Mahima Garg is the CEO of CertoMeter.com founded in Oct 2018. A serial entrepreneur, Mahima is the Cofounder of Toprankers.com(India’s largest platform for online coaching), ViDU(an innovative and intuitive SaaS product for Coaching Centres to improve results for their students that drive business growth) and BrainPulley solutions (e-learning development, LMS deployment and certification consulting services). She keeps conducting leadership training sessions and loves to solve business problems that individuals and companies face in the growth stage.
The professional world is always changing, and today’s changes are largely fueled by technological advancements. Despite this, today’s new skills emphasize innately human abilities rather than computer manipulation.
Drivers such as the commoditization of IT, which is moving many countries toward more right-brained jobs economies; the data deluge, which is presenting significant opportunity to understand business in completely new ways; and fierce market competition, that is driving enhancing the production in the online market, are all driving demand for specific skills or increased focus in specific areas.
It’s also worth remembering that new abilities will emerge that we can’t even imagine right now. It would have been virtually impossible to foresee skills in search cloud computing or the entire spectrum of IT occupations that have spawned from social media in the mid-1990s, for example. We’ll go into these highly relevant job skills and why employers will look for them on your resume in the sections below.
Be aware
You must acquire skills that employers respect to advance your career. Take a look at the macro trends affecting work as well as the micro-trends affecting your speciality to find out which skills employers appreciate the most.
For decades, technology has been displacing or changing skill sets. The internet’s invention ushered in a new age in news and media, with digital publishers eclipsing print publications. In the manufacturing and construction sectors, automation and robotics have transformed workers — or made them redundant entirely. The internet of things and smart devices has changed the skills needed to track and maintain everything from African water wells to hospital oxygen tanks and home thermostats.
Analytical thought, lifelong learning, and innovation, as you can see, are among the most critical qualities for a future-proof skillset. Soft skills are gaining popularity with employers at the micro-level of the tech industry. According to HackerRank’s report, problem-solving is the most important skill for employers when recruiting developers, followed by programming language proficiency.
Finally, search to see if the pendulum is swinging back and forth between experts and generalists. Generalists are more hirable than specialists, according to the World Economic Forum, with more offers and higher signing incentives. Developing a versatile range of skills allows you to move around the business and increases your value on the job market.
T-shape skillset
The term “T-shaped professional” refers to the ideal combination of generalist and specialist skills. This type of worker possesses broad skills within their discipline as well as deep knowledge in a particular field. It’s also a perfect way to analyze the existing ability set and find any possible holes. T-shaped skill sets include technical managers with high emotional intelligence, foreign language majors with writing or accounting skills, and even T-shaped teams, which put people from various disciplines together to solve complex problems, according to Psychology Today.
Examine the job requirements at your organization and rivals for a broader understanding of the possible skills that are required in your discipline. Look for positions at all levels, from entry-level to executive. What are the common responsibilities of each role? What soft-skill criteria are there? Do any of the listings reference any particular systems, technology stacks, or other tools? Make a list of the similarities to see how the abilities compare. Are there any vital components that you’re missing?
Active learning and learning strategies
It’s time to focus on closing the holes in your skillset once you’ve grasped the macro patterns in your discipline. Continuous learning is essential for any career growth strategy, but you must make time for it in your schedule. This isn’t about setting concrete goals right now; it’s about finding out what takes up your time now and what you want to do in the future.
Although the New Year is an excellent time to reflect and make commitments, career development preparation is an ongoing activity. Break each factor down into a collection of concrete, achievable targets once you’ve defined growth areas. Conduct a quarterly retrospective to evaluate your progress and change your priorities and activities as appropriate.
The willingness to search out and digest new knowledge is important if you’re pursuing a promotion or considering a career change. Employers are constantly on the lookout for candidates who can prioritize their professional development. And there are several ways to do so. Take on a new project at work, participate in a class, or attend seminars and workshops to push you. Keep interested, critical, and open-minded in your present day-to-day life to learn from your own mistakes and those of others.
There are several opportunities available to you, whether you want to become a programmer or engineer or simply want to develop your digital literacy. Opportunities to learn about technology and programming abound, from self-guided programs to boot camps to online and on-campus classes.
The demand for skilled IT professionals is growing as companies continue to rely on increasingly complex information systems. Individuals with unique IT certifications are much more in demand, as the rigorous tests and credential criteria reflect both deep understanding and practical experience.
IT certifications have also been shown to improve earning capacity. According to a new survey, getting accredited resulted in a 20 per cent pay boost for 23% of IT professionals. According to CompTIA, 72 per cent of employers need IT certifications for specific positions, and 92 per cent agree that IT certifications help ensure their IT staff’s reputation.
The needs of the IT jobs market will undoubtedly change in the future, but if each of us is willing to learn new skills, a career in IT will remain one of the most lucrative and exciting of all professions.