In my 13 years of being a worker in Dublin, I have gone through 6 different types of jobs across various industries – including carwash, door-to-door sales, nightclub promotion, chef/kitchen porter, accounting and now copywriting.

Over these years, I have relied on and learned certain skills that are not only important, but also transferable across most or all industries.

Below, see my list of 5 must-have, transferable skills everyone should have:

1. Prioritising & Organising Skills.

This one is important, because I have seen many people burn out simply because they do not know what to do when faced with multiple tasks. They become irrationally spontaneous and start doing the first task available to them, when what they really need to do is take a step back and think.

Stepping back literally takes you out of your tunnel vision, and allows you to calmly assess the whole situation in front of you. This then allows you to take the most relevant action first, and not the most available one. By doing this, you are more likely to be efficient and save more time.

2. Critical Thinking & Ability to Use Initiative.

For tasks that are rules-based and require a lot less creativity, such as STEM activities, it is very important to play by the rules. But within reason, there are several processes in other industries that can be simplified or customized.

Critically assess the processes that have been handed down to you. If a task takes 5 steps usually, think about how you can make it 3 steps.

Is this particular step necessary? Does it make sense? Can I combine it with another step and make the process more efficient? What is the material outcome if I skipped a particular step entirely? Ask questions and constantly seek ways to improve processes.

3. Communication Skills.

Whether you are a team player or not, good communication skills are a fundamental back-bone in both personal and career success. Developing a sharp sense of what to say, how to say, when to say, and who to say it to can be just as important as the primary skill required at some jobs.

Proper communication is the glue that strengthens current relationships, and also oils the gears of any working relationship that relies on teamwork.

And as a basic skill necessary for our day-to-day survival, the importance of communication (verbal & non-verbal) is something that can never be understated.

…Now that I think about it, Communication skills deserve an entire blog post on its own. So keep an eye out for such a post :).

4. Ability to Remain Calm Under Pressure.

Ah Patience. This one is especially important in situations where you have very tight deadlines, difficult superiors, or fast-paced work environments. Luckily for us, patience is a not only a virtue, but also a learnable skill. Sometimes, people will get on your damn nerves and test your patience, and trying to stay calm in such situations may prove extremely difficult. When that happens, the most important thing to do is to BREATHE.

Breathing slowly helps you remain calm, and prevents you from saying or doing things which can greatly hurt your performance. This ability to remain calm is also a crucial leadership skill.

5. Interpersonal/People Skills.

People are still the most important resource in the workplace or business. Unless you are working in a remote environment, I have come to understand that people skills are the most important skill of them all. Without Question. A lot of feedback in a work environment relies heavily on how you are perceived, and not necessarily who you are or what you do.

In my personal experience, developing a good understanding of people’s needs, values, emotions, motivations and egos can go a long way in making your work life so much easier, as well as those around you. This will require a combination of all the skills above – especially communication.

But for that to happen, it is first important to assess your own motivations, strengths and weaknesses, and to embrace them fully. Because only when you develop a personal sense of self-awareness, can you influence those you come into contact with positively.

And that brings us to the end of this blog post.

Do you agree with the list above? If not, comment your own top 5 must-have workplace skills down below 🙂