Finding Transferable Skills In Career Breaks

Stop disqualifying yourself from jobs. Start connecting your transferable skills instead 👇🏼 A hard truth I've learned from years as a career coach: Most qualified candidates never apply because they focus on what they lack instead of what they bring. Last month, I worked with Alex who wanted to transition into project management but kept saying "I don't have PM experience." Wrong mindset. This thinking keeps amazing candidates on the sidelines while less qualified (but more confident) people get hired. I helped Alex reframe his background using 3 strategies that landed him 2 offers: ✅ 1 // Map your transferable skills to their actual needs. Don't focus on job titles—focus on problems you've solved. Alex coordinated cross-functional teams, managed budgets, and delivered complex initiatives on time. That's project management, just without the official title. ✅ 2 // Highlight measurable achievements that translate across industries. We repositioned his "event coordination" as "managed $500K budgets and 50+ stakeholders to deliver projects 2 weeks ahead of schedule." Suddenly, his experience looked relevant. ✅ 3 // Reach out to decision makers before jobs are posted. Instead of waiting for perfect job postings, Alex researched target companies and connected with department heads on LinkedIn. He shared insights about challenges they were facing. The result? Two interviews for positions that were never advertised publicly. Both companies extended offers. They were impressed at how well he communicated his experience. The unfortunate reality is most people eliminate themselves from opportunities before employers ever get the chance to. Remember: Companies hire people who can solve their problems, not people with perfect resumes. 📌 Question: What's a role you've talked yourself out of applying for? What transferable skills do you actually have?

How do you find your path back to work after taking an extended break? After being out of the job market for several years—whether due to retirement, caregiving, or pursuing personal passions—re-entering can feel daunting. I’ve heard this question often and it was recently posed in a webinar with the Intel Alumni Network. "How do you overcome being out of the market for many years, especially when your professional network is outdated?" Here are a few tips for making a successful comeback: 💡 1. Start by Assessing Your Goals What are you hoping to achieve in this next phase? Full-time work, part-time consulting, or nonprofit engagement? Having clarity helps you focus your energy on the right opportunities. **To avoid a scattershot approach, get focused.** 💻 2. Refresh Your Personal Brand Update your LinkedIn profile and resume to reflect your skills, experiences, and accomplishments—even those gained outside traditional employment. **Even more important -- highlight transferable skills that align with your next phase target roles and today’s job market terms.** 🌐 3. Rebuild Your Network Don’t let “outdated” networks hold you back. Reach out to former colleagues and industry peers to reconnect. Attend local or virtual professional events to meet new people. LinkedIn is your best friend here—leverage it to build connections! **I would point you to the book “Friend of a Friend” by Dr. David Burkus to learn about awakening “dormant ties.”** 📚 4. Upskill to Stay Relevant Consider taking a course or certification in your field to bridge any skills gap. This also shows potential employers your commitment to staying current. **Find out what would be most relevant to your target roles.** 🤝 5. Leverage Mentors and Career Coaches If you’re unsure where to start, career coaches can help with guidance, mock interviews, and personalized job search strategies. **Consider building a mentoring team or PBOD (Personal Board of Directors). 🎯 Remember: Your unique experiences—professional and personal—add value. You’re not starting over; you’re building on an incredible foundation. Have you re-entered the job market after a break? What worked for you? Share your advice or questions below! ⬇️ #CareerVelocity

When you pivot careers your skills don’t go away, they get recycled ♻️ Since pivoting in entrepreneurship I’ve seen how the social work skills I have are transferable as a a travel creator in a few ways 👀 💻 Skill: Research Then? Looking up best practices in journal articles. Now? Researching facts and history about the destination before traveling 📝 Skill: Project Management Then? Managed a portfolio of research & evaluation projects. Now? Managing multiple social media platforms, video strategy, and content calendars 🤝 Skill: Relationship/Rapport Building Then? Managing people and building relationships with clients in nonprofit, education and foundation sectors. Now? Building relationships with influencer agencies, creators, tourism boards, and PR teams 🧠 Skill: Problem-Solving Then? Working on projects around supporting Black entrepreneurs, food justice, and Black maternal health. Now? Figuring out how to encourage more train travel, community-centered travel experiences and supporting Black travelers Do not sleep on the skills you have or are attaining! You never know when or how they will come in handy in the future ✨ Hey I’m Sojourner and if you’re into travel, career pivoting, or the highs and lows of being a new entrepreneur, follow along for more 💻 🚂 ✈️ #travelcreator #socialwork #careerpivot #entrepreneurship