Skills You Need for the 21st Century
As the world goes boldly into the future, so should your skills. It might seem like a no-brainer, but if you weren’t raised in the immersive world of technology, then keeping up with real world skills most jobs are looking for can be difficult. Even some young adults who were raised with weekly computer classes and internet access can still have trouble keeping pace with all the new systems and technologies that dominate fast-paced industries. If you’re wondering if you have what it takes to make it in the 21st century, then check out this list of qualities most employers look for and will be needed in the years to come as technology continues to advance.
A Few Classics
The good thing about a classic is that it never goes out of style. Lots of traditional soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, or negotiation training might never go away in the workplace. Employers like finding employees who can solve problems on their own and are good at expressing themselves and their ideas. Working to develop your communication skills will always show positively in interviews, no matter how technical the job. Hiring managers also tend to look for people who can work in a team environment and who exhibit some leadership skills. Many companies opt to promote from within, so even when hiring entry-level positions, they look for people who could potentially move up in the company with the right training. Learning how to work well with others and not being afraid to take the reins on a project when necessary are great ways to show initiative despite your technical knowledge.
Skills for the Future
One skill hiring managers are increasingly on the lookout for is creativity. Even in highly technical industries, finding creative solutions to problems or new ways to approach products and procedures can often save the company lots of time and money. Being creative also shows you have a detailed enough understanding of what you’re doing to branch out and find a new perspective. This is also one way humans can keep the competitive edge over robots as more and more technology is replacing human jobs. Robots have to act on a programmed path, while humans can skew from the norm and find innovative solutions or paths within their business.
A growth mindset is another incredibly important attribute for any person looking to get a job today or in the future. As mentioned earlier, technology has put the world on a super highway to change. For some industries, this could even mean monthly changes as they strive to keep up with the latest technology or implement the newest systems in their business. Someone who’s stuck in their ways or unwilling to adapt to a changing environment probably won’t make it far in today’s job market. An adaptable personality and desire to learn every new strategy your company implements will help you to excel as things shift and change in your workplace.
Being a service-oriented individual can also get you far in the working world in more industries than you’d think. Most people think of customer service as being restricted to retail sectors alone, but the truth is every single industry has to deal with some type of customer service. Making yourself available to help customers or clients and going the extra mile to ensure they’re satisfied with their service shows you care about the wellness of the business you work for. People prefer human interaction when they come across a problem, so being the ear they bend or the solution to their issue can go a long way to showing your suited for more responsibility in your role.
Finally, the future of the workforce need to be highly skilled problem solvers. This doesn’t just mean when working with others, it also means when working with technology, procedures, policies, or customers. The more businesses automate their production, the more machines will be brought in to do a variety of jobs. The problem is machines break. Computers break. Policies become outdated and procedures could become dangerous due to a changed environment. Employees these days need to know how to troubleshoot issues in a variety of arenas and find meaningful solutions on their own, especially as more and more technology is ushered into the workplace.
The landscape of the working world has drastically changed over the years, and so have the skills needed in the workforce. To keep up with modern jobs make sure you have a mix of the classic soft skills and the tech-savvy skills of the future.
