Employers give tips on what individuals can do to improve their workplace skills for today’s job market.
Q. How does a quantitative analyst for a hedge fund get hired as a strategist for a professional basketball team?
A. He convinces those doing the hiring that he has the skills to do the job.
The two positions may seem unrelated at first glance, but the New Jersey Nets wanted someone who could evaluate player stats and past performance to help determine the best combinations of team members to put on the court in various situations. With superior mathematical and analytical skills, the hedge fund analyst fit the bill.
Transferable skills — abilities that can be applied to different work environments — can be among a job seeker’s strongest assets. Here’s a look at some of the most in-demand transferable skills and how to acquire them.
What do employers want?
Simply put, “They want skills that can increase or develop business,” says David Couper, a career coach and author of “Outsiders on the Inside: How to Create a Winning Career … Even When You Don’t Fit In.” “Organizations want anything that will make them more successful and more profitable.”