When changing careers, your skills are your currency. But not all skills are the same. In this guide, you'll learn the difference between professional and personal skills – and why both are crucial when you're moving to a new industry.
Two types of skills
Skills are typically divided into two categories:
- Professional skills (hard skills): What you can do technically – learned through education, training, or experience
- Personal skills (soft skills): How you work and interact with others – your personality traits and work style
Why both matter for career change
When you change careers, you might think your professional skills aren't relevant anymore. But that's rarely true.
Many professional skills are transferable – they can be applied in different industries and roles. The key is learning to translate them.
Personal skills become especially important when changing careers because:
- They show how you'll fit into a new team
- They demonstrate your ability to adapt and learn
- They can compensate for lacking industry-specific experience
Examples of transferable professional skills
- Project management
- Data analysis
- Customer service
- Written communication
- Budgeting and financial planning
- Problem-solving
- Training and teaching others
Examples of personal skills
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Time management
- Creativity
- Stress management
- Learning agility
How to identify your skills
In the next two guides, you'll work through exercises to identify both your professional and personal skills. Here's a preview:
For professional skills
- List all your previous jobs and responsibilities
- Identify what you actually DID in each role
- Think about what skills were required
- Consider which ones can be applied elsewhere
For personal skills
- Think about feedback you've received
- Consider what colleagues have praised you for
- Reflect on how you handle challenges
- Ask people who know you well
Common mistakes to avoid
- Undervaluing your skills: What feels obvious to you may be valuable to employers
- Listing skills without examples: Always have specific examples ready
- Ignoring personal skills: They're often what makes the difference
- Not translating skills: Use language the new industry understands
Practical tips
- Make a complete list of everything you can do
- Don't censor yourself – include everything
- Ask former colleagues what they valued about working with you
- Research what skills your target industry values
- Practice describing your skills in new ways
Try it yourself
- List 5 professional skills from your current or previous jobs
- List 5 personal skills that describe how you work
- For each skill, think of a specific example
- Consider which skills might be valuable in a new industry
Frequently asked questions
What if I don't have relevant professional skills?
You probably have more than you think. Many skills transfer across industries. Focus on what you CAN do, not what you can't. Personal skills can also compensate significantly.
How do I prove my personal skills?
Through specific examples and stories. Instead of saying "I'm a good communicator," describe a situation where your communication made a difference.
Next step
You now understand the difference between professional and personal skills and why both matter.
In the next guide, you'll do a deep dive into your professional skills with a step-by-step exercise to identify and translate them.
Remember: Skills are your bridge between where you are and where you want to be.