Using the skills you already have

Throughout your life from preschool to through every stage of your career, you are picking up skills you might not even be aware of that can be used in many ways and in many situations. These skills are referred to as “transferable skills.” Some people call them “soft” skills because they are less defined than “hard” skills like knowing how to operate a complex piece of machinery. Transferable skills, as the name implies, are skills that you can adapt to pretty much any profession as well as to your personal life. They include skills like teamwork, time management, communication, adaptability and critical thinking.

Why are transferable skills so important?

In every job you have, and with every person that you meet, the soft skills that you have developed over the years are the ones that will universally speak to your ability to adapt to new challenges and interact with others. These skills also show employers and colleagues what you can offer beyond just completing daily tasks and can help set you up for success as an advisor.

How to develop soft skills

There is no shortage of ways to develop and improve your transferable skills. One of the best ways is to commit to life-long learning and self-development. This can be achieved by embracing opportunities for growth by attending industry conferences, participating in webinars (like Spark!) and pursuing advanced certifications. There are many different courses out there that are specifically designed to improve soft skills and help you understand how to best use them in different situations.

Soft skills and your career as an advisor

As an advisor, your clients will rely on you to know the insurance industry and the products available for them. But that is only the beginning. Every advisor should have these hard skills. What will set you apart from the rest will be your ability to build a relationship with your clients and that’s where soft, or transferable, skills come in.

Top advisors are often skilled communicators who convey empathy, patience and flexibility along with problem solving and analytical skills when working with clients—all soft skills! By practicing these kinds of soft skills with each client interaction, you will improve your ability to not only provide the best product for your clients’ protection needs, but also the best experience for them as they navigate the often complex and confusing world of insurance.