Updated October 2020
Little changed between the most important skills and courses to have on your CV between 2017 and the start of 2020, but Covid and the fundamental changes to business have left some interesting opportunities for those who wish to embrace the pandemic and take advantage of gaps that it has opened up.
Embracing change is a fundamental life skill that we all need right now. Before Covid and indeed the 20th century, it was enough to get a job and that job would provide you with the security, job satisfaction and advancement we needed to live a happy, healthy and prosperous life. This has all changed… Now more than ever we find ouselves having to develop a “side hustle” , work a second job at night or look fore opportunities like Uber driver or food delivery to make ends meet. We live in a consumer society where living often costs more than we earn.
There is a saying that goes something like “never let a good crisis go to waste” and never could it be more apt than now. Covid has changed the we do business and for many how we live. People are more comfortable working from home, spending less time on the street, shopping online and even working it at home.
So then the questions becomes, “What skills do I need to take advantage of these new behavious?”
Marketing
With less people on the roads or in the streets and a lot more people using online shopping than ever before, it stands to reason that there will be a shift in demand from the more traditional formsd of advertising like bilboard advertising and print advertising to online marketing and data analysis type jobs. Every retailer needs to be online, it is how well they are positioned to take advantage of the growing online shopping activity that will determine wether or not they survive or not.
The skills you need to add value (always add value to the organisation you work for) in a new marketing World are the following.
Search Marketing course
This is a course which will help you iunderstand how the search engines index pages and help you position the website of the company you are working for. Well indexed websites and well managed pages have the ability to put the company in front opf customers at no additional cost. Of course you also need skills in digital stratey and the ability to execute online adverting campaigns.
Project Management courses
Project management has split into a digital project management arena as well as the tradional project management style course. More emphasis is placed on managing people and the project timeline using software and online tools as well as managing people and their expectations.
Project management fundamentals course
Understanding why people behave like they do (people analytics)
Sales, Marketing and entreprenership
The reason we put sales and enrepreneurship together is that as an entrepreneur you will either be selling yourself, a product or a service and quite frankly, “selling” is possibly the most important skill outside of any profession like accountants, lawyers etc. and even they should now how to sell.
IT Courses
In an increasing digital age, technical skills including coding and network and server management are very valuable skills.
Information technology Courses
Network/Server technician course
If you are able to master any of these skills you will help push your CV to the top of the pile and increase your chances of getting a great job, not just a survival job.
2017 to 2019 – most are still applicable, those skills shown above are in addition to.
Progress results in skills shortages but in turn presents opportunities for people to upskill themselves, to give them better employment opportunities and it is these opportunities that we wish to highlight in this article detailing the skills in sectors that have growing skills shortages.
Where technology related skills are always growing, the use of specific types of technology, knowing how to use data made available by technology and being able to understand the meaning and relevance of the data in your job situation is key to putting yourself in a better position than other job applicants or people being considered for advancement in your organisation.
Distribution, warehousing and freight handling
This area of business is directly related to technological advancements and the desire for companies to deliver to customers faster, wider and to more destinations at the lowest possible costs.
Warehosing management, logistics, freight forwarding and managing deliveries are in high demand. Never before has the world seen such tremendous growth as in the online shopping, online quoting, online booking and general online operations sector. Everyone wants their goods and services quicker and cheaper.
Study any of the following courses to improve your employment prospects.
- Logistics and supply chain management >>
- Warehouse management
- Freight forwarding
Sales, Marketing and sales management
Sales are the life blood of any organisation and are critical to producing cashflow and growth. Traditional sales and marketing methods are just not good enough in an internet age, and the ability to effectively communicate in a digital world is increasingly important.
Sales and marketing starts with a message and unless you are well trained in selling skills and writing skills, you are going to have a much harder time closing deals than a trained person.
Study any of the following courses to help you get ahead and produce more sales.
- Copywriting course >>
- Sales and negotiation skills >>
- Sales management course >>
- Telesales marketing course >>
- Marketing management >>
Administration and office support
A well run office is essential for any organisation to operate optimally. A well run office gives the sales, marketing, management and administration people the confidence to offer service that they know can be achieved.
There is nothing worse for a sales person to stick his neck out for a client only to have the deal cancelled due to poor administration. A management team needs current information showing them exactly where they are at any given time from a financial as well as operations position.
Information technology
IT courses from network monitoring and management to Excel reporting and dashboard creation have all become such integral parts of our daily working environment that there is more and more demand for skilled IT people in almost any level, from beginners to highly qualified network engineers.
Study one of these IT courses to give yourself a better chance at employment.
Information Technology courses >>
IT support technician >>
Network/Server Technician >>