What Are Work Content Skills?
Work content or technical skills are abilities that contribute directly to the performance of a specific job within an organization. In contrast to transferable skills, they are specific to a particular job and aren’t necessarily useful in a different role.
Companies evaluate a person’s work content skills during application and interview screening to determine whether an appropriate match exists. In a job description, the work content skills are typically necessary for the person to perform job requirements. A computer programmer typically needs computer language and coding skills, for instance, given that the primary purpose of the role is to develop software programs. Similarly, auto mechanics need work content skills to repair car problems with expert accuracy and attention to detail.
While people often develop or improve on work content skills in previous work experience, they also build them in other ways. Education, volunteer activities, life activities, community activities and hobbies are among the ways in which people develop content skills. A hospital volunteer may build content skills in basic patient care that contribute to success in becoming a certified nursing assistant and performing on the job. Companies also value transferable skills, which are the abilities a person has, such as excellent leadership or communication skills, that apply across many job domains.