Top Skills to Learn in 2022

The New Year begins on a somber note, as the world faces a whichever-th wave of the pandemic. However, life goes on, learning and careers go on and it’s time to look at the skills that are in demand in 2022 and use this time to up-skill yourself.

Today’s highlights 

• Up-skilling – both hard skills and soft skills
• Hard Skills to Gain in 2022
• Soft Skills to Work on in 2022

Here’s what they mean.

• Hard skills are domain-specific technical knowledge. You educate yourself, practice, repeat, and bring yourself to a level of mastery that allows you to complete a task.
• Soft skills (these are extremely essential in making yourself stand out), are more to do with your personality and yourself as an individual. Your communication style, leadership, time management are all integral to your soft skills repertoire. They are transferable and are needed in all work environments.

Hard Skills to Gain in 2022

• Technical Literacy: We cannot stress this enough. With work-from-home and hybrid models of work becoming the order of the day, technical illiteracy is simply unacceptable. We aren’t talking just about MS Office here, albeit that is equally important too. You look for specific software that is used in your domain and master its use.
• Data Analytics: Irrespective of the field you are in, the ability to read, understand, analyse and make decisions based on data sets is integral. Foundational knowledge in maths, statistics and programming will take you a long way in the field of data analytics. With more businesses collecting gigantic amounts of data, data scientists are in demand. Check out our posts on the Art of reading data and Courses in data sciences
• HR skills: Businesses have been hit badly with the Great Resignation. To counter the large-scale loss of talent, companies are scrounging for professions with talent acquisition and retention skills. Gear yourself up with the knowledge of how to develop employee wellness programs, how to engage with candidates, and the basics of organisational management to make yourself stand out. What does one expect in the field of Human Resources in a post-pandemic world? Check out our insights here.
• AI and VR: It is a mad mad world out there in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality. With Facebook becoming Meta and other giants jumping upon the bandwagon, we are building virtually infinite universes where literally anything goes. Automation, robotics, and virtual reality are on the upswing will continue on that trajectory for a while. So, any skill that you can garner in this field will make you more valuable than your peers.
• Design: A Working knowledge of technical design is an extremely useful skill to build. It is a part of everything we see around us, it channels the way we experience the world. If you learn how to design User Experiences and User Interfaces, you will add a lot of value to whatever project you are working on, as opposed to delegating it to an external designer.Take a look at this post, if you are looking at design as a career path.

Soft Skills to Work on in 2022

• Adaptability: The pandemic literally threw everything up in the air. Organisations are still trying to find their footing as the world struggles to regain a semblance of normalcy. Given this scenario, your ability to think on your feet and adapt to ever-changing scenarios is a must-have.
• Empathy and EQ: Most HR professionals will tell you that Empathy and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) are often underrated. It is directly connected to your work ethic and success in life, both professionally and personally. Your EQ gives you the space to introspect, self-critique, accept and give healthy constructive criticism, and generally create a positive work ethos. With high EQ, your organisation will see you as a potential leader.
• Critical Thinking and Complex Problem Solving: Fight, flight or freeze? How do you approach a problem? Can you solve complex problems in innovative ways, without affecting the team or the organisation at large? Problem-solving and conflict resolution involves enormous brain activity where you plan, strategise and perceive a problem from multiple perspectives. It is a skill that can be learned, practised, and mastered.
• Social Influence: This works in two ways. When it comes to “social influence” we are talking about both leadership and your online presence. The ability to actively listen, collaborate, build a team vision and work towards its accomplishment all comes from social influence. While it is not exactly quantifiable, it is a skill that is often looked out for. Highlight anywhere you have stepped up in these roles in your professional career to catch the eye of a prospective employer.
• Communication: Especially with remote work, communication skills need to be stronger than ever. It is the key to your team’s success and for the entire organisation to thrive. Whether it is an email, a text, a video call, or an in-person meeting, you learn to cater to the attention span of your colleagues and get the plan in motion. While this seems fairly obvious, pandemic fatigue has affected communication skills among other things. So, it is time to revisit effective communication tactics so it doesn’t exhaust you further.

All that said, your ability to be kind and empathetic will take you a long way, both professionally and personally. Here’s hoping that the new year brings exciting experiences and learning opportunities. Read more about the skills needed in 2022 and be open to new opportunities.