The Skills You Didn’t Know You Had

Earlier this week I wrote about my side gig as a squash referee, and how those skills somehow sneak their way into my day-to-day job in allied health.

It made me realise something. We talk a lot about clinical skills. About staying current, professional development, upskilling, learning the latest therapy model or documentation system.

But what about all the other stuff we know how to do? The stuff we didn’t learn in a lecture or read in a textbook. The skills we’ve collected from everything else we do; the messy, unpredictable, very human parts of life.

That’s what I want to talk about today. Transferable skills.

What are they really?

Transferable skills are the things that travel with you wherever you go. They don’t disappear when you change jobs. They don’t care what title you have or what funding stream you work under.

They’re the “soft” skills that actually make you good at your job, and good at life.

Like:

• Reading the room.

• Keeping your cool when things go sideways.

• Knowing when to speak up and when to shut up.

• Turning chaos into some kind of plan.

• Helping people feel safe enough to talk.

These are the skills that employers love but rarely write properly in job ads. They’re the skills that make you adaptable, hireable, and sane.

Where do you get them?

Not from a course. Not from a certificate. And definitely not from a PowerPoint.

You get them from life.

Parenting.

Volunteering.

Sport.

Travel.

Surviving the chaos that is a Monday morning team meeting.

Maybe you’ve learned to stay calm under pressure because you’ve refereed sport (like me). Or because you’ve raised teenagers. Or because you’ve had to deal with difficult clients, managers, or in-laws; which, let’s be honest, is its own kind of resilience training.

Transferable skills are the things that come from showing up, falling down, getting back up, and doing it all again. They come from experiences that we don’t often identify as adding to our skillset.

Why it matters in allied health

Because our work is unpredictable. No two clients are the same. No two teams are the same. No two days are the same.

We move between systems, personalities, and expectations — and we need to do it without losing ourselves in the process.

Your clinical skills keep you competent. Your transferable skills keep you capable.

They’re what help you manage tough conversations. Handle feedback that stings. Stay professional when someone’s testing your boundaries. And they’re what keep you employable if you ever decide to change directions; they make you stand out from the rest.

Here’s the thing though

Most of us don’t recognise these skills when we see them. We call them “just part of the job.” We brush them off like they don’t matter.

But they do matter. They’re often the reason people want to work with you.

Your ability to communicate clearly, adapt quickly, or lead calmly might not have a fancy name; but it’s what keeps your clients coming back and your colleagues sane.

A little challenge

Grab a pen and write down three skills you’ve developed that aren’t in your job description.

Maybe it’s patience. Maybe it’s conflict resolution. Maybe it’s being able to read a situation faster than a case note can describe it.

Then, think about how you can use that list:

• On your resume. 

• In a supervision discussion. 

• In your next job interview. 

Because if you don't know your value, it's hard for anyone else to see it. 

Final thought

Transferable skills are the glue that holds your career together. They’re what let you pivot, grow, and survive in a system that’s always changing.

So don’t downplay them. Don’t hide them. And definitely don’t apologise for them.

Be proud of them. You’ve earned those skills, sometimes the hard way.

And the next time someone asks, “What makes you good at your job?” You’ll know what to say.