Start with the difference
A technical skill is the ability to use a particular tool, system, method, or body of knowledge. Maintaining a vehicle, working with inventory software, preparing equipment for inspection, and following a documented safety procedure can all involve technical skills. These abilities may depend on specific training, equipment, or standards.
A transferable skill is an ability you can apply in more than one setting. Planning work, explaining a process, coordinating a team, keeping accurate records, and adapting when priorities change are examples. They still need practice and judgment, but they are not tied to one piece of equipment or one job title.
The two categories often overlap. Someone who maintains equipment may use technical knowledge to identify a fault and transferable skills to explain the problem, organize repairs, and document what happened. Separating the skills helps a reader understand both what you know and how you work.
Build an inventory from what you actually did
Begin with tasks rather than broad labels such as “leadership” or “operations.” Write down work you performed regularly, tools or procedures you used, people you worked with, and problems you helped resolve. Include routine responsibilities: scheduling, checking supplies, teaching a new process, or handing over information at the end of a shift. Ordinary tasks often provide the clearest evidence of a skill.
Next, sort each item by asking two questions. What specific knowledge or method did this task require? That answer points toward technical skills. What part of the task could you do in a different workplace with different tools? That answer points toward transferable skills. For example, using a particular tracking system is technical; maintaining accurate records and flagging missing items are more transferable.
Be precise about your role. There is a useful difference between operating a system, training others to use it, and managing its implementation. If you supported a team decision, say so rather than claiming sole responsibility. A modest, specific description is more useful than an impressive phrase a reader cannot verify or understand.
Translate without erasing the substance
Civilian readers may not recognize a military title, acronym, or equipment name. You do not have to remove every technical detail, but give unfamiliar terms enough context to make their relevance clear. “Tracked equipment readiness and coordinated maintenance requests” tells a reader more than an unexplained unit-specific abbreviation. If the exact system matters to the role, name it alongside a plain-language description of how you used it.
For technical skills, state the action and the scope: “Performed routine inspections and recorded faults using established checklists” is clearer than “equipment expert.” For transferable skills, describe the behavior rather than naming the trait alone: “Prioritized daily requests, assigned tasks, and updated colleagues when plans changed” shows organization and communication at work.
Avoid translating experience into a civilian credential you do not hold. Familiarity with a process is not the same as a license, certification, or qualification required for a new role. When a job calls for a specific credential, describe your related experience accurately and check the stated requirements before applying.
Choose examples that fit the opportunity
A single experience can support several skill descriptions, but you do not need to list them all every time. Read the role, course, or volunteer description and select the parts of your background that answer its needs. An inventory role might call for accurate records and familiarity with tracking systems. A community project might place more value on coordinating people, sharing instructions, and following through.
A simple description has three parts: what you did, the context in which you did it, and the result you can reasonably describe. For example: “Organized a weekly equipment check for a small team, kept records current, and reported items needing repair.” The example shows a repeatable process without inventing a number or promising an outcome you cannot support.
If you have little direct experience with a tool named in a posting, do not hide that gap behind a broad claim. You can explain a comparable process you know and how you learned to use new systems in the past. This gives a reader a fair picture of both your preparation and what you would still need to learn.
Keep two versions of your skill list
It can help to maintain a full working list and a shorter version for each application or conversation. In the full list, record technical tools and methods, transferable abilities, and one concrete example for each. Add the terms you used in service so you can recognize the experience later, then draft a plain-language version beside them.
When preparing the shorter version, put the most relevant skills first and remove claims you cannot explain with an example. Say descriptions aloud: would someone outside your previous workplace understand what you did? If not, replace the label with a task, add context, or ask a trusted reader where they get lost.
Technical skills explain what you can do with particular knowledge or methods. Transferable skills explain how you approach work across different settings. Describing both with accurate examples makes your experience easier for others to understand—and easier for you to discuss with confidence.
