Each year, LinkedIn prepares a list of the most in-demand skills based on the most the top skills employers look for when recruiting, posting, and hiring for jobs on LinkedIn.
Having this information is just another way of staying in demand and growing your career. Data such as this may assist you when prioritising your skills when applying for new positions as well as shining a light on where you are weakest and new skills development.
LinkedIn lists the most in demand soft skills as well as hard skills. Soft skills relate to interpersonal ‘people’ skills that describe how you work and interact with others. Hard skills are more quantifiable and technical, usually gained through education, training, or work experience.
Both soft and hard skills are important in all positions although in vastly differing levels depending on the type of work required in the role.
As you are most likely a technical based person, let’s start with the skills that you can relate to most, the in-demand hard skills.
Most In-Demand Hard Skills
In developing this list, LinkedIn excluded the common skills that most LinkedIn members already have such as standard computer skills such as word and excel.
The list they developed is dominated by software development and data management skills. They see these as the hard skills that most companies need today to remain competitive in our technology led environment.
Showing your current and prospective employers that you’re capable of picking up diverse hard skills like these, if you have them, could take you further in your career.
The list is provided below in priority order:
Software Development
SQL
Finance
Python (Programming Language)
Java
Data Analysis
JavaScript
Cloud Computing
Operations
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Section 2
Most In-Demand Soft Skills
Topping the list is ‘management’, indicating that companies are looking for people who can step up and manage teams. Although this may not be where you are in your career right now, knowing its importance is relevant in preparing for your career journey.
Also on the list are soft skills that are relevant to any tech skilled person. They include communication, project management, research, analytical skills, and teamwork. Another is leadership which can be interpreted in terms of the role that you take in supporting your team and setting an example. A person who shows leadership is often viewed positively when it comes to looking for someone who can step up to manage teams. These are skills that businesses need right now to not only run efficiently but also reach and retain their clients/customers.
Management
Communication
Customer Service
Leadership
Sales
Project Management
Research
Analytical Skills
Marketing
Teamwork
Deciding which skills (soft and hard) that are most relevant to you, depends on your area of expertise, and where you are in your career journey right now. However, knowing what employers are looking for can help future-proof your career by you upskilling in some areas including those areas where you feel least confident. You might find a conversation with your current manager regarding particular areas of skills development where you know you are weak, which may place you in the perfect position to grow with your current employer.
