What Is The Most Desired Job Skill Today?

It’s something we can all excel at — if we focus on it

During the summer months of the recovery, the most desired skill hiring managers were looking for was a soft skill — communication.

Although many jobs require necessary knowledge, technical skills, and experience, it is the soft skill of communication that employers seek most.

According to a recent study conducted by LinkedIn, communication was the most commonly required skill in job opportunities posted to the platform in June and July of this year.

There was a time when communication was perceived as only something needed for some jobs.

Today, strong communication is the difference between success and failure in many occupations.

Lesson to Learn

We all need to know how to express ourselves in both written and verbal communication.

No job in the future will be exempt from this.

Our ability to persuade others and work well on a team involves developed communication skills.

Leaders must be skilled communicators — as do technicians, doctors, police officers, and public officials.

Try to name a profession where excellent communication skills are not desired — or even required. It is nearly impossible to do.

There is certainly still an ever-increasing need of STEM skills, however we also will need to complement them with the crucial soft skill of communication.

Answer for Me

I have seen the value of communication skills in my work and with those I work with.

I consider it the number one soft skill that all must have and continue to improve throughout their careers.

Both written and verbal communication is vital to my success.

For me to continue to get better, I must learn from others and intentionally work at it.

It’s the reason I put myself into situations where I get to read, write, and speak frequently.

It forces me to both do it and learn from my experiences. This started early in my career and continues today.

Action

All of us need to enhance our communication skills. As leaders, we need to help others increase their skills so they can enhance their careers.

We all do this best by practicing our skills.

Our world is complicated — and becoming even more so. Excellent communication is becoming a super skill.

When you write more, it helps you learn how to write. Reading different types of texts provide a chance to develop stronger writing skills. Speaking more helps develop verbal skills.

Increasingly, we need to know how to communicate concepts and views both intelligently and compassionately.

Daily Habits

Use every opportunity to write and speak daily. Assess how you are doing.

Challenge yourself to write and talk on complex topics to different audiences.

Each time you do, you develop critical skills and capabilities.

Encourage those who work for you or with you to increase their communication skills. It’s good for them and your organization.

And finally, have fun with it. We are most human when we communicate well with others. It makes our day so much more enjoyable!

To learn more about leadership visit me at www.macny.org.

To get a copy of my book Present-Future Leader, go to www.amazon.com.