We’ve all seen the same headline phrased in countless ways, ranging from ‘Robots are stealing our jobs’ to ‘Will AI take over the world?’ Except, the thing is, it’s almost impossible to predict the unknown as it is, well, precisely that – unknown. However, what we can predict is how to upskill yourself so that you’re always one step ahead of these so-called job-stealing robots.
We’ve boiled this down to the five key skills that you’ll need to set yourself apart – and not only will they help you to future-proof your career and make more money, but they’ll give your CV a boost too.
1. Negotiation, Selling & Communication Skills
The bots may be able to ease the pressures of our everyday lives, complete the mundane tasks we dread and process data at lightning speed, but they sure can’t be as persuasive as a human being! This is where humans boast about the unique ability to establish trust and show empathy with others, which are essential qualities when bargaining a new business deal or even your own salary. A robot can’t look you in the eye, gauge how you’re feeling and then respond based on your impalpable emotions, so strong negotiation, selling and communication skills are about to become even more highly sought after in the workplace.
2. Coding/Programming
Without coding or programming, our smart devices and beautiful apps/websites wouldn’t exist. We would also not have access to the internet, and you certainly wouldn’t be reading this blog post. For developers, computer systems engineers, programmers and even technical marketers, top-notch coding skills are a must – for now. It’s becoming such an essential skill that it has made its way into our national curriculum. If you aren’t aware, the Ministry of Education has started incorporating programming classes into its curriculum to better equip our future to possess the fundamental skills and attributes to thrive in the digital age. JavaScript, Python, SQL and PHP are a few of the most popular coding languages. We have broken down 4 essential programming skills you have to learn which you definitely should read!
Check out the various coding & programming courses Hackwagon offers here!
3. Digital Marketing
As we know, everyone is spending a whole lot more time on our devices today. Therefore, getting someone’s attention online will only get more difficult and those people who can reach and engage other’s online are, and will be, in high demand. Since both marketing or the internet aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, learning the basics of this field can give you a huge leg up in a job interview or if you’re an entrepreneur you can market your own product.
4. Business and Marketing Analytics
We no longer have to guess why people buy or engage, since there is data tracking us all the time. But the data can be overwhelming and is only useful when you can extract insights and then act on them. Data and analytics will only become more prevalent in the future, as more of our actions are tracked. Learning how to use data to power your decisions will be essential for most roles in the future. Data is only useful if you know how to find it and what it means. The “how to find it” is pretty easy, but the “what it means” is the harder part. Once you unlock how to figure out what data means, it’s incredibly powerful.
5. UX Design
We’ve all been a victim of poorly developed website or app. It could be that the font is illegible, or that the layout wasn’t user-friendly. It’s so bad that it frustrates you to find what you wanted to look for. With most organizations moving online during the coronavirus pandemic, there’s an growing demand for employees with such skills. The bottom line is that people with UX design skills will help organisations build more human-centric products and experiences, and increase your chances of keeping a job even during a recession.