7 most in-demand job skills to succeed in the post-coronavirus world
16th Jun 2020
Over the past couple of weeks, millions of people have lost their jobs due to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While it is a very difficult time, laid-off & furloughed workers (and not only) could utilise this interruption in their careers to look forward and develop new skills which will drastically help when finding their next opportunity in the unknown post-coronavirus employment market.
What kind of skills should you be focusing on? Here are the top six in-demand skills that you should look into reskilling or upskilling to succeed in the post-coronavirus world.
1. Digital Transformation
Companies have been undergoing a large amount of digital transformation during the lockdown - something that was ‘in the pipeline’ or deemed not urgent before is now prioritised and executed. Traditional processes seem to no longer be sufficient and we need to shift to more adaptable, agile solutions that are fully digitally enabled. The current crisis is accelerating digital transformation and we need to acquire new digital skills that will prepare the workforce for the workplace post-COVID-19. What these transformed roles will need is a new mix of skills that draw from different areas. Key skills required will be advanced social selling, multi-platform UK design, mobile expertise, online content creation. As the use of AI / AR / VR is relatively new, the pool of experts available is still quite small, leading to high demand and increased competition for skills in these areas.
2. ROI
When faced with a super competitive job market, specialists with advanced marketing skills will be in higher demand and likely struggle less to find a job. With more people consuming information and purchasing online, e-commerce, content creation and paid search skills have become a lifeline for companies that seek to reduce marketing spend and drive greater ROI. This will result in greater demand for marketing specialists in Paid Social/PPC and experts in search engine optimisation (SEO), CRM and email campaigns. Someone who is going to succeed in the post-pandemic world will have performance marketing and digital skills that can help companies drive their lead generation, customer acquisition, conversions and retention.
3. Brand & Reputation
Brand reputation is not just how a company is perceived by the customers but also by the market as a whole. It may be difficult to measure and quantify but it is a very valuable asset, especially during times of crisis. The pandemic has sharpened consumer attitudes towards corporate responsibility and behaviours. This could make or break brands in times of crisis as people turn to what they know and trust and heavily rely on word of mouth. The best way for brands to demonstrate solidarity is to show empathy with their customers and the best way to achieve that is to invest in brand specialists. Someone who is going to succeed in the post-pandemic world will have branding and communication skills and will be able to manage the company’s reputation and ensure brand consistency.
4. Adaptability & Innovation
Amidst all this uncertainty, the one thing we are certain is that things will change. Companies that have been able to come up with innovative ways to deliver their services virtually or shift to new approaches were able to better weather the storm during the crisis. Someone who is going to succeed in the post-pandemic world will need to be innovative and adaptable and to the ever-evolving workplaces and be able to upskill and refresh their skills on an ongoing basis.
5. Data Analytics
Data is a critical asset of every company. Having access to the right data, companies are able to better predict the impact of future disruptions and respond appropriately. As technology now provides us with more data than ever before, someone who is going to succeed in the post-pandemic world will need to be able to understand and analyse raw data, find trends and answer questions crucial to businesses.
6. Critical Thinking
During the pandemic, we’ve seen multiple instances of misinterpretations of data as institutions try to shift blame around and divert attention. As our global economy tries to rebuild itself from the damage done by COVID-19, people who can objectively think and analyse information from multiple different sources and determine what is credible and reliable will succeed in the post-pandemic world. We know that not all information is trustworthy, so companies too will heavily rely on people with strong critical thinking skills to help in the decision-making.
7. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence allows people to relate to others, identify and manage their own and others’ emotions as well as recognise their own strengths and weaknesses. This soft skill is especially important in uncertain and challenging times. At times when people feel uncertain about the future, connecting with people on an emotional level is the way to go. Someone who is going to succeed in the post-pandemic world will have the ability to be aware of, express, and control their emotions and the emotions of others.
While mastering a new skill may not be on top of your agenda if you’re battling unemployment, proactively taking advantage of online courses to learn new skills will make a big difference in the post-pandemic recruitment world. If you’d like to know more about how you can “upskill” or “reskill”, we’ve put together a list of free online courses that you can utilise comfortably from your couch. Use the lockdown as an opportunity to improve your skills so that you are ready for the post-coronavirus job market.