The ability to assess transferable skills on a CV is one of the most valuable capabilities a hiring manager can develop. As careers become increasingly non-linear and shaped by life stages, traditional assumptions about career progression are quickly becoming outdated.
This matters deeply when evaluating women re-entering the workforce. According to RecruitMyMom’s Working Women in South Africa Report 2025, 43% of women have taken a career pause, most often to care for children or due to retrenchment. Despite this, 94% return to work, often with renewed clarity, resilience, and transferable skills that add value in any team.
Why a non-linear career is not a red flag
Gone are the days of tidy, chronological career ladders. Growth, personal choices, family responsibilities, industry shifts, and global changes shape modern careers. For many talented professionals, particularly mothers, stepping away from formal employment does not mean stepping away from skill development.
Progressive businesses that assess underlying skills rather than job titles are discovering exceptional people who might otherwise be overlooked.
What are transferable skills?
Transferable skills are competencies that apply across industries and roles. These include:
- Communication and collaboration
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving
- Project coordination and time management
- Leadership and initiative
- Digital tools proficiency
- Adaptability and emotional intelligence
- Resilience and adaptability
A mother who paused her career to raise children may not have had corporate experience for the past three years. Still, she may have managed multiple competing priorities, volunteered as a school treasurer, or launched a side business. These are not gaps; they are real-world experiences that build capability.
How to recognise transferable skills on a CV
It takes discernment to read beyond the job titles. Hiring managers trained to spot transferable skills will uncover candidates who may lack traditional experience but bring strong potential.
1. Focus on what they did, not just where they worked
Instead of filtering for exact job matches, examine the responsibilities and outcomes. For example:
- Did they lead people, even in a volunteer or freelance context?
- Did they manage budgets, organise projects, or solve complex problems?
- Have they upskilled recently through short courses or contract work?
A former events coordinator who managed community fundraisers during a career break will likely be highly organised, persuasive, and outcome-driven.
2. Use scenario-based questions in interviews
Skills-based interviewing is one of the most effective ways to assess capability. Ask questions like:
“Tell me about a time you had to deliver results with limited resources.”
“Describe how you’ve managed conflicting priorities or tight deadlines.”
These questions uncover how candidates think and act, regardless of their most recent job title.
3. Watch for non-traditional career indicators
Some of the most capable hires will not have had a corporate role recently. Look for signs of self-direction:
- Freelancing
- Volunteer leadership
- Running a household or managing complex caregiving responsibilities
- Online learning and certifications
- Entrepreneurship or consulting
Automated screening tools will overlook these indicators, but they speak volumes about a person’s initiative and drive.
Real-world examples: When a CV gap is a hidden strength
- Zanele, Financial Executive: After caring for her terminally ill parent for two years, she returned to work with greater empathy, resilience, and executive presence. Her break built soft skills now central to her leading a large hybrid finance team in Johannesburg.
- Rina, Digital Marketer: Rina took a four-year pause to raise her children, during which she launched a blog, learned SEO, and managed paid social campaigns. A client hired her full-time after seeing her portfolio, which was not her last job title.
- Jody, Virtual Assistant: Previously a corporate PA, Jody paused her career to move cities and support her spouse. She completed a remote work readiness programme, then joined a UK real estate agency as a virtual assistant through RecruitMyMom. Her employer reports that she “runs the office like clockwork”.
Why this matters for hiring teams
The Working Women in South Africa Report 2025 makes it clear that employers are missing out on a highly motivated, loyal, and capable talent pool when they overlook career breaks or non-traditional career paths.
The report also shows that women who return to the workplace often remain with one employer for three to ten years, far exceeding the national average. Retention, institutional knowledge, and loyalty are the hallmarks of these hires when allowed to grow.
Hiring for transferable skills is not about compromise. It is about recognising ability in places others may not think to look.
An out-of-the-box way to hire
Businesses that move beyond conventional hiring checklists gain access to a broader, well-rounded talent pool. Recognising transferable skills opens up opportunities to hire talent that others will miss. At RecruitMyMom, we often submit a CV as a ‘wild-card’ - a CV where we recognise the transferable skills and feel the candidate is worth interviewing.
When you start seeing potential rather than only past job titles, your hiring decisions become sharper, your teams stronger, and your business better supported for future events.
If you're ready to make more insightful, strategic hires, consider who you might be missing by focusing only on the linear CV. The best candidate for the job may be someone who took a different path to get where they are.
