Top 15 Skills Employers Are Looking For: Be In Demand!

Enhance your employability by showing these top skills on your resume

As the employment market changes and new workplace trends evolve, it’s important that your professional skills keep pace. To progress your career and remain competitive in the workplace, either with your current employer or with an entirely new business, you’ll need to understand what employers are looking for and reflect your aptitude for these high-demand skills on your resume.

Want to futureproof your career? Read on!

Soft and hard skills: what’s the difference?

Skills are generally split into two categories. Soft skills – sometimes called people or interpersonal skills – are those characteristics that you naturally possess. Bonus: they can be used in any sector or industry.

For example, if you’re good at organizing your workload in an administration role, you’ll probably also be good at organizing your workload in a sales role.

Hard skills, on the other hand, are industry-specific and rarely transferable between different sectors. Coding, marketing, and wiring are all examples of hard skills – an electrician would not be able to transfer their wiring skills to a hairdressing role, for example.

In this article, we’ll explore the top 15 most high-demand soft and hard skills employers are looking for so you can be in demand for future roles. You’ll also learn how to incorporate these skills into your resume.

High-demand skills: Hard skills

First of all, let’s explore the most high-demand hard skills that today’s businesses are looking for in their next employees.

1. Digital literacy

A working knowledge of Word and Excel is no longer enough to thrive in today’s digital workplace. As technology moves forward at an alarming pace, advanced digital skills and knowledge are becoming more desirable and in demand. To stay ahead of the game, consider upskilling in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, mobile app development, or cybersecurity, to name just a few increasingly required technical skills. Digital literacy is one of the most high-value skills to learn in 2024.

2. Data analysis and data science

With so many businesses these days making data-driven decisions, the ability to understand, manipulate, and analyze data is increasingly in demand. According to a Salesforce report, 80% of hiring managers anticipate data analysis and business intelligence skills becoming more important. The report also states that employees need to be able to speak “the language of data.” Developing skills in data science could become crucial to your professional development in the near future and is likely to remain a high-demand skill.

3. Digital marketing

As social media use continues to increase, so too does the need for companies to market their products on these platforms. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates demand in this area growing by 6% by 2032 - faster than average - with a median annual wage of $157,620. Developing your skills in digital marketing could prove to be a very worthwhile investment in your future.

4. Project management

Project management is a skill that can be applied in almost any industry or role. If you can coordinate a team to deliver an initiative on time, within budget, and to the agreed quality specifications, there’s a job out there for you. The Project Management Institute has estimated that 25 million new project professionals will be needed by 2030, making project management one of the most high-demand skills at the moment.

5. Foreign languages

We work in a globalized market. Fluency in another language can only be viewed as a positive, as businesses will always need to communicate with colleagues, suppliers, customers, and stakeholders in other countries. As a bonus, aptitude in a foreign language often sits alongside increased cultural understanding, resulting in greater integration and inclusion. Everyone’s a winner!

6. Finance

Skills in financial analysis and reporting are currently in high demand across the US. The Bureau for Labor Statistics reports that there will be an 8% growth in Financial Analyst roles by 2032, against an average of 3% for other jobs. An understanding of financial regulations is also a high-demand skill.

High-demand skills: Soft skills

Employers have long looked for employees with these common soft skills – they’re some of the most high-demand skills, particularly for remote positions.

1. Collaboration and teamwork

This one will never go out of fashion! In fact, with remote and hybrid work still very much on the agenda, the ability to collaborate is even more important than it was before the pandemic. Alongside the traditional team-working skills of communication, listening, and supporting, we now need to add remote collaboration and the use of online tools such as Slack, Teams, Zoom, Trello, Asana,… the list goes on. The ability to keep your co-workers in the loop and work productively with others, wherever you’re all based, has never been such a high-demand skill.

2. Problem solving

Problem-solving is a skill that’s needed whether you’re a graduate new to the workforce or a seasoned executive. Unfortunately, problems are a fact of life – it’s how you deal with them that counts. According to a NACE report, nearly 90% of employers seek evidence of problem-solving skills on a resume. It’s hard to overlook statistics like that, so ensure you’re highlighting your strong skills in problem-solving on your resume and in future interviews.

3. Adaptability

There is nothing permanent except change. So said the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. These days, it’s how you manage that change and evolution that counts. Technology and the workplace are evolving rapidly, and employers are looking for people who can adapt quickly and keep up. Showing a willingness to embrace change and an ability to learn quickly can make you an attractive candidate to a hiring manager.

4. Time management

Do you procrastinate and dither, or do you make a plan and stick to it? The ability to organize, plan, and prioritize will always be one of the most high-demand skills. To get ahead in your career, this is a non-negotiable skill that you’ll need to develop. It comes more naturally to some than to others, but if you’re not one of the lucky ones, there are plenty of tools and resources that you can access online to develop this skill.

5. Communication

From writing an email to delivering a speech, communication is a broad skill required in pretty much every role, in every industry, at every level. It will always have a place on any list of high-demand skills for that very reason, so it’s vital that your resume conveys your aptitude for communication. Whether you’ve drafted an influential report or negotiated discounts with suppliers, there are many ways that you can highlight your ability to excel in this area.

6. Creativity

If there’s one area where technology is still playing catch-up, it’s in the realm of creativity. There are numerous roles requiring creative input, ranging from visual to audio to written. Whichever industry interests you, creative skills will stand you in good stead. In-demand creative skills include video production, content creation, UX design, and animation.

7. Critical thinking

Critical thinking is an essential skill for supporting effective decision-making and problem-solving, so it regularly features on lists of high-demand skills. It’s a tricky one to showcase on your resume but if you can provide a specific example of how your critical thinking skills have led to a positive outcome for the business, you’ll be checking an important box for hiring managers.

8. Emotional intelligence and social skills

One of the downsides of the pandemic was the reduction in social engagement, particularly for young people. With those same people now entering the workforce, being able to showcase emotional intelligence and social skills on your resume is a huge positive in your favor. Mondo explains that emotionally intelligent employees have better performance, work well under pressure, and are better active listeners. In fact, they go so far as to say that emotional intelligence is a better indicator of high performance than IQ.

9. Leadership and people management

Leadership and people management brings together a whole bucket-load of high-demand skills. Combining the expertise of industry-specific hard skills with advanced-level soft skills, you’re certainly on your way up the career ladder if you can successfully demonstrate your aptitude for leadership. Having some examples of your leadership and management skills to hand when you write your resume or prepare for an interview is vital in setting your career on an upward trajectory.

High-income, high-demand skills

Of course, very few people work for fun. The majority of us work for an income, enabling us to enjoy our spare time and pay our bills. It makes sense that, if you’re considering upskilling, you’d want to know what the high-income skills will be in the future. That way, you can be sure you’ll get a good return on the time and money you invest.

First, let’s agree that, as we spend the majority of our waking hours at work, we should prioritize the skills that we actually enjoy. Developing high-income skills but hating every moment at work isn’t ideal.

There’s also no one specific highest-paying skill. Career progression and remuneration will depend on more than one skill, so having the right combination is more important than focusing on just a single skill. Furthermore, the right combination will vary depending on your industry and role.

That said, there are some skills that have been identified as high-income skills for 2024 and beyond. If they sound like they’d be up your street, they could be worth developing now so that you’re ahead of the game. In short, the high-demand, high-income skills that keep cropping up time and time again relate to digital literacy and data science in all their many forms. If they don’t float your boat, enhancing your soft skills will never be a bad career decision.

Desirable personal traits to improve your career potential

Of course, a successful career isn’t solely based on skills. There are also plenty of personal traits that will help you along the way.

Hiring managers prize traits such as honesty, loyalty, determination, a strong work ethic, ambition, confidence, kindness, professionalism, and willingness, among other attributes. Bear these in mind as you progress through the recruitment process. A successful application goes beyond a simple resume – you’re evaluated at every interaction.

Futureproof your career by developing high-demand skills

In 2017, the Institute for the Future controversially predicted that 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t been invented yet. True or not, it’s clear that the workplace will continue to evolve and change – and that job seekers will need to keep pace.

With that in mind, what are the best ways to develop high-demand skills to futureproof your career?

Training

If you’re lucky, you’ll have a forward-thinking employer who will be willing to provide internal training (or even pay for an external course) to ensure your skills remain up-to-date and current. It’s always worth asking about such opportunities (your regular performance appraisal is a great time to do this) and grabbing the chance to participate if you’re offered anything that appeals.

Project work

Another workplace-based skill development opportunity comes in the shape of extending yourself beyond the scope of your day-to-day role. If you can contribute to upcoming projects, you’ll have the opportunity to build relationships across the business, learn from others, and develop new skills. It’s definitely worth thinking about volunteering should any such opportunities arise.

External courses

If chances for skills development are limited in your current role, you may need to think about taking a more proactive approach. There are limitless opportunities available outside the workplace, both online and in person. You’ll need to balance your needs and interests with your budget, although many courses – such as those with Coursera – are free. Even the big universities such as Harvard and Stanford offer a selection of free courses that you may be interested in pursuing.

Find a mentor

If it’s career progression you’re after, mentoring might be the answer. Finding a good mentor who is willing to invest time in supporting your skill development and being your cheerleader could help you access some of the most in-demand skills.

Professional associations

Membership in a professional association not only shows your commitment to your chosen career it also often presents occasions for skill development. Whether that’s by networking with other professionals or attending official workshops and training sessions, you’re bound to find chances to move your career forward.

How to show off high-demand skills on your resume

Your skills can be highlighted in several sections of your resume. Let’s take a look at the main ones:

Your resume Profile section

Look at the profile as your elevator pitch. It’s a broad overview of what you do and what you can offer. With that in mind, you don’t want to get bogged down in the detail of listing numerous skills – but it can help to mention a couple of high-demand skills mentioned in the job posting.

Check out this example:

A knowledgeable and financially astute accounting professional specializing in accounts receivable. Recognized for skill in minimizing risk, recovering unpaid and late payments, and producing accurate reports. Influence at all levels and collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders to resolve problems.

In this example, the applicant has focused on their specialist hard skills, but also briefly mentions collaboration and problem solving as they were specifically required as non-negotiable in the job advert he responded to.

Your resume's Key Skills section

The Key Skills section is obviously a great place to show off your skills! On most resumes, this section will simply comprise a list of 9-12 skills aligned with the requirements of the job description.

Keyword format is preferred over full sentences.

Presenting your skills like this offers a quick, at-a-glance overview of your suitability to a hiring manager while ensuring that recruiters can easily find your resume in keyword searches.

Expert Tip

If you’re writing a functional resume, the Key Skills section will be much longer and contain far more detail.

Your resume’s Work Experience section

Arguably the most important section of your resume, the Experience section is where you can truly show off your skills to a potential employer.

When you’re writing your resume, there are two universal rules:

Write for your reader
Don’t use buzzwords and cliches

With that in mind, it’s fair to say that very few readers will be impressed if you simply list “communication” or “marketing” skills.

No. That doesn’t tell them anything valuable about you. Instead, tell a story about a time you used those skills to achieve a positive outcome for the business. Bonus points if you can quantify the outcome!

For example:

Bad: “Good communication skills”
Good: “Presented a team training session about a new warehouse IT system”
Best: “Presented a training session that enabled 30 warehouse staff to use a new IT system confidently within a week, resulting in 23% fewer production errors”

You can see that these examples move on from simply throwing out a buzzword to proving that you have the skills required to make a positive contribution to the business.

Let’s look at another example:

Bad: “Time management skills”
Better: “Planned a project to achieve early delivery”
Best: “Planned a project to achieve delivery 2 weeks ahead of schedule”

The addition of specific metrics makes your claim to each skill more credible and concrete. They prove that you can actually do what you’re saying you can do. And that’s reassuring for any hiring manager or recruiter.

The Education section

OK, so the Education section isn’t the most obvious place to include skills. If you’ve been in the workplace for more than a year or so, you can simply summarize your relevant academic qualifications here.

However, if you’re a recent graduate, your Work Experience section may be looking a bit light. In that case, it’s fine to list hard and soft skills gained while studying. Consider listing modules taken or skills developed whilst working on academic projects.

Expert tip: Don’t forget to add certifications and training courses to further spotlight your hard skills!

Take it further

You still have more opportunities to prove your employability skills to a hiring manager to make sure you’re making a great first impression. Don’t forget to include a cover letter explaining how you can offer what they’re looking for. If the application requires a personal statement, you can go into even greater depth.

You should also go into an interview armed with plenty of examples of times you’ve demonstrated the skills they’ve requested in the job posting.

Final thoughts

Technology and the pandemic have significantly impacted the current high-demand skills. While traditional soft skills continue to be workplace essentials, the ability to adapt to change and stay abreast of technology will be required by the majority of employers for years to come. Continuously developing your skills and showing them off well on your resume is a requirement for modern career progression.

Ready to progress your career? Get a head-start by sending your resume for a free resume review by the experts at ZipJob. We’ll tell you what needs work and how you can improve your resume to give the WOW factor. Our advice can get your job search off to a positive start and support your career.

This article was originally written by Charlotte Grainger. It’s been updated by Jen David.