January is here and many professionals will be considering a new job to kick-start the New Year. If this sounds familiar, it could be time to dust of your CV, update your skills and start looking at what opportunities are on offer. After all, January is a busy time for recruitment and many employers may have already begun advertising their roles in the hopes of securing the top talent. And if you want to be that top talent, you need to make sure you’ve got the skills to back it up. With the world of work always changing, so are the skills required to excel in many roles.
Here are the 6 skills you will need in 2019.
Skill 1. Creativity
Technology has completely changed the way we work and with the influx of new software, social media and apps, there is no shortage of information available to us. As such, creativity is an extremely important skill for those looking for a new job. Almost anyone can access data nowadays, but it’s what you do with it and the ideas that stem from this that are important. Thinking outside the box and creating innovative and unique ideas with this information is crucial for almost any role. Therefore, creativity is one of the most sought after skills of 2019.
Skill 2. Problem solving
No matter what role you’re in, there’s going to be a need for problem solving. On a basic level, being able to sort out any technical errors, disagreements within the team or areas of a product or service that aren’t performing as they should be is crucial. But, from a more advanced point of view, having a logical approach to problems your clients may be experiencing, helping them to run their business more efficiently, is highly sought after in the workplace right now.
Skill 3. Critical thinking
Similarly to problem solving, critical thinking is about pulling together data and being able to effectively analyse it to come to a conclusion. This might be deciding how well a product or service is performing, so that measures can be put in place to fix any issues. This is a vital skill in a huge number of roles.
Skill 4. Data literacy
Technology has made it possible to collect a huge amount of data from a range of areas of the business. Through systems such as Google Analytics, CMS and many others, it’s possible to receive metrics from websites and products to keep an eye on how they’re performing. It’s also possible to track almost every aspect of the user journey, to understand how they work, shop and play. Therefore a good grasp of data literacy and the ability to analyse and identify patterns is a key skill right now for those looking for a new job.
Skill 5. Entrepreneurial mind set
Developing an entrepreneurial skill set is something that more and more professionals are embracing. The drive to be creative, be a great leader and share innovative thoughts and ideas can really set you apart from the crowd. Adopting this mind set as we move into the New Year will help you to feel more confident, to work better with others, but to also make a real contribution towards any business.
Skill 6. Team work
It’s very rare that you’ll find a completely solo role nowadays. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly important to seamlessly connect all departments across a business. For example, those in marketing roles will need to work closely with those in sales to ensure they’re giving them the materials they need to attract clients and drive revenue. Therefore, being able to work well with others within your team, but also across different areas of the business, is absolutely key for anyone looking for a new job. As such, team work and collaboration will be very valuable skills now and in the future.
Are you ready to boost your skills?
You might be feeling confident that you already have most, if not all of these skills. But if that’s not the case – don’t panic! There are a huge range of training options you can choose from to help you boost your skills, including a vast number of online courses (some of which you can access for free!). So if you’re feeling unprepared, take some time to brush up on your skills and bolster that CV. You’ll be able to future proof your skills and land your dream job in no time. You can also assess a variety of skills using our online practice employment tests. For further information on the six skills you will need for 2019, please contact Skillsarena on +44 (0)203 693 2201 or email us.
