you can bullet point your skills and how it can be of value to your prospective employer

Job Responsibilities: As you list your experiences include your attributes or your transferable skills that enabled you do that task successfully for example

"I am in charge of the payroll for the regional office, this task requires careful attention to detail as well as excellent prioritisation skills to enable that accurate figures were produced within the designated time frame"

If you are unsure of what your key attributes or transferable skills are, ask a friend, family member or colleague. It is always best to receive constructive criticism for those you engage with on a regular basis, they will be able to give you their candid experience which you will be able to ponder on and evaluate.

What you may find from this exercise is that your weaknesses may also be identified which is alright, because we all have weaknesses. We all have areas that we are don't excel in but that as well can be used to our advantage if applied correctly. For example

"I'm a perfectionist, so I always spend time on tasks to ensure they are done perfectly and as a result, some tasks do not get done and my workload increases. However I have learned the art of time management and prioritisation which means I prioritise my workload in accordance with their deadlines and ensure they are all given the necessary attention they need."

So revisit your CV and ask yourself "Are my transferable skills really conveying my true abilities?" and if not work to to demonstrate how much of an asset you can be to any organisation.

Traditional Recruitment Vs. Technology

Now this is a topic that has many complexities, especially because we are in a world that has become so reliant on technology and it's evolving everyday. Technology just doesn't make our day to day lives easier both personally and professionally, it is now one of the largest if not the largest revenue generator in the world.

Over the years, Human Resources has seen a huge increase in the development of softwares and Information Management Systems that have successfully managed different functions within the department which has not only made information easier to manage but has created a centralised forum for HR employees regardless of their location to access information wherever they are in the world.

Focusing on Recruitment, I have never been here or there on the use of systems for recruitment as I believe certain systems can be used for some stages of the recruitment process and not all.

With Talent Acquisition, there should be a more personable approach. How you interact with a potential hire whether it be a passive outreach to build up a pipeline or a direct source for a position is very important and critical to a brands' representation in a highly competitive market.

As the focal point that bridges the gap between the talent pool and the organisation, how you engage with professionals speaks volumes about the organisation you are representing. Your objective working within Talent Acquisition is to identify key talent and get them to work for your organisation, not just only work there, but to RETAIN them and ensure that what they bring to the brand is being rewarded and recognised. This requires one to one interaction, something that a system or software cannot do.

When it comes to managing candidates during a recruitment drive, systems are essential to keep track of those who have applied for positions, interview notes, and tests results. With these systems you can create numerous of talent pools of candidates that may not be right for the role you're currently recruiting for but may be right for future recruitment needs.

It also proves to be a good tool to evaluate and produce reports on your recruitment drives to measure the calibre of candidates you are attracting, where they have been generated from (i.e. job board, print media, social media etc) and which avenue generated the best results.

However I feel that the traditional style of identifying candidates is best done traditionally. Building a relationship with candidates is essential, when a candidate knows that you genuinely care about their professional development and not the commission/recognition at the end of the quarter is what differentiates you from the masses in the market and essentially earns you every candidates' loyalty.

Systems/Softwares only work with numbers, scenarios, and probabilities. However, when you are dealing with people, it is only your fellow person who will understand you as an individual to attain whether you're best suited for a role technically or a cultural/personal fit for an organisation.

Personality tests only factor in the results of what the candidate was feeling like when they took the test, it doesn't provide a full profile of an individual. We all have our good and bad days but that doesn't depict whether we can perform our duties effectively or not.

However to flip the script a bit, we do believe in tests that demonstrates a candidates' technical ability. This is a true indication of whether he or she is suitable for the role that you are interviewing them for and on that grounds alongside the personality and cultural fit can it be determined if truly they will be an asset.

In conclusion Technology has it's uses and it's an excellent way to manage information locally and globally. Technology cannot be used to determine someone's personality based on tests. I know the critical hires need more tangible methods to demonstrate and justify costly hires, however I feel this can be achieved through tests that demonstrates a candidates technical ability.

The Effect Human Resources has on your Brand Representation

Your brand is EVERYTHING! How it is portrayed in the market can have a negative or positive effect on your business.Your marketing strategy can be amazing, your customer engagement can be brilliant, and you may be even be the preferred supplier to your market.

The reason why all these operational functions are successful is because of the formation of a strong organisational structure, with exceptional talent as employees that believe in the brand and the direction it's going in.

The talent that drives the success of your business is the same talent that was identified by a recruiter whether it be an in-house recruiter (those that work for the organisation) or an agency recruiter (someone that recruits on behalf of many businesses).

Personally I prefer the word consultancy when referring to agency recruiters because I believe that this service should be more of an a extended arm of the organisation that works in-sync with their clients to identify trends, and provide talent that meets their business objective, rather than a door to door salesman approach/service.

Now when you are recruiting for a new employee from an in-house recruiter's perspective. Your approach to identifying and managing your talent acquisition process says a lot about your brand because effectively as an employee you are face of the brand from a talent acquisition perspective.

From the initial engagement, through to an offer being made, and the on-boarding procedure, every milestone in that process counts.

For example as a recruiter if you have reached out to a candidate and scheduled a initial telephone interview or Skype meeting and due to unforeseen circumstances your unable to make it and you do not let the candidate know, that immediately creates an uncertainty about the brand to the candidate and the initial questions of doubt consist of "are they organised? do they disregard the needs of their employee etc.?"

Now whether these thoughts remain permanent or not is determined by what is done to rectify the initial impression that has been created which could be something as simple as a follow up call or email to apologise to the candidate, explain what happened and provide information on the next steps of the process.

You'd be so surprised what a little transparency and honesty can do to a relationship whether it's professional or personal. By doing this you have regained strength and trust in the brand as well as the candidates' faith that the organisation is one that practices due diligence.

Another example is the actual consumer engagement, if a consumer visits your place of business and is left feeling unsatisfied with the service provided, the customer experience will reflect on the HR's learning and development strategies. The level of training will be questioned, and the attendant's exposure to customer satisfaction would be highly debatable .

While this could be the behaviour of just one employee, as long as they are an employee of the brand, the consumer doesn't differentiate between the employee and the brand, as far as they are concerned they have had a bad experience with the brand and not that individual.

As we all know the fastest method of marketing is word of mouth and as the saying goes

" if we receive great service we will tell a friend, if we receive bad service we will tell everybody"

And this is why it is important that every department within an organisation works in unison to achieve the overall objectives of the business which should not be just about financial growth, but the increase in consumer retention, and a decrease in staff turnover.

The Human Resources department sits at the head of this unison and is responsible for the development and overall perception of the operations of the business both internally and externally.

It is how you operate and engage your employees internally that attracts the right talent and it is how you engage, train and manage the performance of your employees that determine the level of your consumers, market share and your strategic place in a highly competitive market.

So as a Human Resources professional, see your role beyond your accountabilities. Put yourself in the shoes of your consumers, the talent you've identified, and also your employees.

See the areas that can be improved, and revise policies to ensure your employees are engaged enough to increase productivity, explore various methods of acquiring talent and managing them effectively and most importantly implement right learning and development plans to keep employees relevant in your industry.

Leverage on your Gift!

We all have something that makes us unique. and sometimes it can be so small that we might overlook it, take it for granted or not understand the full potential of how mighty that little gift is.

It might be that you have an excellent retentive memory, or excellent at analysing, forecasting and predicting things. These attributes are key in various positions and industries. For example being very analytical and demonstrating the ability to forecast and predict is very essential in Finance and Business Analysis. Having retentive memory is really self-explanatory, it helps you to be an all-round productive professional.

Now, we all have the degrees, masters, Phd's, and the professional accreditations coupled with the professional experience. But what makes you stand out from your fellow Master Degree holder? or your fellow accreditation member?

It is the gifts that make YOU unique, because there is only one version of YOU! yes I am talking about you, the reader of this post.

How do I zone in on my gifts? you might be thinking. It's simple, and can be done through meditation and liaising with those around you. Ask them what they feel your strengths are? What do they think you're really good at? What they feel you excel in? and also what they feel your weaknesses are? Treat it as though you are doing a market research project on yourself, and ensure that you get clear and unbiased opinions from colleagues, previous employers, friends, and family (though one can debate that family may be a little biased).

In form of a journal, you can write all your findings down, mediate on them and then most importantly draw YOUR OWN analysis based on the feedback and your own personal/professional feedback about yourself.

If you are completely honest during the exercise, you will yield results and these are the results that you can apply to your life everyday.

As much as you develop a sense of your strengths, you should also pay the same attention to your weaknesses. You can develop ways to improve them, so they shouldn't be overlooked but seen as constructive criticism.

We cannot be perfect, it's virtually impossible because we all have our various beliefs of what we believe "perfect" actually is. However you can work on them if they are detrimental to your career advancement for example being too rigid, not being susceptible to change etc. But if they are "little habits" then you can learn or cultivate yourself to curb them.

Whether you're looking for new opportunities, improving your productivity at work, or vying for a promotion. You should identify your strengths, key into your natural abilities, and make them work for you with the objective of distinguishing yourself from your peers.

With your weaknesses you can develop an action plan on how to improve them. This can be in form of personal development training or just being more aware of the things that let you down.

In business, leverage is key. It is a environment that operates purely on the supply and demand which requires leverage to be successful, and you should see yourself as a point of leverage. Your academics can only get you so far, after all the recruitment ratio is 60-70% competence and 30-40% soft skills/personality. For example if there were 2 candidates interviewing for a role who were equally as educated, with the same accreditations,and work experience It would be the candidate who exhibits more personality what will get the job.

So with this ratio it's actually proven that it is your unique gifts that will make you an exceptional employee and it is also those same gifts that will give you that boost in your career advancement.

So tune in to what you have and utilise them. Create a need with your skills that businesses demand for and leverage it with your professionalism.

Early Nurturing of Career Choices by Jennifer Oyelade, Director of Transquisite Consulting

Over the years of recruiting into Nigeria and Sub-Sahara Africa, there is a trend that I have noticed and also believe it can contribute to the reason why the opportunities given to graduates are limited.

My observation is that the degree in which a student majors in doesn't reflect their ambition and career aspiration. For an example you can come across someone who has studied Physics wanting a career in Human Resources because that where their hearts lie.

So the question that may cross an employers mind is "why you didn't study a degree in Human Resources, or a related course where the skills are transferable? (such as Business Administration, where you can then specialise in Human Resources by obtaining an accreditation or/and gain a role as an entry level Human Resources Administrator and work your way up)"

As an employer, if a Computer Engineer graduate's CV lands on my desk for a Accountant position I would not feel compelled to invite this candidate for an interview because his educational choices are not in line with what I am looking for. My initial thoughts would be that "the employment market is tough, he/she is just applying for any role that they come across all in the name of securing a job" when actually Accounting may actually be their career aspiration but all an employer will go by is what is written on the piece of paper. In this scenario, I am more likely to hire an Accountancy graduate who has then obtained an accreditation to be a chartered accountant with no work experience then a computer engineer.

I am aware of the challenges that the Education sector faces and the limited availability of courses to everyone but what is being done to guide students on the various career paths they can take where transferable skills can play a part in achieving their desired profession?

Taking a course that has no reflection on ones' true ambition just because the course is available can prove a stumbling block once they graduate, and start looking for employment. Remember, a CV is a marketing tool. A candidate is judged purely on that document so what it conveyed is a deciding factor for an employer to determine whether they want to interview you or not and if the education background is not in line with their objectives, your CV can be overlooked.

Being a graduate is just a basic requirement (like business development and sales positions) for an organisation. Other methods of qualifying the right candidate include personality, cultural fit, industrial training experience, and the ability to understand their core business objective as the best deciding factor to hire. (this is relative, because some business development and sales positions can also look for technical/practical and theoretical knowledge in a particular sector).

However, a more specialised role will stipulate the core discipline they require you to have. For example: To work within telecoms you would need to be a graduate of computer engineering, or an IT related discipline.

To work in Human Resources you would need to be graduate of Human Resources or Business Administration with an emphasis on HR (through an accreditation) and a side discipline that is related.

To work in non-government organisations you would need to have graduate of Microbiology, Public Health, Sociology and related fields.

An initiative to tackle this is to have an active professional development system made up of a team of career advisers in secondary schools to attain the career aspirations/interests of pupils in their final year and enlighten them on the various career paths to take to achieve their goals if their first choice is not available to them. This will also encourage students to research more about their choice of study and develop a passion for their aspiration at a age where the brain is still being nurtured.

Students can also be educated about other avenues that they can pursue to make themselves more employable (i.e. voluntary work, attended workshops, enrolment in short courses etc.) or even better still, equip them with the basic knowledge to venture into the world of entrepreneurship.

This way should they decide to join an organisation once they graduate they are more knowledgeable about their chosen profession which will be demonstrated in their job search and subsequent interviews. They will have more options to explore in regards to the positions that they apply for, and the employers will have a larger target driven pool of candidates to choose from with great potential when looking for their next hire.

If they have decided to embark on the entrepreneurial journey, they can be enlightened about the direction in which they want to establish their business by identifying their target market, unique selling proposition, and the social-economic challenges that they may face and how to overcome them successfully.

Recruitment should be based on trust!

Recruitment is a people-driven industry. It is successfully driven by the psychology of understanding people, and the ability to read them through their actions, words, and body language.

It is also largely represented by how you engage people, how you keep them interested and how you develop a mutual relationship built on trust.

There is a special relationship between a recruitment consultant and a candidate. Unfortunately, not many people understand the intensity of the relationship, and I will attempt to break it down to create an insight into the deeper understanding between the two individuals.

A recruiter should try to get to know you just like you would try to get to know a new friend. A recruiter should know if you're married? engaged? What does your partner do? how many children do you have, how old are they? (or he/she) what are your interests/hobbies, where do you see yourself in terms of career development etc. Some people may be thinking "that's too much information for someone who I don't even know or some random person who has called me out of the blew to sell at me" Some candidates may even ask "why do you want to know?" However if there is authenticity in your voice, a candidate will have no trouble opening up to you. 

I hear the question "Why is this useful?" "why do I really need to know this candidate's life story?" The answer is in the reason why you have called them in the first place and that is to get them a role that is befitting to their career aspirations.

Here's an example: you have a role you want to discuss with a candidate that you believe he/she would be perfect for. The remuneration package only offers single medical care, now by discussing with this candidate, you have found out that he is married with 2 kids, automatically this role as it stands will not really be of interest however you can then talk about a higher salary (should the higher salary still be in the budget of your client) that can comfortably cover the additional policies and still have enough income to see the change in their net pay. By doing this you have catered to the needs of your candidates and you have also identified a talented professional that can add value to the business objectives of your client.

Getting to know your candidate gives them that assurance that you actually care about them and not about your commission. They will have the confidence that you have taken their career objectives into consideration and will find the best role for them that suits their career aspirations while factoring in their social responsibilities.

Give candidates the room to make their own decisions, talk to them about the vacancy, don't impose it on them. Because you feel they would be perfect for the role, that doesn't mean that the role would be perfect for them. As a recruitment consultant, you have to do just that "consult". Have a conversation with the candidate, discuss the benefits of the position and how it can aid them into achieving their career objectives, there may have other factors that might surface that might not have necessarily surfaced while getting to know them. Analyse that situation and make an UNBIASED judgement.

After all that is said and done is this role really right for the candidate?  Would they last 5 mins if they worked for my client? put YOURSELF in his/hers position, put the urgency to fill the vacancy to one side because should that candidate be persuaded into taking a position that is not right, they will leave and you find yourself with a rebate fee, full refund, and a recruitment process that needs to start from the beginning (if you still have the confidence of your client)

The most gratifying feeling is finding a candidate their desired role and you watch them grow as a professional as well as receiving great feedback from your client on how they are doing. The candidate will feel indebted to you and from there they will recommend their fellow colleagues and as a result you will build a network of trusted candidates who will tell you what's going on in the market and also help channel your energies.

Trust is a two way relationship and in order for it to work effectively, honesty must be shared and this applies to candidates as well. These are points that will also help you get the best out of your recruiter and also your job search.

1. BE OPEN

If a consultancy has contacted you about a role and you have been in dialogue with this consultancy and another company calls you about the same vacancy MENTION IT! It is in your best interest.

If two consultancies send your details to the same company regarding the same vacancy, it lands on the clients desk twice, this creates an impression of no loyalty and a form of desperation especially if the salary expectations differ.

However should a CV be sent without your knowledge and you are notified by one of the consultancies that the client has your CV already, it is your duty to send an email to the agency that sought your permission before sending it that you are not aware of the other consultancy sending your details and you herby confirm that you choose to be represented by agency X . This will rectify your credibility with the client and also expose the lack of professionalism by the other agency.

2. INTERVIEWS

We all like to keep our options open however please let your recruiter know if you are currently interviewing elsewhere, and where? the reason for this is to ensure again that you are not currently interviewing at the same company your details are about to be submitted to and also to not waste our time submitting you for vacancies when you are already three quarters of the way through a recruitment process. The same goes for offers made if an offer has been made to you pending references, checks etc, Please do not put the recruiter on a wild goose chase by showing interest in a vacancy. The job has its challenges as it is, and you never know when you may need that recruiter so maintaining relationships is important 

3. ASK QUESTIONS

Make sure you understand the role a recruiter is discussing with you, the organisation they are recruiting on behalf of, the remuneration package on offer, and what would be required of you as an employee. Don't be afraid to ask questions, it doesn't make you stupid or uneducated. What it does is gives you a better understanding on what's on offer so you can make a clear decision on whether you would want to be submitted for the position. It also helps when preparing for interviews, your recruiter should be able to give you an insight into the organisation, working culture, the hiring management. and the learning and development structure. So should you be shortlisted for an interview you would be more knowledgeable about the company so you can wow them with your self-education and how you can be an asset to the company using the pointers disclosed by the recruitment consultant. You, as the candidate look good in front of the client and the agency, as your representative looks even better! 

Developing and Empowering Talent in Sub-Sahara Africa

Our Training programmes all have a clear objective and that is to enrich the knowledge and productivity in Nigeria and Sub-Sahara Africa. In the next decade, in some industries maybe sooner. Businesses will turn to Africa for the future of their economic development and we want to ensure that these businesses are equipped to handle this magnitude.

When doing future forecasting companies are recognising Africa as an emerging market and as a result capitalising on the opportunities that the nations create.

That entails ensuring employees have the training and knowledge that is comparable to the Western World comprising it with the market trends and consumer behaviour in Africa to ensure that Nigeria as well as Africa is a Market Leader

In any organisation, your employees are your biggest asset. In order to ensure that their focal point remains the overall objective of the business, evaluating employees effectively is key to identify the management style that works best for them and ensure their professional development is always being addressed which is both beneficial to the employee and the organisation.

As with any other asset, investment is essential to bring the best returns and investing in your HR assets - through training and motivational programmes - will retain your best employees and bring the most out of them. The objective is to provide solutions that allow you to optimise employee performance while ensuring cohesion between personal and company objectives.

As valuable assets to your organisation, your staff are worth their weight in gold. Invest in your people and reap the rewards. Developing a learning culture within your organisation is one of the best things you can do for them – and for your company.

At Transquisite Consulting, we can help you grow and develop your business by providing training that is second to none. We start by planning and identifying the training needs of your business in order to provide the correct courses for your staff.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who are your trainers?

Our trainers are certified professionals who have a wealth of experience in their discipline so be rest assured that their teaching modules are filled with market leading material that ensures that your employees are receive the best industry knowledge. As a Consultancy with a local and international presence, we partner with Trainers that have a diversified academic and professional background   

How many days does the training programmes last?

Between 3 – 5 days, however this is all dependant on the training schedule and how much time there is to cover all the modules.

What topics do your trainers cover?

All our training programmes are bespoke – designed to achieve the objectives of your business. We will sit down and work with you to identify the areas you need to address and our trainers will come up with the training modules and schedule for your approval.

Will we receive any after care training material?

Yes, all training comes with recap notes so delegates can refer to them at any time

How do you charge for the training?

Because our training programmes are bespoke, the price has a number of factors to consider such as location, material, trainers, and the number of delegates. However we will work with you to ensure the best training is delivered cost-effectively.