Differences Between Technical & Transferable Skills

by Neil Kokemuller, Demand Media Google

Technical skills and transferable skills are both typically important for any given job. Technical skills are the talents and competencies particular to a certain type of work. For instance, a computer specialist needs technical computer skills specific to his profession. Transferable skills are those you can often apply in various lines of work.

Technical skills more often come specifically through education or vocational training where transferable skills, or soft skills, may be developed through life and work experience. Teaching, medicine and legal professions are example of careers that require strong technical skills. You need knowledge specific to areas in which you teach. You need training and awareness of the human body and how your medical practice affects it. You need legal knowledge and competency in the legal arena to succeed in law. Transferable skills like communication, interpersonal skills and integrity often develop through your nurturing and the course of your relationships in life.

The most inherent difference between technical and transferable skills is the scope of their usefulness. Interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism and dependability are soft skills that are useful in essentially every type of work. Having strong transferable skills helps you stand out from candidates that do not have them. Technical skills are commonly needed for highly technical jobs. However, they have limited usefulness if you move into another line of work where those skills do not apply.

Transferable skills are generally more recession-proof than technical skills, especially in industries where labor is plentiful. When computers entered the workplace in the late 1900s, people with strong information technology skills were in demand. As more workers enter the work force with technical computer skills, it becomes harder to find work, especially when companies freeze hiring. Because they are more flexible and useful in many industries, transferable skills are more likely to help people weather a recession. Thus, developing many transferable skills gives you more employment stability over time.

The nature of your work dictates how important your technical skills are relative to transferable skills. Computer work, engineering and research all require strong technical competencies and modest levels of transferable skills. In many instances, though, transferable skills have more impact on getting a job and making more money. In their "Quintessential Careers" article "What Do Employers Really Want? Top Skills and Values Employers Seek from Job-Seekers," Randall S. Hansen and Katharine Hansen indicate that communication skills are the most sought-after skill set by employers. They added that most of the other top skills employers consistently need are soft, transferable skills.

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