The Skills Shift: An Illustrated Science Short Novel

Background

A while ago I asked colleagues for advice on a creative project that took me well outside my comfort zone: turning findings from a large interdisciplinary research project on competences and careers into a (hopefully) engaging story. The novel is now out, it is open access, and I am quite proud 🤓.

The Skills Shift: From Curriculum to Competence Vitae is an illustrated science short novel I wrote with Bernadette Dilger and Marco Strate. Pia Valär illustrated it in a fantastic way! (Thank you). This transfer product grew out of our subproject in the Innosuisse Flagship Initiative “Swiss Circular Economy of Skills and Competences” at the Institute of Business Education and Educational Management (IWP) at the University of St.Gallen (HSG).

What I learned from writing it: a story does not tolerate vague concepts. A character cannot say “competence orientation”; she has to do something that shows it. I found that at least as demanding as writing a journal article.

The Story in Short

The CV tells a story. But is it the right one? Degrees. Job titles. Years of experience. For decades, the Curriculum Vitae has structured how we judge people’s value in the labour market. It feels objective. Rational. Efficient. And yet – mismatches persist. Competences remain invisible. Careers stall. Employers complain about skill shortages while capable people are often filtered out. This illustrated science short novel invites readers into a different way of thinking. Through the intertwined stories of a mid-career event manager, a pressured recruiter, and researchers and an education provider questioning long-held assumptions, the story explores a simple idea: competences are not trophies collected along a linear ladder. They are relational, developmental, and deeply tied to diverse tasks and contexts. What if we stopped asking Where have you worked? And started asking What do you know what can you do, and what do you value – and under which conditions? Grounded in the Swiss labour market and education system, and informed by current research, this book introduces the concept of the Competence Vitae.

More Information on the Project

If you want the research behind it, Bernadette Dilger and Marco Strate’s bwp@ article is a good place to start, and the video on the Flagship Initiative gives the wider picture. The research was also recognised with the HSG Impact Award 2026.

Feel Free to Read the Novel and Tell us What You Think

I am proud of this one. If you work in guidance, HR or continuing education, I would like to know where the story rings true and where it does not.