We know one thing for certain in 2023 – the last few years have turned the work world on its head. With a global pandemic creating and enforcing new strategies to keep the wheels turning, remote work became the norm. Some companies embraced the remote work model and will keep it full time, while others have spent the last several years getting back to the office. In every instance, however, recent events have taught companies a lot of lessons about what it takes to make a great employee in an ever-changing economy.
If you’re looking for a way to set yourself apart from the rest of the candidates out there during your next job search, you need to think beyond your degree and your certifications and focus on the top job skills employers want.
Most people who apply for a position will have the nuts-and-bolts training required to do the job. But many hiring managers agree that it’s your soft skills that can put you at the top of the list. That being said, there are some key hard skills that can up your employment game as well – especially in the next couple of years.
As you get ready to test the job market, brush up on these 13 job skills that recruiters and hiring managers will be looking for in top candidates.
1. Continuous learning
The days of getting a job and simply punching in and punching out are over. If you want to get ahead, you need to embrace continuous learning. By improving your work-related skill set, whether it’s soft skills or hard skills, you boost your chances of improving your career trajectory.
Employers love to hear that candidates enjoy learning, because it’s necessary in a business world where change and growth are happening at remarkable speed. Those who don’t embrace learning new things will be left behind simply because they lack the important job skills employers need.
2. Time management
Time management has always been important, but with the acceptance of remote work and the need for many companies to do more with fewer employees, it’s more important than ever. That means that your employers have to trust that you can manage your time and get your work done without anyone looking over your shoulder. In today’s age of smartphones, social media, and binge-worthy TV, you need to prove that you can stay on task and on target.
3. Change Management
As we’ve noted above, things are changing faster than ever – and sometimes that can be hard on employees. Having a knack for change management, whether that means handling changes on your own or helping to guide whole teams on new directives, is a great way to make yourself an irreplaceable part of nearly any organization.
4. Decision making
Everybody makes decisions, right? Not exactly. For some people, decision making is excruciating; they struggle to see beyond all the questions. What if we make the wrong choice? Is it worth the investment? Will the team be on board?
Having the ability to assess the criteria in front of you and come to a conclusive decision on a regular basis, even if you’re wrong once in a while, marks you as a person who gets things done. It also shows that you’re willing to take risks on occasion – and that’s a good thing, too.
5. Collaboration
Regardless of whether you’re working remotely or in an office, collaboration is alive and well. More than that, it’s one of those vitally important skills that employers look for in job candidates. Embracing collaboration, and thinking about it proactively as you begin projects, shows hiring managers that you’re the type of team player every company needs.
6. Adaptability
Have you noticed that things are changing faster than ever? As technology evolves, we’re finding new ways to use it. That means the old “we’ve always done it this way!” attitude is nothing but a drag on your career.
You need to be adaptable to new technology, new collaborations, and new philosophies to succeed in 2023.
7. Creativity and resilience
2023 will be a time of change and growth, and good creativity skills can put you in the driver’s seat for finding solutions and new ideas that move the needle for your company. Resilience goes hand in hand with creativity.
Sometimes new ideas don’t work right away – or at all – and being able to rebound from a setback with improvements and new ideas shows employers that you’ll keep their company moving forward.