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It can be difficult to keep up with the latest career trends as the world is changing rapidly. New technologies are constantly being developed, we’re more connected than ever, and a global pandemic has forced us to adapt to new ways of working.
Skills that were considered essential 20 years ago are now obsolete, while employers today struggle to find qualified candidates. So, what new skills should you be picking up this year?
Keep reading to discover the top hard skills to have in 2022.
Remote working
Are you among those of us who’ve gotten used to being able to sleep in and still get to work on time during the pandemic? In that case, you’ll be happy to hear that working from home is here to stay! If COVID has taught us anything, it’s that one can be comfortable on the couch and stay productive at the same time.
Companies across the globe have implemented full- or part-time work-from-home policies, and this change appears to be here to stay as the world slowly goes back to normal.
Two years in, it’s easy to forget that Zoom meetings weren’t always the norm, and using Zoom is just one of the remote working skills many of us have picked up during this time.
Other examples of remote work tools include:
- Trello
- Confluence
- Skype
- Slack
- Teams
Graphic design
Are you curious about graphic design, but wondering if studying it will be worth your time? The answer is yes! Graphic design is a great way to channel your creativity while adding a valuable new skill to your arsenal.
Infographics created by graphic designers are used to spread information to the public, intelligent web design allows businesses to build strong brand identities, and ads help us discover products that we never knew we needed.
It may be a cliché, but there is truth to the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Schools, government departments, healthcare service providers, and companies of all sizes know this, and they rely on graphic design to communicate messages to their respective target audiences.
Computer skills
In the digital era, technical abilities are some of the most important skills you can list on your CV. Most jobs require at least a basic degree of computer literacy, and sadly, boasting proficiency in Microsoft Office is no longer enough for one to be considered tech-savvy.
The type of position, employer, and work environment will determine which particular set of computer skills will be the most relevant for you.
For example, now that we’ve largely moved past the need for physical calendars and documents, having a solid grasp of scheduling software and database management is key for professionals in the administrative field. Meanwhile, understanding algorithms and being able to use analytics tools are essential skills for social media managers.
It’s safe to say that no matter where you foresee your career heading, strengthening your resume by proactively upgrading your computer skills won’t be a wasted effort.
Marketing
Whether we’re watching TV, taking the train to work, listening to the radio, or even reading the news – we’re constantly exposed to different forms of marketing. Ads everywhere are competing for our attention, trying to convince us why we need this or that new shiny object.
Marketing can make or break a company, and marketers use a variety of methods to reach customers, such as:
- Search engine optimisation
- Copywriting
- Graphic design
- Data analysis
With the rise of social media and influencers, marketers have added yet another tool to their growing arsenal. It can be no wonder then, why marketing made its way onto our list of most popular hard skills to have in 2022.
Blockchain programming
Blockchain, a type of distributed ledger, has been around for nearly fifteen years. Originally created for the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, it has become an immensely popular way to store and share data securely.
Companies that have adopted blockchain technology in recent years include Amazon, HSBC, BMW, and Microsoft.
Since 2008 when it was invented, multiple uses have been discovered using the ledger beyond the scope of financial transactions. For example, blockchain technology is being used for cloud storage, smart contracts, sharing medical information, and even electronic voting.
The versatility of blockchain solutions contributes to its popularity, and companies are constantly coming up with new ways to take advantage of this technology. Blockchain’s increasing significance in a diverse range of industries is why it makes it onto our list of most popular skills to have in 2022.
Customer service skills
If you were asked to think of a few examples of customer service skills, what comes to mind? Most likely, it’s soft skills like active listening, empathy, or conflict management. While these are all excellent examples, good customer service is achieved by employing a mix of soft skills and hard skills.
Professionals working across all industries who interact with clients or customers on a regular basis can benefit from improving these customer service related hard skills:
- Phone etiquette
- Email writing
- Data entry
- Product knowledge
Digital communication in particular is a transferable hard skill that will be in high demand in the future.
Writing
Writing is a skill that sometimes doesn’t get the recognition it deserves because we use it every day. But, if you think about it, it’s one of the most important skills to continually work on improving.
Becoming a good writer takes time and effort. That’s why companies still hire copywriters and editors to create all sorts of written content, from instruction manuals to blog posts.
However, even if writing is not part of your job description, that doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from developing your writing skills. From crafting well-formulated emails to creating comprehensive reports, there are innumerable situations in which clear and accurate writing will help you in your career.
Web development
Unsurprisingly, web developers continue to be in high demand in 2022. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, so if you’re considering picking up some new skills, learning the basics of web development is an excellent idea.
The great thing about web development is that it can be studied from the comfort of your home. There are plenty of free and paid resources available online, and depending on your interests, there are a couple of different directions you could take.
Are you someone with creative flair, bursting with ideas about how to improve the look of any website you visit? Go for front-end development. Learn how to create visually compelling web pages that work for any device using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Or, are you more interested in how a website functions and are attentive to details? Choose back-end development and familiarise yourself with Python, Java, PHP, and MySQL.
Data analysis
With the huge amount of data that is generated every single day, businesses have access to large quantities of information that, if used correctly, can help facilitate business growth.
Companies that understand the significance of data and are able to use it to their advantage can gain vital insight into their customers’ needs as well as their competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. Making them better equipped to make sound business decisions. In short, data is a highly valuable resource.
It’s easy to see why adding data analysis to your professional tool belt is a smart decision. So, how do you go about acquiring these analytical skills?
Well, if you’ve got a knack for reading charts and evaluating statistical information, you’ve actually got a decent foundation already. Probability, statistics and data visualisation are all important aspects of data analysis. If you’re interested in taking your skills to the next level, consider learning Python to be able to analyse more complex data.
Foreign languages
We’re living in a globalised world where colleagues on the other side of the planet are just a text away. Although English is the current lingua franca of business, there are several reasons to brush up on your high school Spanish.
Language is more than just a medium for communication, it’s also intimately linked to culture and history, and it influences how we view and interact with the world around us.
If you take the time to learn a second, or third, language, you’ll quickly notice how even a basic level of fluency will allow you to build cultural competence and make meaningful connections with people from backgrounds different from your own.
Do you ever get that feeling of relief when you come back from a trip abroad and everyone around you is speaking your language again? Whether you’re assisting a client or having a discussion with a new potential business partner, they’ll surely appreciate you making the effort to speak with them in their mother tongue.
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