The 10 most in-demand skills employers want in 2020

Job hunting is all about promoting your best and most desirable skills, in the hopes of getting noticed by an employer. The challenging part is figuring out which skills you need and which ones you should highlight the most.

With the help of new findings from LinkedIn, along with our own experience, below is a list of some of the most in-demand hard and soft skills, as well as the top computer skills for 2020.

Most in-demand soft skills

Soft skills are personal attributes that can benefit any role, regardless of the business or industry. They help you to work well with others and can include communication, teamwork, critical thinking, motivation, emotional intelligence and much more. Some of the most in-demand soft skills this year though include:

1. Creativity
   Finding creative solutions and approaches to tasks is a valuable skill. It’s something that cannot be replicated by technology and is, therefore, a useful skill in every industry.
2. Teamwork and collaboration
   Employers understand the real value and efficiency of good teamwork, with well-performing teams accomplishing far more than any individual employee. As organisations become more collaborative, it’s now even more critical for you to be able to work well with others to achieve a common goal.
3. Adaptability
   Businesses either adapt to change, or they fail. The same rule applies to employees. You must be willing to embrace change, start projects with an open mind and have a positive outlook. If you’re able to demonstrate this, you will be highly sought after by employers.

Most in-demand hard skills

Hard skills are the tools you use to get the job done and can be acquired through continued learning. Some hard skills employers want this year include:

• Business analysis
  According to LinkedIn, every professional should now have at least some level of business analysis skills, regardless of the job role. This is because business analysis is all about finding answers to an organisation’s problems and facilitating those solutions.
• Affiliate marketing
  The rise of digital and social media marketing has paved the way for affiliate marketing to become a new standard. Affiliate marketing leverages the power of influencers and company partnerships to reach hyper-targeted audiences.
• Sales
  Selling continues to be a valuable hard skill. But to stand out in the crowd, you must show employers that you understand the sales funnel and how it works. Additional credit can be achieved if you can demonstrate effective sales team management.

Most in-demand computer skills

The list of most in-demand computer skills is continuously evolving – just like technology itself. In 2020, the most in-demand digital skills list includes:

• Blockchain
  Although commonly associated with cryptocurrency, blockchain’s unique and secure data handling methods make this a valuable technology for organisations in virtually every sector. This scarce but valuable skill is in very high demand this year.
• Cloud computing
  Modern businesses often run on cloud computing technology. Organisations, therefore, need talented professionals with the skills to help keep their cloud systems up and running.
• Artificial intelligence
  Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed business. From customer service to marketing, product design and sales, organisations are finding ways to use AI to streamline operations. If you have the skills to harness the power of machine learning and AI, you will be in very high demand.
• UX Design
  User experience (UX) design is the process of creating valuable and relevant user experiences. As more organisations strive to provide user-focused products, services and experiences, demand for UX designers will continue to grow.

These are the ten most in-demand skills this year, but these are not the only skills employers are looking for. Make sure you also do your research and read job descriptions carefully, to discover all the skills your target employers desire.

To gain some of the most in-demand skills for the future, along with the confidence you need to succeed, visit Open Colleges. You’ll find a variety of flexible online courses that will help you take the next step in your career.