Heuristic
Separate domain knowledge, tool skill and transferable capability
Different skill layers decay and transfer at different speeds.
When it fits
- A skill list mixes concepts such as 'finance', 'Salesforce', 'problem solving' and 'SQL' as if they were the same type.
When to avoid it
- The categories overlap in practice; use them to reason about portability, not to force every capability into a perfect box.
Why it matters
Classify important capabilities into domain knowledge, tool or platform skill, and transferable skill or work activity. Then ask what each layer depends on and where it can be reused. Use the map to avoid mistaking mastery of one tool for mastery of the underlying job—or dismissing valuable tool depth as worthless.
An example
A workflow consultant separates platform configuration from process modelling, data reasoning and stakeholder facilitation.
Check your result
Each important capability has a layer and at least one plausible transfer path or limitation.
Keep this limit in mind
- The categories overlap in practice; use them to reason about portability, not to force every capability into a perfect box.
Connected ideas
Use beforeTrack where your capability is overly concentrated
Evidence and sources
The current O*NET database separates occupations into tasks, work activities, essential skills, transferable skills, knowledge and technology skills, enabling comparison below the job-title level.
O*NET is U.S.-focused and its taxonomy should be treated as a structured comparison aid rather than a universal occupation model.
O*NET 31.0 Database · Database content areas
O*NET publishes transferable-skill and work-activity competency frameworks that can help identify capability overlap across occupations.
Framework overlap does not prove a person can perform a target role without context-specific knowledge and practice.
O*NET Competency Frameworks · Transferable Skills and Work Activities Competency Frameworks