Transferable Skills: How Your Summer Job Builds Your Career

Skills from summer jobs can be transfered to other careers.

You probably don’t want to mow lawns or work at Starbucks for the rest of your life. So, you might not take your summer job seriously and maybe not take full advantage of it on your resume and college/university applications.

But don’t sell the experience short. You’ll still walk away with some transferable skills that schools and employers want to see.

Here’s a list of typical summer jobs and some transferable skills that you can acquire from working that job. These skills should also be keywords you use on your resume or college and university applications.

Retail stores:

• Keep records
• Manage finances
• Speak a foreign language (specify language)
• Use sign language

Food service/ restaurants:

• Multi-task
• Manage time
• Handle complaints
• Deal with obstacles and crises
• Work in a fast paced environment

Landscaping/construction:

• Attend to visual detail
• Repair equipment or machinery
• Assess and evaluate my own work
• Build or construct
• Design buildings, furniture, etc.

Fundraising/ not-for-profit:

• Present written material
• Present material orally
• Coordinate fundraising activities
• Research
• Utilize computer software (specify programs)

Any sort of supervisory job (team leader, manager):

• Plan and arrange events and activities
• Delegate responsibility
• Motivate others
• Assess and evaluate others’ work
• Coach
• Train or teach others
• Identify and manage ethical issues