Invest in Transferable Skills
I asked ChatGPT for a definition of transferable skills, and I think it nailed it:
“Transferable skills are abilities or expertise you develop in one context (like a job or a personal experience) that can be applied to other roles, industries, or situations. These skills are versatile and not specific to one job, making them valuable when changing careers or positions.”
From my own experience, I truly believe that investing in and honing transferable skills is essential in today’s market. Whether you're in North America or anywhere else, there’s one undeniable truth: no one can take your education away from you. So, whatever you do, learn as much as you can. Focus on acquiring skills that you can apply in multiple areas of your life, both personally and professionally.
When I did my undergrad in Foreign Trade, I knew my main interests were commerce and marketing. While commerce was fun, it didn’t fulfill me creatively. That’s where marketing came in—and it’s been a game-changer for me. Coming from India, where my dad, a civil servant, saw only two significant career paths—doctor or engineer—I knew I wasn’t going down either route. Whether or not he asked me to, I felt I had something to prove by choosing a different path.
I'm so glad I went on to pursue a master’s in Marketing Management. I remember spending hours during my dissertation period walking through malls and shops, observing how they enticed customers—the smells, the music, the entire vibe. It was fascinating. My favorite subject? Consumer behavior, of course. It all just clicked. Sure, my education was grounded in consumerism, but it was fun!
Then, I took things further and dove into digital marketing—a whole other world of chaos, keywords, and creativity. I'm constantly blown away by what brands are putting out these days. Two recent campaigns that stood out to me were IKEA’s The RESTEN bag and Knix’s sport your period campaign. These are prime examples of brands understanding consumer behavior and giving people something to like, something to think about—just like I’m doing with this blog.
The bottom line is, I invested in and developed skills that have carried me across industries and allowed me to work on exciting projects.
Transferable skills vary depending on your industry. For me, they’ve been:
Content writing
Social media marketing
Marketing data analysis
Project management
Team leadership
Whatever your transferable skills may be, next time you head to work, take a moment to think about what your strengths are and how you can keep polishing them.
