The skills that pay the bills!

For jobseekers writing a well-balanced CV is a difficult task. You are caught between keeping your CV short and sweet and adding all the information you think will impress recruiters. This also comes to play when adding the skills, you have on your CV. You are caught between inserting relevant skills related to the job or showing the recruiter all the stuff, you can do. So, how do you figure out what skills to put on your CV, or better yet what skills should I possess to please recruiters? What are the skills that pay the bills?

Hard skills vs soft skills

To achieve career success, there are specific skills that you must possess that recruiters look for in a job candidate. There are many skills that you can add to your CV. These skills all fall into 2 categories, hard and soft skills. Hard skills are industry-specific technical skills. They are skills that fit specific particular job examples are Marketing skills and Programming skills. Hard skills are often learned, which means they are acquired through study and experience. On the other hand, soft skills are skills that are required for every job thus, they are not industry-specific. Soft skills often come naturally and can be strengthened with experience. Examples of soft skills are self-motivation and interpersonal skills.

The skills that pay the bills.

Soft skills are important but in modern-day work where specialization is prevalent hard skills are the more useful skills to have. Hard skills showcase a person’s technical expertise, which is vital for certain professions. In the new world of work, most companies are digitally operated, meaning that they make use of computer systems to handle their daily work. Therefore, it is a requirement for almost every candidate to have computer skills, you cannot escape this phenomenon.

Recruiters nowadays pay particular interest to hard skills as they demonstrate a candidate`s specialist area and showcase that they have sufficient experience and knowledge. Hard skills differentiate candidates from other job candidates. For example, if a company is looking to hire web developers, they look at the programming languages listed on their CV to see if they match the company’s needs. Customer consultants/call center agents in South Africa must have language skills in order to cater to all customers, hence speaking multiple languages can be an advantage for job candidates.

The most in-demand hard skills of 2022

We have put together a list of the most in-demand hard skills in 2022. All these skills can be learned with time, effort, and dedication. With these skills you will have a major advantage in the job market, landing your dream job.

– Multi-lingual skills (Languages)

Speaking many languages is a good hard skill to have and can make you stand out from your competition. For Countries like South Africa which are multilingual, speaking many languages can be a major asset in you getting a job. Jobs like marketing and sales where you deal with customers from different backgrounds and languages require individuals who can interact with all customers.

– Data Analysis

There is a lot of data out there in the modern world. The ability to interpret and understand data is vital for business success nowadays whether it is marketing, sales, or finance. There are many Data Analytics/science courses you can take online. Platforms like Coursera and Udemy offer Google data analytics courses with certifications. Analytical skills are a valuable addition to your CV. The courses are only 6 months and can be completed in fewer months depending on your free time.

– Graphic design

Marketing has since evolved from its traditional ways. These days most marketing and sales are done online. Consequently, the demand for in-house graphic designers has risen in companies. Every marketer must have a base level skill in graphic design. Most recruiters in marketing and sales require some sort of design skills for one to get a job in marketing. There are a lot of courses and software packages out there for graphic design but the most preferred and popular one is Photoshop. Ultimately, job candidates must have a base level of understanding of photoshop to be employable in today’s digital world of business.

– IT literacy

This includes basic to advanced levels of proficiency with technology mainly computer software and hardware. Nowadays, many professions require individuals who are able to use computers and various types of software. Having ICT skills is now a universal requirement for almost all jobs. Very few jobs overlook computer literacy. Ultimately, if you want to go anywhere with your career you must have IT skills.

– Writing Skills

A majority of jobs involve writing. Having a basic writing ability is a requirement for most jobs. Writing professional emails with no typos and grammatical emails is a skill on its own. The ability to write presentations and reports is an advantage at work. I know this can seem lame but take English and writing courses free online to improve your writing and speaking skills.

How to improve and gain new skills

– Invest in yourself

Yes, it’s simple as that, invest in your career. We gain new skills through training/learning. This all means that you have to invest time in training courses for you to perfect your skills. Luckily, due to technology joining a training course is easy and can be done at your own pace and time. Look for courses on these platforms Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare.

-Practice, Practice, and Practice

 Practice makes perfect. Cliche right but it is a fact. The more you practice your skills the better you become at it. Practice results in efficiency and more effectiveness. Your skill becomes second nature to you, it’s embedded in your muscle memory. Ultimately, find time where you practice and perfect your skills

– Find a coach/mentor

Find individuals who are more experienced than you and gain inspiration and guidance from them. Mentors give you direction and fast-track you into understanding certain stuff. Mentors have been on this road before, they know the mistakes and problems you might face; hence they will help you avoid these mistakes or come up with solutions.