A New Way to View Your Skills: Applying the 4 Layers of Transferability Framework

After years of speaking with, interviewing, and coaching non-technical women pivoting into tech, and reflecting on both their wins and their struggles, I noticed a consistent pattern:

The way you interpret and leverage your transferable skills can make or break your entire career change journey.

The problem is, most people think about transferable skills too narrowly. They stop at “I’m good at communication” or “I know project management.” That’s not enough to stand out in today’s job market.

To really break into tech without starting over, you have to reframe how you see what you’re good at.

That’s why I created the 4 Layers of Transferability™, a framework distilled from all the data, conversations, and real-life outcomes I’ve tracked with my clients.

The 4 Layers of Transferability™

Here’s how I think about transferable skills when mapping them to the tech industry:

1. Skills → Roles

If you’re strong in communication and stakeholder management, I immediately know those are prized in roles like Customer Success Manager or Program Manager.

2. Industry Knowledge → Verticals

If your background is in healthcare, you bring insight that’s incredibly valuable to healthtech companies that need employees who already understand the space.

3. Tools & Processes → Companies

If you’ve used Salesforce, scheduling systems, or workflow automation tools, that knowledge maps to the companies that actually build those products and to their competitors.

4. Customer Insight → Where It Matters

If you’ve supported small business owners, you’ll be a great fit for SaaS platforms designed for SMBs, because you understand their challenges and language better than most.

This is where strategy enters the game. It’s not just about listing skills. It’s about aligning them across these four layers so that your value is crystal clear to employers.

How This Plays Out in Real Life

Let me share two client examples so you can see these layers in action.

Case 1: From the Classroom to EdTech
One of my clients came from a teaching background. At first, she only saw “communication” as her transferable skill. But when we unpacked it:

• Skills → Roles: Classroom management and curriculum design mapped directly to Learning Experience Designer and Program Manager roles.
  
  
• Industry Knowledge → Verticals: Years in education positioned her perfectly for edtech companies building tools for teachers.
  
  
• Tools & Processes → Companies: She had experience with Google Classroom and LMS systems, which aligned with the companies producing those platforms.
  
  
• Customer Insight → Where It Matters: She deeply understood teachers, the exact customer edtech serves.
  
  

That alignment made her an easy hire for an edtech company that needed someone who could both speak teachers’ language and manage projects.

Case 2: From Sales to SaaS
Another client worked in corporate B2B sales, but she was tired of quotas and wanted a career change. At first, she couldn’t see how any of her skills would matter outside sales. But through the 4 Layers lens:

• Skills → Roles: Negotiation, relationship management, and problem-solving pointed her toward Customer Success Manager roles.
  
  
• Industry Knowledge → Verticals: Her background in logistics sales gave her a natural edge at SaaS companies serving supply chain customers.
  
  
• Tools & Processes → Companies: She knew Salesforce inside and out, which mapped her to the ecosystem of companies building or competing with CRM platforms.
  
  
• Customer Insight → Where It Matters: Years of selling to mid-size businesses gave her credibility with SaaS platforms targeting that exact market.
  
  

She pivoted into a customer-facing role at a logistics tech company, where her insight into both the tools and the customer base made her stand out instantly.

Your Task

Grab a notebook and ask yourself these four questions:

1. Skills → Roles: What 3–5 skills am I consistently recognized for, and which tech roles would value them most?
   
   
2. Industry Knowledge → Verticals: What industries have I worked in, and what tech sectors overlap with them?
   
   
3. Tools & Processes → Companies: What systems and platforms have I mastered, and which companies produce or compete with those tools?
   
   
4. Customer Insight → Where It Matters: Who have I served in my career (teachers, small businesses, patients, students, etc.), and which tech companies serve that same customer group?
   
   

The answers will give you a clearer map of where you can stand out in tech without starting over.

Want a Faster Way to Do This?

If you’d like AI to help you connect the dots and generate possibilities faster, try my free Tech Opportunities Pocket Coach. It uses my framework to suggest industries, roles, and companies that align with your background, so you can stop guessing and start moving.

👉 Click here to get instant access

Final Thoughts

Your skills aren’t random. They’re not “soft.” They’re not second-class to coding. They’re assets.

The difference between staying stuck and breaking through is often just the lens you use to see them. The 4 Layers of Transferability™ give you that lens, and once you start applying it, you’ll realize you’ve been more “tech ready” than you ever thought!