One of the requirements for obtaining an internship, co-op opportunity, fellowship, or full-time position is having valuable skills. Valuable skills can be separated into hard and soft skills. Hard skills are any skills you acquire through work experience, a degree program, or certifications. Soft skills are interpersonal skills that reflect your professionalism and personality. It is vital that you work on developing both kinds of skills over the course of your career.

The following is a list of skills that are the most in-demand for hiring managers and recruiters.

Hard Skills

Multilingual

Being fluent in or having the ability to comprehend several languages broadens the horizon of potential opportunities you can pursue. For example, many companies work with international or nonnative speaking clients, so they seek bilingual or multilingual employees to assist them. In addition, having this skill can set you apart from other candidates or co-workers, as some companies will even increase the hourly rate or salary for employees who can speak different languages.

Cloud Computing

According to Azure, cloud computing is the “delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence–over the internet (“the cloud”)...” Cloud computing makes it easier to share resources between a team, eliminates the need for transporting physical software, and improves efficiency within a company. Companies will hire cloud computing specialists to manage their “cloud.” Having this skill can boost your resume for those interested in a career in cloud engineering or a related role.

Data Analysis

Data analysis involves examining, transforming, and modeling data to extract insights and other vital information. This skill is valued because the information pulled from data analysis helps companies personalize their customer’s experiences, improve their operations (Stitch) and ultimately save companies money. Therefore, data analysis skills are necessary for those interested in a career as a Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, or any related profession.

Project Management

Having the ability to efficiently lead a team to meet a project’s goals and objectives is the primary responsibility of a project manager. Under the broad umbrella of project management, skills include organizing project timelines, delegation, budgeting, and the ability to utilize project management software. To boost your resume for a role in this skillset, you can take one of the many courses that offer certification in Project Management.

SEO marketing

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) marketing is an approach companies use to help boost traffic to their website through optimizing content’s ability to rank in a search engine, like Google. With an understanding of keyword research and content development, SEO marketers generate more organic traffic and organic sales for websites. Companies hire copywriters or SEO Specialists to create or repurpose their content to add relevant keywords. SEO marketing is a growing field that incoming entry-level professionals should take advantage of. Fortunately, there are free courses you can take to become certified in SEO.

Soft Skills

Adaptability

Some struggle to continue to perform well when the needs of a specific work environment or culture shift. Adapting well to any work environment that you’re placed in shows that you have a can-do attitude, are able to think on your feet and willing tackle the unknown. This skill is particularly valuable in the current state of the workplace as the pandemic and technology continue to present new challenges. Be sure to note this skill in job interviews, as it shows hiring managers that you can conform to any environment you’re put in. 

Creativity

Do you consider yourself to be an innovator? Creativity, which includes problem-solving and curiosity sub-skills, is a must-have for many industries seeking to hire new talent. A creative mindset is valuable in the workplace because, inevitably, companies are seeking better answers to their problems. A creative thinker can bring great out of the box solutions to the table and challenge the old way of doing things. In addition, having a creative mindset is vital for many companies who need help with marketing, developing new projects, and much more. 

Dependability

Companies aim to hire employees they can trust to be punctual with their schedule, communicate efficiently, and meet deadlines on time. Dependability is a crucial skill that is an essential aspect of an individual’s professionalism. The ability to stick to agreed upon standards will only increase your team’s trust in the fact that you can handle your job and can lead to bigger opportunities within a company. While this skill shouldn’t be listed on your resume, you can note it as one of your strengths if asked during the interview. 

Effective Communication

Good communication involves solid written and verbal communication as well as active listening. Communication is a significant dynamic of any workplace that can positively impact your career if effectively implemented. Knowing how to hold a conversation with a client or writing a professional email to a coworker are a few scenarios requiring excellent communication skills. 

Organization

Organizational skills are an umbrella term for any skill that helps bring structure to a typical workday. Time management, goal-setting, and task prioritization are some of the sub-skills of organizational skills. These skills show potential employers that you are able to approach your work efficienciently.

These are only a few of the thousands of skills you can work to develop to support your career. It’s best to think about the career you’re interested in and then research what skills are required for those roles. 

Use our Career Insight tool to discover more kinds of skills needed for your desired career.