In 2023, a new hiring trend is taking shape. Now, you must demonstrate both human-centered (soft skills) and business-centered (hard skills) content in your resume and career communications to stand out among the crowd. With companies increasingly prioritizing skills over experience, it is important for job-seekers to continue leveling up their skills to remain relevant to prospective employers. Here are what we think the most in-demand hard and soft skills to focus on will be this year.
Technology Skills
Ever since the digital age took shape in the early 2000’s, the most essential hard skill for the job-seeker is technological skills. According to a report by FinancesOnline, jobs requiring technology skills represent 90% of the entire US economy. In the US alone, the use of digital tools in the workplace has increased in 517 out of 545 jobs since 2002. This rising need for technology skills should push employees to regularly upgrade their technological know-how. Some of the top technical skills on the market to focus on this year include UX Design, Artificial Intelligence, and Cloud computing. If you have these skills under your belt and are looking for a new role, be sure to check out our website for some of our hot IT opportunities!
People Management
From leading a small team to running an entire company, people management is a hard skill many high-level hiring managers prioritize in their candidate search. Management capabilities demonstrate additional soft skills such as leadership and mentorship expertise, which are highly coveted in today’s market. The next time you meet with a hiring manager, be sure to highlight some of the times you lead a team in a project or mentored a new employee. Being able to lead by example and pin-point exact moments your leadership made an impact is a great way to stand out amongst other applicants.
Communication
Communication skills are one of the most highly sought after soft skills that recruiters look for when hiring, with about 6.1 million jobs listing the skill as a requirement on their postings. Effective communication results in higher productivity and reduces issues due to miscommunication. Especially since the pandemic hit in 2020, companies are prioritizing candidates with strong communication skills who are able to communicate well in times of crisis. If you’re looking to improve your communication skills, try practicing brief and concise messaging with colleagues and proof-reading messages and emails before clicking send.
Problem-Solving
In any role you are hired for, problem-solving skills are a must! Being able to pivot as needed and come up with creative solutions for roadblocks is not only a great way to show initiative, but proves you can be a valued contributor in any new role. Before your next interview, try identifying a few times in your past roles where you’ve used creative problem solving to adjust an outdated process. The more real-life instances you are able to provide, the more problem-solving ability you’ll be able to communicate.
With these 4 in-demand hard and soft skills on your radar, you’ll be well equipped to highlight your talents and stand out in the candidate pool. Make sure when preparing your resume for your next interview that you are sharing the how and the why of your skills. Think of your resume as a narrative of who you are as an employee.
Be sure to include measurable impacts while defining your personality, attitude, and motivations. Being able to demonstrate both hard skills and soft skills are essential to landing your dream job!
