Candidates with top skills are more employable in a constantly evolving workplace. Depending on the position, you might need specific qualifications for the role. However, there are particular abilities that employers look for.
Even though generative AI is becoming more popular, we still need a combination of human-centric competencies and technical skills. For example, practical communication and project management abilities are vital in remote work environments.
With insight from keynote speaker and futurist Bernard Marr, this post explores some of the top skills employers seek.
1. Communication
Good communication skills are essential, especially when working remotely and using AI to gather data. According to Marr, communication expertise is critical for bridging communication gaps, which can occur when we don’t know how to make sense of all the data we collect online.
For example, AI can gather and organise data about sales figures and market products more effectively online. However, we can only make informed decisions if we can analyse this data effectively.
Ultimately, we live in a world where technical capability and human-centric communication must coexist. Otherwise, we will struggle to make sense of the data we create and miss out on opportunities to take advantage of technological growth.
2. Clinical healthcare skills
Empathy and emotional intelligence are vital in healthcare, including mental healthcare. Like other soft skills, they’re difficult to measure but crucial to building rapport and beneficial therapeutic relationships.
Beyond healthcare, these abilities can be equally valuable in the workplace, especially in distributed teams. Therefore, understanding human behaviour and interpersonal competencies are invaluable skills to have on your CV.
3. Interpersonal networking
Communication skills and emotional intelligence are essential for building and maintaining relationships. However, interpersonal networking expertise adds another dimension to your employability, enabling you to create an expansive network of business connections.
In a world where people can access more information than ever, it’s essential to know how to build trust and mutually beneficial partnerships to succeed.
Collaborating in a world that mainly communicates via text, video calls, collaborative software, and emails is becoming more challenging. To address this, interpersonal skills like teamwork and leadership are also desirable for your CV.
4. Project management
To solve problems in the workplace, you need to be able to manage projects from start to finish. This process involves communicating with many stakeholders, dealing with setbacks and working in a team.
Project management involves many competencies, but problem-solving and empathy (seeing things from different perspectives) can help. Discussing ideas and approaching problems from different angles can involve hard skills such as language ability and industry-relevant know-how. It takes soft skills to communicate these ideas and chart a way forward.
Creativity, decision-making, and leadership also play a role here. Many project tasks and setbacks require fresh thinking to solve. Leaders are required to move the process from one step to another while collaborating effectively with others.
5. Ethics
It is easy to get caught up in the latest technological developments in a fast-paced workplace without considering their impact. As we mentioned in the intro, the generative AI world is growing, highlighting many concerns about AI’s role in various industries.
AI might serve a valuable data-gathering function for mental health practitioners, but how beneficial is it for therapy? What privacy issues arise when we examine how AI gathers and stores data? Also, can AI genuinely offer sound treatment to people in severe distress?
These types of questions don’t have easy answers. What’s clear is that in a changing world, we need to educate ourselves about the potential impact of technology. As the workplace evolves, employers will look for people with sound ethical know-how who can help guide businesses to use AI in constructive and non-damaging ways.
Learn future-ready skills with SACAP Global
Top skills are in demand in the marketplace, and you can learn them by completing an online short course or workshop with SACAP Global’s experts. SACAP Global offers a range of practical short courses and workshops grounded in Applied Psychology.
While you can learn specific soft skills through trial and error, our online courses provide the theoretical and practical knowledge you can apply in the workplace.
We also regularly offer CPD (Continuing Professional Development) workshops and free online webinars, including relevant topics such as Navigating the Impact of AI in the Field of Mental Health, Youth Mental Health First Aid and Understanding Burnout Through the Lens of Compassion.
Browse our courses and contact us at [email protected] if you need additional information.