Transferable Skills to Include in your Resume

By Joanie Johnson OTR/L, MPH

How to highlight transferable skills in your resume to land a non clinical position:

We hear all the time from clinicians that, “I am just a Therapist.” Many clinicians feel they will be overlooked for positions, are not qualified, or may not be considered since they are their professional title.

Feeling “stuck” is a common theme we hear with our clients...How do I show that I have these skills, abilities, and can do more than just therapy or direct patient facing care???

There is a multitude of transferable skills that are relevant to other fields both within and outside of healthcare settings.

If you are going for a Leadership or Management role, consider the following:

• Have you been a subject matter expert in a clinical or other area?
• What committees have you been involved in? What were your contributions?
• Have you been a clinician instructor, or professional mentor?
• What marketing or community events have you participated in? Are you an engaging public speaker and professional advocate?
• Have you been able to help develop a new program or service in any of your roles? What was the outcome?
• What leadership qualities do you have, and how are they reflected in your work? Have you been an indirect leader in a department, on a project, or a resource?

Also, consider the daily skills that you use as a clinician, and how these translate over into other roles:

• Conflict management: consider your ability to manage complex patient and family situations, understand clinical and patient care needs, and make recommendations to patients of varied cultures, educational levels, and health literacy levels
• Communication Skills: how do you coordinate care, leverage your communication style, and advocate for patient needs?
• Education Skills: highlight your skill in educating and instructing patients, caregivers, families, and other professionals in your area of specialty
• Negotiation Abilities: how do you get patients and families involved, invested, and build trust to engage them in their care plan. Take credit for your abilities!
• Problem solving and critical thinking skills: what are examples of how you think on your feet, manage multiple competing demands, and triage patient clinical needs

If you are considering moving into leadership, management, or non-patient facing roles, these are just a few of the many examples of how your skills transfer to other positions.

Make a list of all of your accomplishments, projects, and organizational contributions. Take credit where it is due.
You are an amazing provider who has the capacity and skills to transfer to other positions and areas.

We can help!