With each passing year, the world becomes increasingly more digital. As each industry progresses further into the 21st century, all job applicants must have a host of digital skills in their career toolbelt. But which skills are the most important?
Although it depends on your field, many programs and tasks have become ubiquitous. Therefore, increasing your skills in these areas is essential.
Microsoft Office
Being adept at Microsoft Office is one of the most valuable skills one can wield. Whether it’s understanding how to convert a PDF to PowerPoint or knowing your way around an Excel sheet, Office proficiency is a must in today’s tech-forward world.
Plus, you can swap between platforms easily, so having a firm grasp on Microsoft Office applications can translate to Google Drive with a few minor adjustments.
Graphic design
Although a graphic design degree may not be necessary for all fields, grasping foundational digital design can give you a leg up on your competition. Of course, the extent to which you’ll exercise your design muscles will vary from gig to gig. However, you might be surprised to find how handy graphic art can be.
Whether you need to create a slideshow or a birthday invitation, here are a few programs you can brush up on to make yourself more marketable:
- PowerPoint
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Canva
Video conferencing
If the 21st century has taught the business world anything, it’s the importance of video conferencing software. Whether it’s Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, understanding each program’s complex and straightforward functions is critical as remote spaces skyrocket in popularity.
Typing skills
Although typing courses have tapered off in demand, suitable typing skills are still invaluable in the workplace and personal life. Whether you’re jotting down notes, writing up reports, or sending off emails, a high words-per-minute ratio is a functional, applicable skill.
Fortunately, you can sidestep lengthy classes, swapping them out for free practice websites to amp up your typing game.
Research skills
In a fast-moving world, knowing how to find answers to questions at a moment’s notice is a critical professional skill. Researching abilities not only help you locate and access useful information, but they also enable you to solve problems and create informed opinions with ease.
You can practice general research by learning how to properly use keywords and search engines to narrow down the infinite results.
Task management
Handwritten to-do lists might still be your preference at home, but you’ll need to know how to manage your workplace tasks digitally. Thankfully, you can utilize personal and enterprise task-management apps or operating systems to monitor progress and keep you ahead of schedule. Take some time to explore the top-rated task management systems, then add them to your skillset on your resume.
Some of the most common systems are:
- Todoist
- Trello
- Asana
- Coda
Wrap up
It might seem like an arduous task, but adding digital skills to your repertoire will make you more marketable and more valuable. Ultimately, understanding program basics, honing niche tech skills, and brushing up on research abilities will send you to the top of recruiter lists.
