Increasing automation and digital developments are changing the world around us. The jobs in demand today will certainly not be the same professions required in ten (or even five) years’ time. As a graduate about to embark on your own career path, there is a set of skills you can develop that will help you adapt to the rapid changes of the digital age.
These are also crucial skills that will always be desired by recruiters, no matter the technological advances.
Creativity
A highly valued virtue, this soft skill will help you solve problems and generate new ideas. In every business, there is a dependency on product, service and process innovations to increase competitiveness and decrease costs.
If you can creatively respond to challenges, you will become a valuable asset for any business.
Adaptability
This soft skill determines how well you can handle change, so it is no surprise that it is often described as the new competitive advantage. A survey by Manpower Group found that 91 per cent of HR directors predict that by 2018 a significant recruitment requirement will be a candidate’s ability to deal with change.
You must be able to adapt to a changing workforce because change is the one guarantee in the modern world of work.
Communication
Not a working day will pass where you do not need to interact with another person, whether that is face-to-face or in writing. The skill of communication has evolved beyond text and speech, and now also involves other multimedia formats such as video and images.
Additionally, the wealth of information available at our fingertips has reduced our attention span, making the ability to effectively communicate in an engaging and succinct way a huge asset.
Critical and analytical thinking
Not only is what we know rapidly changing but so are the number of sources through which we gain knowledge. In a sea of data, it is no longer enough just to collect the information. You need to be able to evaluate efficiently, contrast and review the data. A valued employee is one who shares their interpretations and gives solutions based on good critical thinking.
Ideally, you should be nurturing these skills while still studying. That way when you come to a job interview you will have a confident command of and proven ability in these areas.
— The writer is CEO of Arc Skills, an education training skills organisation serving communities in the Middle East, Africa and Asia
