Table 1Transition record

special-interest groups' officialtopublic affairs consultant

A special-interest groups' official already meets 38% of what the public affairs consultant role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

From special-interest groups' official

38%

Overlap1

To public affairs consultant

9 Skills carried over

6 Required, not held

57.3 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 57.3

This move: 57.3 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the public affairs consultant role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the special-interest groups' official profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 9 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A public affairs consultant role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a special-interest groups' official background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held influence legislators communication, collaboration and creativity
already held apply diplomatic principles communication, collaboration and creativity
already held present arguments persuasively communication, collaboration and creativity
already held build international relations communication, collaboration and creativity
already held perform public relations communication, collaboration and creativity
already held advise on legislative acts communication, collaboration and creativity

All 9 carried skills, including the 6 the public affairs consultant role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 22 missing skills fall into 4 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 required, 6 supplementary

required, not held advise on conflict management required
required, not held manage relationships with stakeholders required
required, not held perform political negotiation required
required, not held protect client interests required

optional, not held advise on public image optional
optional, not held advise on public relations optional
optional, not held establish collaborative relations optional
optional, not held facilitate official agreement optional
optional, not held liaise with politicians optional
optional, not held moderate in negotiations optional

02 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held diplomatic principles required

optional, not held European political studies optional
optional, not held media and information literacy optional
optional, not held government representation optional
optional, not held political science optional
optional, not held rhetoric optional

03 business, administration and law 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held legislation procedure required

optional, not held legal research optional
optional, not held legal terminology optional

04 information skills 3 supplementary

optional, not held assess risk factors optional
optional, not held conduct public surveys optional
optional, not held monitor political conflicts optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a public affairs consultant role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 9 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held advise on legislative acts skill
already held apply diplomatic principles skill
already held government policy implementation knowledge
already held influence legislators skill
already held maintain relationships with government agencies skill
already held manage government policy implementation skill
already held build international relations skill
already held perform public relations skill
already held present arguments persuasively skill

16 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held European political studies optional
optional, not held media and information literacy optional
optional, not held advise on public image optional
optional, not held advise on public relations optional
optional, not held assess risk factors optional
optional, not held conduct public surveys optional
optional, not held establish collaborative relations optional
optional, not held facilitate official agreement optional
optional, not held government representation optional
optional, not held legal research optional
optional, not held legal terminology optional
optional, not held liaise with politicians optional
optional, not held moderate in negotiations optional
optional, not held monitor political conflicts optional
optional, not held political science optional
optional, not held rhetoric optional

68 held skills the public affairs consultant role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advise legislators skill
not needed by the target role advise on consumer rights skill
not needed by the target role advise on drafting policies skill
not needed by the target role analyse issues skill
not needed by the target role analyse membership skill
not needed by the target role budgetary principles knowledge
not needed by the target role business law knowledge
not needed by the target role check payrolls skill
not needed by the target role circulate information skill
not needed by the target role communicate with media skill
not needed by the target role communication principles knowledge
not needed by the target role conduct public presentations skill
not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
not needed by the target role deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances skill
not needed by the target role defend human rights skill
not needed by the target role develop communications strategies skill
not needed by the target role develop economic policies skill
not needed by the target role develop employment policies skill
not needed by the target role develop manufacturing policies skill
not needed by the target role develop membership strategies skill
not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
not needed by the target role develop trade policies skill
not needed by the target role election law knowledge
not needed by the target role employment law knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with policies skill
not needed by the target role evaluate humanitarian programme proposals skill
not needed by the target role good governance knowledge
not needed by the target role graphic design knowledge
not needed by the target role handle complaints skill
not needed by the target role humanitarian aid actors knowledge
not needed by the target role identify hazards in the workplace skill
not needed by the target role identify policy breach skill
not needed by the target role identify research topics skill
not needed by the target role interact with the board of directors skill
not needed by the target role international human rights law knowledge
not needed by the target role interview people skill
not needed by the target role keep updated on the political landscape skill
not needed by the target role labour law knowledge
not needed by the target role liaise with local authorities skill
not needed by the target role liaise with sports organisations skill

28 further entries not listed here

9 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held diplomatic principles required
required, not held legislation procedure required
optional, not held European political studies optional
optional, not held media and information literacy optional
optional, not held government representation optional
optional, not held legal research optional
optional, not held legal terminology optional
optional, not held political science optional
optional, not held rhetoric optional

Index

Other moves recorded from special-interest groups' official

Full index of moves from special-interest groups' official

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.