Despite fears of an economic downturn and almost daily news of large-scale layoffs, the talent market is still extremely competitive. In the United States, there are 1.9 open jobs for every unemployed job seeker, giving candidates plenty of choices about where to work.
Global talent shortages have reached a 16-year high, as 75% of employers can’t find the talent they need with the right blend of technical and soft skills. As business needs continue to evolve, the skills gap will only widen over time unless employers and their team members focus on upskilling and reskilling.
Focusing on the most in-demand skills can help ensure that employers have the talent they need to address their changing business needs, and that workers maintain relevant skill sets.
So, let’s take a look at the 10 most in-demand skills globally and the 10 most in-demand hard skills for 2023.
The Most In-Demand Skills
- Management
- Communication
- Customer service
- Leadership
- Sales
- Project management
- Research
- Analytical skills
- Marketing
- Teamwork
The Most In-Demand Hard Skills
- Software development
- SQL
- Finance
- Python
- Java
- Data analysis
- JavaScript
- Cloud Computing
- Operations
- Customer relationship management
To see the most in-demand skills by areas of expertise, including recruiting, learning and development, IT, marketing, finance/accounting, engineering, and sales, read this post from LinkedIn Learning.
What are hard and soft skills?
Hard skills concern an employee’s ability to perform a role-specific responsibility. They include specialized knowledge and technical abilities that enable someone to complete their work. For example, software engineers may need to be well-versed in cloud computing, SQL, and Java.
Soft skills are personal traits and behaviors that are often developed through life experiences and can impact the way an individual goes about their work. They’re typically transferable to any type of job, though certain soft skills can make a person better suited for a particular kind of work. For example, creative individuals may be better suited for a design role than a job in the legal field.
Both hard and soft skills can be learned and developed over time.