We know one thing for certain — 2020 turned the work world on its head. With a global pandemic creating and enforcing new strategies to keep the wheels turning, remote work became the norm. Some companies embraced the remote work model and will keep it full-time, while others hope to get back to on-site work again in 2021. However, the shift to remote work taught them a lot of lessons about what it takes to make a great employee in the new normal.
If you're looking for a way to set yourself apart from the rest of the candidates out there during your next job search, you need to think beyond your degree and your certifications and toward the top job skills employers want in 2021.
As you get ready to test the job market in this year, brush up on these 4 skills in 2021 that recruiters and hiring managers will be looking for in top candidates.
- Continuous learning
The days of getting a job and simply punching in and punching out are over. If you want to get ahead you need to embrace continuous learning. By improving your skill set, whether it's soft skills or hard skills, you boost your chances of improving your career trajectory.
Employers love to hear that candidates enjoy learning because it's necessary in a business world where change and growth are happening at remarkable speed. Those who don't embrace learning new things will be left behind.
Skill Tip: Check out online class platforms like Udemy or Linkedin Learning to see what they have to offer in your professional field — and don't be afraid to branch out from that, either. If you're a computer programmer who wants to learn project management, great; if you want to learn design, that's cool, too!
- Time management
Time management has always been important, but with the acceptance of remote work, it's more important than ever. That means that your employers have to trust that you can manage your time and get your work done without anyone looking over your shoulder. In today's age of smartphones, social media, and binge-worthy TV, you need to prove that you can stay on task and on target.
Skill Tip: Prioritize your tasks for the next day before signing off, putting the biggest, ugliest tasks first if you can. Once you tackle those, the rest will come easy, and you'll stay on target.
- Decision making
Everybody makes decisions, right? Not exactly. For some people, decision making is excruciating; they struggle to see beyond all the questions: What if we make the wrong choice? Is it worth the investment? Will the team be on board?
Having the ability to assess the criteria in front of you and come to a conclusive decision on a regular basis, even if you're wrong once in a while, marks you as a person who gets things done. It also shows that you're willing to take risks on occasion — and that's a good thing, too.
Skill Tip: Decision making is more than just an attitude, it is a skill. Grab a copy of former Navy Seal Mark Divine's book, “The Way of the Seal” and look for the chapter on what he calls the PROP decision-making model. It's simple, but it's also bulletproof.
- Collaboration
If you think remote work means flying solo, you're probably in for a surprise. Collaboration is alive and well, but it takes a little more conscious effort now. Embracing collaboration and thinking about it proactively as you begin projects shows hiring managers that while you may be working alone in your home, you're still a team player.
Skill Tip: Learn cross-functionally; while you may not be able to do everything, learning how and why other teams do what they do will help you work together with them on any project with understanding and patience.