What Are digital skills?
Increasingly, the work being done in the age of work from home is digital, offering new opportunities and skills that are being innovated and introduced. With the explosion of modern technologies and infrastructure that enable remote work, there has been an explosion in the demand for digital skills. A natural question that arises in the mind of emerging professional workers is: what are the in demand digital skills these days?
Some of these skills may be considered pretty basic, and others advanced, like coding, video editing, GIS, etc. However, regardless of the level of skills, some are considered essential to be employable and are constantly sought after by employers. Let’s take a look at them in this article.
What Digital Skills Are in Demand?
Cloud computing
As more work is done by companies remotely, the need for IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) products, like AWS, is becoming ubiquitous. Employers need individuals proficient in handling these products to streamline and run their businesses.
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Businesses and companies increasingly rely on the host of data readily available for important decisions. Therefore, employees who can work out what the data means and chart out possibilities are important to make better, informed, and statistically backed decisions. The analysis could include advanced skills like knowing Python or other powerful languages or tools.
Project management tools
As work is done digitally, managing remote teams through sophisticated and integrated tools is essentially a standard practice for any company working on any team-based or hierarchical model.
Digital marketing
Since most of our content is being created digitally and our exposure to digital media is increasing significantly, the need to reach and engage audiences through the internet is crucial.
Cybersecurity
With the increased use of data for business activities, protecting digital assets from threats is a growing need and an essential skill that all businesses need employees for.
Content creation
In an age where content is primarily created, curated, and disseminated digitally, any form of work would likely require content creation in some form, whether it is engaging videos, infographics, articles, podcasts, etc., which makes this an in-demand and sought-after skill.
Soft Skills
Although not explicitly mentioned, soft skills such as communication, creativity, and problem-solving, go hand in hand with the digital skills mentioned above.
What are Digital Skills in a CV?
So, what does a set of digital skills look like in a CV? Simply put, a merger of tools and essential soft skills paints the best picture of you as a candidate. Highlighting your digital skills in your CV is crucial for showcasing your abilities to potential employers. Here are some examples:
Web Design Skills
CMS, WordPress, Copyrighting, Visual Design, JavaScript, etc.
Management and Administerial Skills
Skills to organize, manage, and execute projects that involve sophisticated project-handling tools like Asana, Jira, Clickup, etc. With the advent of IaaS and the use of AWS, these skills now also include Cloud Computing roles.
Advanced Skills
Skills for using advanced languages for programming like Python, C++, MATLAB, etc. It also includes sophisticated career paths involving a comprehensive skill set, such as computer modeling for manufacturing, GIS, etc.
Photography and Video Editing
These include skills to create, edit, and present photography or videography that furthers a company’s business interests or objectives. This can be done with tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Illustrator, etc.
Learn more at this useful guide here.
Where Area Digital Skills on a CV
How Can You Improve Your Digital Skills?
With the internet, learning new skills has never been easier. Here are a few ways to get started:
Free Online Resources
The internet is filled with lots of helpful content that is only waiting to be found. You can look up YouTube, Coursera, Udemy, etc, to start exploring the skill you want to improve.
Colleges and Formal Education
As digital skills become ever more important and ubiquitous, many educational institutions have taken it upon themselves to offer courses or workshops on improving digital literacy. A good example can be a course like “Developing Digital Citizens” offered by the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education that offers to deepen your understanding of digital ethics, online safety, and responsible digital behavior.1
On-the-Job Training
As more and more companies make use of software and applications, an increasing trend of internal training is seen. So, landing a job at a particular company might see you getting trained on how they do work, which can be instrumental in improving your digital skillset.
Learning Projects
Practice makes perfect, so the best way to learn is by doing it yourself. With the host of online free projects and freelance gigs available, there are many options to choose from if you want to practice a specific skill online.
Investing in Your Future: The Bottom Line
Digital literacy is no longer an afterthought; it’s a core competency for success. Whether you’re seeking a new job, looking to advance your career, or want to navigate the online world confidently, mastering digital skills is a worthwhile investment in your future. Knowing which in demand digital skills can boost your chances of success will equip you to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
To learn more about why Digital Skills are important for professionals read our blogpost.
Read our post to discover why Digital Literacy is just so important.
References
- University of San Diego. (n.d.). Developing Digital Citizens. Retrieved from https://pce.sandiego.edu/courses/developing-digital-citizens/ ↩︎
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