7 Skills to Improve Your Chances of a Better Job
Technology has taken the business world by storm, and both people and businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on the technology world these days. As a result, people with impressive knowledge and experience regarding computers are becoming more and more in demand. Considering this growing market trend, it’s no surprise that those who wish to land a profitable job need to focus on improving and building upon their computer skills. Simply being able to use a computer may be enough for many positions, but investing your time and energy into improving the best and most in-demand computer skills will certainly pay off for your career. Here are some computer skills that can certainly improve your outlook when it comes to job opportunities.
Spreadsheets and Databases
Considering the huge amount of data that companies handle these days, spreadsheet and database management skills are unsurprisingly topping the list. It’s considered one of the most wanted job skills in the market, with enviable salaries even at the entry-level position. However, spreadsheet skills don’t simply mean auditing data from cells; in order to get hired on this skill, you’ll need to work at becoming a spreadsheet ninja. From storing and organizing data to applying complex mathematical formulas and creating complex macros, it’s important that you’re an expert. You should look into improving your skills in programs and areas such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, data analytics, Filemaker Pro, Hive, Adobe Campaign, statistics and much more. You might want to get started with Excel courses.
Social Media, Blogging and Email
Although most people today tend to be active users of social media, not that many people know how to use the social media tools available to them on a professional level. Having experience and expertise when it comes to writing engaging yet professional emails, blog posts, and managing company social media activity is often a ticket to a career in many reputable organizations. Some skills related to social media, blogging and email that will help you when it comes to the hiring process include skills using content management systems, cascading style sheets, email marketing, web design, WordPress, digital media, search engine optimization, campaign management software, and Google Analytics.
Word Processing and Graphic Design
A solid understanding of the skills needed to present any gained information in a user-friendly and readable form is another modern market demand. When considering this category of computer skills and expertise, it’s also worth taking the time to enhance your skills at Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Visual Studio, AutoCAD, CorelDRAW, Maya, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Word, and digital cameras.
Software and Hardware Development and Design
In simpler language, software and hardware design and development means designing, implementing, and testing hardware applications and computer software. This is one of, if not the most profitable computer skill to have, and there are various job openings that you could go for, including software analyst, software architect, hardware configuration, software programmer and more. In order to be capable of developing and testing software and hardware, it’s important that you are able to peruse users’ needs and build applications that hit their pain points. In order to improve your skills and expertise in this area, spend time learning how to work with various web and mobile app coding languages in order to gain the attention of your audience. Some of these include HTML, Java, Python, C/C++, UI/UX, LINUX, XML, embedded processor hardware design, PCB layout, SQL, memory management and more.
Enterprise Systems
Many companies and enterprises will have their own enterprise solutions, such as PeopleSoft, which is used to manage their data and operations. There are various different enterprise systems that used by companies that you will benefit from learning and becoming skilled in. When looking for a new career, it’s certainly worth looking into the enterprise solutions that are mentioned in the ‘requirements’ area and becoming a master at using them; this will help you lessen the barrier to getting a job.
IT Troubleshooting
Working on computers is one thing and being able to look into the associated issues and reliably resolve them in real time is quite another. There are always going to be employees who are quite competent and able to work with computers in their daily lives, however, they may become confused when it comes to dealing with issues such as frozen programs or even performing routine computer maintenance. If you are familiar with the basic anatomy of computers and machines and have a good grasp of the tricks that are used to perform tasks that are used to streamline the working process, you may be suited to a job in the IT support arena. Some skills that you may want to work on in order to improve your chances of landing a job in this area include diagnostics, backup management, client-server management, system administration, tech support, end user support, issue tracking system, and installation and configuration.
Soft Skills
Finally, don’t forget about soft skills – no matter how great your skills are at a certain area of the computer industry, it’s often these combined with a range of soft skills that will help you stand out from the crowd and improve your chance of getting hired.
Practice – it’s common to forget what we learn, so it’s important to ensure that you make practicing a regular process and ensure that you don’t miss out on any opportunities.
Improve efficiency – simply remembering what you’ve learned isn’t enough; make sure that you practice so that you can enhance these skills and continue getting better. For example, if completing a certain task currently takes you one hour, aim for 50 minutes – and try to improve your efficiency every time. And, look for shortcuts – working smart is better than working hard, every time.
Consider an internship – applying for an internship is not only a good way to improve your skills and put what you have learned to practice in the real world; it’s also a great method of seeing what is trending in the market and how much you are ready for it. When you are working at an internship, it’s a good chance to find your weak points, pay attention to them and work on them. This will not only enable you to fine tune and brush up on the skills that you have already learned but will also help you ensure a success when it comes to landing your dream job.
When it comes to the current market scenario, it’s clear to see that having computer skills is often crucial for a better and brighter career ahead. So, when it comes to trying to crack interviews and improving your chances of landing your dream job, it’s a wise idea to focus on improving the computer skills mentioned above. Chances are you will be better at some than others, so spend the time discovering what you are highly skilled at and working on improving these skills.
