JobDig HR series - Transferable Skills

John Putzier, president of FirStep Inc., shares a humorous anecdote to demonstrate how skills can be transferable between jobs and industries.

I'm going to read you an
ad that I found in the

Financial Post of Toronto in
the Employment Wanted section.

And you tell me if this person
sounds like somebody you would hire.

Business experience: Owned and
operated a successful

fishing business,
multi-vessel,

one airplane,
one island,

and processing facility.

Simultaneously owned and
operated a fleet of

tractor trailer trucks
conducting business

in the western United States.

During this time I also
co-owned and participated

in the executive level
management of 120 people

worldwide in a successful
venture with revenues in

excess of 100 million dollars.

Attributes: I am an expert
in all levels of security.

I have extensive computer
skills,

am personable,
outgoing,

well educated, reliable,
clean, and sober.

I have spoken in schools to
thousands of kids and

parent groups over the past
ten years on the consequences

of choice and received public
recognition from

the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police for community service.

I am well-traveled,

and I speak English,
French, and Spanish.

Pretty impressive?

This guy gets it.

Okay?

Let me tell you what
the rest of this says.

Having successfully completed
a ten-year sentence,

incident free for importing
75 tons of marijuana

into the United States,

I am now seeking a legal and
legitimate means

to support myself and my family.

References available
from friends, family,

and the U.S. District attorney.

[Laughter]

This guy gets it.

[Laughter]

Now that's an extreme example,
but that's transferrable skills.

[Laughter]