If you’re looking to upskill or you’re on the hunt for a new job in 2021, knowing the skills that recruiters and employers value most could give you an advantage in getting to where you want to be professionally. This is even more important now that so many organizations have drastically changed the way they work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To give you a helping hand, we’ve rounded up the 10 hard and soft skills for 2021 that are essential to your success in the workplace.
Are hard skills or soft skills more important in 2021?
The world of work has undergone massive changes over the last year as organizations adapted to remote work and complicated economic circumstances while employees faced rapidly changing demands in their professional and personal lives. These changes have increased the visibility and importance of soft skills as must-have job skills for 2021. Companies are investing in the development of soft skills in 2021 as they realize their key role in a smooth running and efficient workplace.
If you’re wondering what exactly the difference is between hard and soft skills, here’s our take: hard skills are specific abilities that are usually gained through education or specific training. These include things like how to use software, machines and other tools. Soft skills are more commonly seen as personal qualities that are developed in a more individual way over a period of many years.
Now that you know the difference between hard and soft skills, let’s take a look at which ones you’ll need to develop in 2021.
Top 5 hard skills for 2021
While soft skills may have taken center stage during the pandemic, hard skills will always be fundamental to successfully performing your job. Here are the top 5 hard skills employers are looking for in 2021:
Basic computer skills
If you’ve been working at home during the pandemic, you know how important it is to know your way around the hardware and software of your work computer. While this can be a learning curve for people who haven’t worked closely with computers before, it’s become an essential hard skill for many positions across almost every industry.
Improve your computer skills by taking a training course that will teach you the basics of working on a laptop or desktop computer in a professional environment. Look for a course that will show you how to use the most common computer programs like Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and video conferencing platforms such as Teams and Zoom.
Presentation skills
While presentations used to be almost exclusively done in the office, online presentations are a top priority for 2021. This means you can no longer dazzle your audience with a fancy tie or free snacks, so you’ll have to sharpen those presentation skills and learn how to make more interesting PowerPoint slides.
For better-looking slides, look for ready-to-go templates that will make your life a little easier. As for the presentation skills themselves, your best bet is taking an online course or practicing your skills at home and at work as often as you can.
Team management skills
Companies have quickly realized how essential team management is now that most of their teams are no longer working in the same building. A focus on remote team management has given rise to a new set of skills in 2021 that are a must-have for all managers and team leaders to keep their colleagues on the right track. These include strategic planning, budget management, hiring, knowledge of business analytics, and the skills that are specific to your industry.
Brush up on your team management skills with webinars, training courses and by practicing with your team at work. Ask them for regular feedback on how you’re doing so that you know which areas of your management skills need improvement.
Customer service skills
More organizations in 2021 are interacting with customers and clients remotely than ever before. That also means that employees and departments that previously had little in-person contact with customers are now learning valuable customer service skills to help their company keep going through turbulent times. The hard skills needed for a job in customer service are knowledge of collaboration platforms, experience using CRM software, a good understanding of the product or service your company offers, as well as email and telephone savvy.
To learn customer service skills, consider taking a basic customer service course that will teach you how to handle queries, complaints and complicated client situations.
Sales skills
Due to the temporary or permanent closure of many retail stores, companies are eager to employ candidates with strong sales skills that can keep customers coming back for more, even during tough economic times. The hard skills that you’ll need for sales include experience with sales software, client closing strategies, product knowledge and even social media selling techniques in some industries.
Exceptional sales skills are developed over a long period of time, but you can learn the basics with online training. If there’s a sales department in your company, or if you have a friend who has worked in sales, ask for some insider tips that will help you strengthen your skills so that you can land that dream sales job.
Top 5 soft skills for 2021
2021 is the year of soft skills! Employers all over the country are quickly realizing how neglected soft skills have been for so many years, while candidates and employees with a proven set of soft skills are rising to the top of their teams and organizations. Here are the top 5 soft skills you should work on in 2021:
Teamwork
Teamwork is even more important now that working remotely means that most people rely on their colleagues to complete projects and keep up to date on the workings of their company. Remote teamwork is here to stay, and 2021 will see employers seek out candidates who can work with others effectively.
Get your teamwork skills up to par by providing feedback to others, being clear and concise when you communicate, and learning how to use collaboration platforms to efficiently work with your team on projects.
Time management
While working at home has its advantages, managing your time with a house full of distractions can be a challenge. Managers and employers know this, which is why they consider sharp time management skills to be one of the most essential soft skills of 2021.
Get your time management skills in check by setting clearly defined work times, holding yourself accountable with the help of your team, avoiding multi-tasking and keeping your workspace distraction-free.
Communication skills
Communication in the workplace has always been a valued skill, but an increase in remote working has put new emphasis on effective and clear communication between team members, their managers and other departments. This is especially vital if you have lots of online meetings where important project details need to be ironed out so that everyone’s on the same page.
The most powerful ways of improving your communication skills include practicing active listening and asking for feedback. For those lengthy video meetings, consider recording the call (with the permission of the other participants) and make sure to take notes and ask questions throughout.
Decision-making skills
Decision-making skills are your ability to effectively and correctly choose between two or more options. A good decision maker processes all the available information, identifies biases and speaks with the right people before coming to a conclusion. These decisions can be related to practically anything, from hiring new employees to choosing the right approach when tackling a new project.
To bring your decision-making skills up to a high standard, practice making a list of advantages and disadvantages when you’re faced with an important choice. Another effective way of improving this skill is by learning to learning to identify your own bias which could be negatively affecting how you make decisions.
Stress management
Most people have faced a certain degree of stress at some point during the last year or so, and employers are eager to build a resilient workforce that knows how to handle stress, whether it be in the office or while working from home. If you learn to properly manage your stress at work, the benefits will also spill over into your personal life.
Keep your stress levels under control by doing something you love every day, taking regular breaks to eat and drink, exercising often, and talking with friends, family and co-workers throughout the day. If you’re still having a hard time with stress, don’t be afraid to reach out to your manager to see if your organization offers any support such as therapy or downtime activities with colleagues.
The bottom line
So, those are our top 10 work skills for 2021! Now that you’re up to date on what employers and managers are looking for this year, it’s time to start working on your skills so that you can land that dream job or get that well-deserved promotion. For more tips on professional development, check out the other articles in our
blog!