What are transferable job skills?

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Things move so quickly today. And don’t call me old because I say that. I’m old, but I also have collected a host of skills that I can use in a variety of jobs. You can do the same. No doubt. So, what are transferable job skills? At the most basic level, these are skills that can be used in one job but can also be transferred to (or used) in another.

Let me give you an example from my career where the skills from journalism directly transferred to content marketing, and here’s how…

My journey began in traditional journalism, where I worked as a public safety writer for The Gazette Company and as a reporter/columnist for Lee Enterprises. In these roles, I honed the fundamental skills that would later prove invaluable in content marketing: finding stories, building relationships with sources, and crafting compelling narratives that resonated with readers.

As a public safety writer, I was responsible for covering critical incidents and maintaining relationships with public safety agencies. This experience taught me the importance of accuracy, quick thinking, and clear communication under pressure.

The turning point came with my role at United Way of East Central Iowa as Vice President of Communications and Innovation. This position allowed me to blend journalistic storytelling with strategic marketing objectives. Our team’s innovative approach earned recognition as one of the nation’s most forward-thinking nonprofit marketing teams, winning awards for website and app development and email marketing campaigns.

Read next: Reboot your mind: What is unlearning?

Skills that transferred

The skills that transferred most effectively from journalism to content marketing include:

1. Research and verification
   1. Journalism: Fact-checking and source verification
   2. Marketing: Market research and data validation
2. Storytelling
   1. Journalism: Creating compelling narratives from complex information
   2. Marketing: Crafting engaging content that drives business results
3. Relationship building
   1. Journalism: Developing source networks
   2. Marketing: Building client relationships and understanding audience needs
4. Quick adaptation
   1. Journalism: Meeting tight deadlines and covering breaking news
   2. Marketing: Responding to market trends and campaign performance

Marketing can really be a good career for anyone who has skills that can be transferred.

Today, as Director of Content Strategy at Growgetter, I leverage these skills to help businesses in the data, insights, and analytics sectors grow through strategic content. My background in journalism continues to influence my approach to content marketing, particularly in:

• Creating authentic, fact-based narratives
• Understanding audience needs
• Maintaining editorial standards in marketing content
• Adapting to new media formats and channels

The fundamental skills of journalism – accuracy, storytelling, and relationship-building – are increasingly valuable in content marketing as businesses seek to cut through the noise with authentic, engaging content that builds trust with their audiences. So, when it comes to what are transferable job skills, these are the ones that move right along from journalism to content marketing. 

Still honing your skills? Try these Coursera offerings.

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