You haven’t worked in the public sector before.

You don’t know anyone in the public sector who can “get you in”.

You’re purpose-driven and want to help the community, whilst achieving your ambition to land a plum public sector job with lots of great career opportunities and much more security.

But you keep applying for these roles and continually hear crickets.

Or have you been told that someone with public sector or not-for-profit experience landed the interview or the role?

If you’re an aspiring public servant seeking a more secure role where you can make a difference in the lives of the Australian public, but you’ve never had experience in the public sector, then don’t let that stop you from applying.

Despite what you may think, you don’t need specific government experience to land a senior public sector job (unless the job ad specifies it, and most don’t specify it in the key selection criteria).

Don’t forget public servants were once you, with no specific public sector experience.

I know because I landed a public sector role the first time I applied and so have many of my clients.

It can be done.

But how did we do it?

We did it with transferable skills.

What are transferable skills?

Transferable skills are the skills, knowledge, and abilities that you have acquired over the course of your career and life that can be transferred into other jobs or organisations.

Transferable skills can be hard skills (skills that we can teach or quantify like having advanced-level MS Office skills) or soft skills (which can be a lot harder to quantify like leadership skills).

Why are transferable skills important?

Transferable skills are important for job seekers who have not had the exact experience requested in the job ad.

These skills show you can do the job with similar experiences or similar skills.

You don’t have to be an exact match to the job description but if you have done a job with the same skillset, then you can apply and still meet the key selection criteria.

Transferable skills show an employer your breadth of experience. It shows them the skills you have weren’t acquired in the exact same way that was requested in the job ad. Having broader life experiences and transferable skills can work to your advantage when responding to key selection criteria that ask you to demonstrate skills.

Demonstrating a skill means you regularly performed it showing them that you have used the skill, knowledge, or experience in different settings, and it means you bring a unique perspective to a role. You want to be unique and different to stand out.

Having a broad range of experience in different industries and using the same skill over and over again shows a hiring manager or recruiter that you have demonstrated the use of that skill regularly and not just on one occasion and you, therefore, meet the relevant criterion.

How can I acquire transferable skills?

You can acquire transferable skills anywhere. They don’t have to be acquired on the job. They can be life skills you use every single day.

You can acquire these skills in the following ways:

• Studying or completing a course
• Employment
• Voluntary work
• Internships or cadetships
• Your own hobbies and interests
• Any other life experience

How to identify your transferable skills

If you’re still not sure whether you have any transferable skills, here are some ways you can identify if you have them.

1. Times when you have gone above and beyond. If you have exceeded expectations from your employer, what skills helped you complete these tasks? Were they related to time management or problem-solving or both? These are transferable skills.
2. Look at your job descriptions. Your job descriptions will have the key selection criteria spelled out in them with clues about what types of skills you would need to do your job. Can you perform these skills elsewhere? Likely the answer is yes.

So do you know what transferable skills are in demand right now for senior public sector roles?

Do you know how to articulate them in your resume, cover letter, or key selection criteria?

I’ve developed a FREE eBook below that not only reveals the in-demand transferable skills required in the public sector right now, it also demonstrates the attributes and capabilities required of those transferable skills so you know how to use them in your job application to land an interview.

This FREE eBook will help you to confidently apply for your first permanent ongoing role in a senior public sector job and finally get your foot in the door!

You can download that by clicking the button below.