Skills clusters: What they are and how they can help you

 

Not too long ago the job title of Office Manager would have the same job description regardless of which company in New Zealand they were working for. It was clear what was required of a CEO, as well as what a Graphic Designer role involved. Then job titles got a rebrand. The Business Development Guru emerged, as did the Chief Happiness Officer – reflecting the changing nature of our roles and empowering employees to discover new talents. And at the same time new and emerging industries in New Zealand required roles that hadn’t been defined before, giving rise to jobs title such as the Chief Purpose Officer and Climate Action Planner.

 

While on the surface there is little harm in getting creative with job titles, it does make looking for a new role that much more challenging. Job titles themselves are less likely to be an indicator of a role that you may want to apply for. More and more your appropriateness (or desire) for a job relies on the skills that you possess – and this is where skills clusters can help.

 

Skills clusters are a way to identify the collective power of the skills that you possess beyond experience, qualifications, or job titles. They can reveal the interplay and applicability of these skills across a diverse range of roles and can offer opportunities for strategic career moves and growth. Knowing your skills cluster can open doors into fields that you never knew you could excel in.

 

The Hays 2025 Skills Report was a good indicator of the sorts of skills required across a whole range of professions and industries.

 

So how do skills clusters work? 

 

These are made up of non-specialist skills that are commonly used in many occupations – think of skills such as problem solving, communication or teamwork.

 

These are the skills inherent in performing a specific job. An accountant might be responsible for auditing the financial figures of an organisation, or a cook might be tasked with cutting raw vegetables.

 

These are the tools that someone would be required to be proficient at. For example, a Graphic Designer might need to know how to use Adobe Photoshop, or an Architect might need to be skilled at using computer-aided design software such as AutoCAD or Vectorworks.

 

The skills you possess across these three identifiers can help you understand how your career may advance, pivot or switch between industries. For instance, if you're in customer service, provide guest services is one of four skills clusters required for this role. Under this skills cluster, specialist tasks such as arrange services or reservations for patrons or usher patrons to seats or exits are detailed which then can link to other occupations this task might also apply to. In this instance arrange services or reservations for patrons could apply to a doorperson, hotel service manager or sales assistant – offering you a demonstration of how your skills could be transferred to another role or industry.

 

Not only does knowing your skills cluster help you realise other directions your career could move to; you can also use them to update your CV – an important point for current job seekers as employers in New Zealand increasingly move towards skill-based hiring.

 

Skill-based hiring assesses prospective employees based on skill and ability rather than relying on traditional credentials and experience. As the demand for talent in New Zealand continues to outstrip supply in many cases, NZ employers are de-emphasising degrees and instead are considering demonstrated skills and competencies, opening opportunities to employees who have been excluded due to a historically high focus on qualifications¹.

 

With these opportunities increasing, you can now strategically position yourself in your job searching journey in a few ways:

 

You can stop trying to interpret esoteric job titles and find roles that match your skills while potential employers can identify you as the right fit for a role they might be looking for.

 

Incorporating your skills cluster into your resume and cover letters can help you further demonstrate how your skills align with the specific job requirements.

 

If you can clearly present your specialisms in skill groups that are relevant to the job you’re applying for, you’re more likely to stand out to employers seeking out workers with specific proficiencies.