How to Present Transferable Skills When Changing Careers in Nigeria

Changing careers does not mean starting from zero. Your previous work, education, volunteering, business activity or personal projects may have given you skills that employers in a new field need.

The challenge is presentation. Employers may not immediately understand how experience in teaching, banking, customer service, sales, administration or another field applies to a different career. You must connect the experience to the new role clearly and provide evidence.

This is especially important in Nigeria, where many jobseekers apply for roles outside their original course of study or previous profession. A strong application does not simply say, “I am willing to learn.” It shows what you already know, what results you have achieved and how those abilities can help the new employer.

What are transferable skills?

Transferable skills are abilities that can be used in different jobs, industries or work environments. They may be technical, organisational, interpersonal or problem-solving skills.

For example, a secondary-school teacher moving into customer success may bring communication, record-keeping, conflict resolution and presentation skills. A bank staff member moving into operations may have experience with documentation, compliance, customer communication and attention to detail.

Transferable skills are different from job titles. Your title may not match the vacancy, but the work you performed may still be relevant.

Start with the target role, not your old job

A common mistake is to list every ability you have without considering the position you want. Instead, study the job description and identify what the employer is actually seeking.

Look for repeated requirements such as:

• Customer communication
• Sales and relationship management
• Data entry and reporting
• Project coordination
• Problem-solving
• Digital tools and software
• Research and analysis
• Teamwork and leadership

Then compare those requirements with your previous responsibilities. Your goal is to find a credible connection between what you have done and what the new employer needs.

Build a transferable-skills map

A simple table can help you turn broad experience into relevant evidence.

Target-role requirement	Previous experience	Proof or result
Customer relationship management	Handled enquiries and complaints in a service role	Resolved issues, followed up with customers and maintained records
Project coordination	Organised school, church, community or business activities	Managed tasks, people, deadlines and communication
Digital communication	Managed social media or online sales	Created content, responded to messages and tracked orders

This exercise is useful even when your experience was informal. Running a small business, managing an online shop, organising an event or supporting a family enterprise can demonstrate real abilities. Present the activity honestly and explain your responsibilities.

Use the language of the new industry carefully

Employers and applicant-tracking systems often look for words connected to the vacancy. If a job description asks for “stakeholder communication”, your CV should not only say “talked to people”. You can explain that you communicated with customers, suppliers, colleagues or community members to resolve issues and coordinate activities.

However, do not copy technical terms that you cannot explain. If you have not used a particular software programme, do not claim expertise simply because it appears in the advert. You can state that you have experience with similar tools or that you are currently learning the software.

Accuracy matters. A career change is easier to defend when your wording is specific but truthful.

Write achievement-focused CV bullet points

Weak CV statements describe duties without showing value:

Responsible for attending to customers and answering questions.

A stronger version explains the action and the purpose:

Responded to customer enquiries across phone and messaging channels, recorded recurring issues and followed up to support timely resolution.

If you have a verified figure, you may include it. For example, you could state the number of customers supported, applications processed, events coordinated or social media enquiries handled. Do not invent numbers to make your CV look more impressive.

A useful structure is:

Action + skill used + context or result.

• Coordinated weekly stock updates between suppliers and sales staff to reduce confusion about product availability.
• Prepared clear reports from routine records to help a supervisor monitor outstanding tasks.
• Trained new team members on customer-service procedures and account documentation.

These examples communicate skills without pretending that the candidate has already worked in the new industry.

Make your career change obvious in your profile

The professional summary at the top of your CV should explain your direction. Do not leave the employer to guess why your background is relevant.

For example, someone moving from teaching into digital marketing might write:

Communication-focused professional transitioning from education into digital marketing, with experience creating learning materials, explaining complex ideas clearly, coordinating activities and using online platforms to engage audiences. Currently developing practical skills in content strategy and analytics.

This summary does three things: identifies the career direction, names relevant existing skills and acknowledges the new skills being developed.

Avoid summaries such as “hardworking individual seeking a challenging opportunity”. They are broad and do not explain what you offer.

Show proof through projects and learning

Transferable skills are more convincing when supported by recent evidence. If you are moving into technology, digital marketing, project management, data analysis or another competitive field, create practical work that demonstrates your interest.

Possible evidence includes:

• A small portfolio of writing, design, social media or website projects
• A spreadsheet analysis using a realistic or public dataset
• A project plan for an event or business idea
• A documented process improvement from your current workplace
• Volunteer work for a community group, school, nonprofit or small business
• A completed course accompanied by a practical assignment

Do not list online courses without showing what you learned or produced. A certificate may support your application, but a clear example often gives the employer more useful information.

Explain the change in your cover letter

Your cover letter should address the obvious question: why are you changing careers, and why does this role make sense?

Keep the explanation positive. Do not attack your former profession or suggest that you accepted any available job. Instead, connect your past experience with your new goal.

For example:

My experience in retail has developed my ability to understand customer needs, explain product options and manage competing priorities. I am now applying these strengths to customer success, supported by recent training in support tools and online communication.

This approach shows a deliberate transition rather than confusion. It also gives the employer a reason to consider you despite your different job history.

Prepare for the interview question about your lack of experience

An interviewer may ask, “You have not worked in this industry before. Why should we consider you?” Answer directly instead of becoming defensive.

Use this structure:

1. Acknowledge the gap: Explain what you have not yet done professionally.
2. Connect your skills: Identify abilities that match the role.
3. Give evidence: Describe a previous situation or project.
4. Show your plan: Mention relevant learning, practice or preparation.

For example:

I have not held a formal project-manager title, but I have coordinated people, deadlines and resources while organising community and work activities. I created task lists, followed up with participants and handled changes when plans shifted. I am also building my knowledge of project-management tools and would bring strong communication and follow-through to this role.

This is stronger than saying only, “I am a fast learner.” Learning ability matters, but employers also want evidence that you can contribute now.

Use LinkedIn and networking strategically

Your online profile should reflect the direction you want to take. Update your headline, summary and featured work so that they do not present you only through your old job title.

Networking does not have to mean asking strangers for employment immediately. You can speak with people already working in the target field, attend professional events, join relevant online communities and ask informed questions about the skills employers value.

When contacting someone, be specific. Explain your background, the role you are exploring and the type of guidance you need. Respect their time and do not send sensitive personal information or pay anyone who promises a guaranteed job.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Hiding your previous career: Your old experience may contain the strongest evidence of your reliability and ability.
• Listing soft skills without proof: Replace “excellent communication” with an example of communication in practice.
• Applying with one generic CV: Adjust the emphasis for each relevant role.
• Overstating your technical ability: Be clear about what you know, what you have practised and what you are learning.
• Ignoring informal experience: Freelance work, volunteering, online business and community responsibilities can be relevant when described accurately.
• Focusing only on certificates: Employers also need evidence that you can apply knowledge to real tasks.

A practical final review

Before submitting an application, ask yourself:

• Can I explain why I am moving into this field?
• Have I identified skills that match this specific role?
• Does each important skill have an example behind it?
• Have I included recent learning or practical work where necessary?
• Is every claim accurate and easy to defend in an interview?
• Can a recruiter understand my new direction within a few seconds?

A career change becomes more believable when it looks like a connected journey rather than a complete restart. Your previous experience, current learning and target role should tell one clear story.

The most effective way to present transferable skills is to stop asking employers to imagine your potential. Show them the relevant work you have already done, explain how it connects to their needs and provide honest evidence that you are prepared to keep learning.