The Top 13 Jobs Skills Employers Want in 2022

The Top 13 Jobs Skills Employers Want in 2022

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1. 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 

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1. Continuous 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 

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1. Continuous learning

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!

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2. 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 

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2. Time management

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.

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3. 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 

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3. Decision making

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 

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3. Decision making

look for the chapter on what he calls the PROP decision-making model. It's simple, but it's also bulletproof.

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4. 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.

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4. Collaboration

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.

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5. Emotional intelligence

The ability to stay in tune with your own emotions and the emotions of those around you is more valuable than ever and is why it's an important job skill for 2022.  The days of “leave your problems at the door when logging in to work” are gone. From acknowledging your own emotions to having empathy for the emotions 

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5. Emotional intelligence

of your co-workers and clients, emotional intelligence during the job search will help you be a “people person” without having to be an extrovert. Skill Tip: Start by taking an emotional intelligence quiz. Then, once you see the results, look at those areas where you may be lacking. Next, think of someone you know from work or in your personal life who 

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5. Emotional intelligence

you think excels in that area. Talk to them about it and try to learn at least one small trick you can use to increase your EI.

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6. Creativity and resilience

2022 will be a time of change and growth, and that means having creativity can put you in the driver's seat for finding solutions and new ideas that move the needle for your company. Resilience goes hand in hand with creativity. Sometimes new ideas don't work right away — or at all — and being able to rebound from a setback with improvements 

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6. Creativity and resilience

and new ideas shows employers that you will keep their company moving forward. Pro Tip: Find some simple things you can do to boost your creativity; sometimes all it takes is a little change in your routine.

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7. Adaptability

Have you noticed that things are changing faster than ever? As technology evolves, we're finding new ways to use it. That means the old “We've always done it this way!” attitude is nothing but dead weight on your career. You need to be adaptable to new technology, new collaborations, and new philosophies to succeed in 2022.

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7. Adaptability

Skill Tip: Find books that focus on adaptability in the workplace. Even though it's from 1998, Spencer Johnson's “Who Moved My Cheese” is still a useful read and a good place to start.

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8. Change Management

As we've noted above, things are changing faster than ever, and sometimes that can be hard on employees.  Having a knack for change management, whether that means handling changes on your own or helping to guide whole teams on new directives, is a great way to make yourself an irreplaceable part of nearly any organization.

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8. Change Management

Skill Tip: Take a class or read a book on emotional intelligence because a major part of change management is understanding how changes affect employees on a personal level. Having a strong understanding of EI gives you a big leg up in succeeding.

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9. Coaching Mindset

Increasingly, success has less to do with how aggressively you try to boost your own career and more with how you help the people around you.  From your bosses to your direct reports, having a coaching mindset means you look to make those around you better. Think about it — who doesn't want to work with (or for) a person like that?

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9. Coaching Mindset

Skill Tip: Think of five people you have worked with, including customers, bosses, or direct reports. What could you have done to help them improve their situations? Then take a few moments to think about how that could have affected your own career.

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10. Project management

Understanding the full scope of your projects and being able to manage them from concept to completion will be a critical skill in 2022.  With the emergence of more remote work, it's harder for management to keep tabs on every project going, so having employees who are skilled at project management makes their lives easier. It also sets 

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10. Project management

you up to help others and possibly move into a management role of your own. Skill Tip: Make yourself proficient with at least one or two project management systems. Do a little research to see which ones are most popular in your industry. A company that uses Asana, Wrike, Jira, or another system will love seeing that on your resume.

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11. Cloud computing

Now we're getting into some more direct skills that can really give you an edge in 2022. The world is moving into the cloud even faster than expected thanks to 2020, and we need people who understand it and can work with it. Even if you're not a programmer or engineer, just having a solid understanding of the cloud, how it works, and best 

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11. Cloud computing

practices can keep you ahead of the game. Skill Tip: Take a quick class on cloud computing, finding one that will cover what is most relevant for your career.

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12. Knowledge of new social and digital media

Like it or not, digital media is running the show these days. If you want to compete in the job market, you need to at least be cognizant of what's out there, how it works, and what kind of audience it enjoys.  We're beyond just Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter these days (but don't neglect them!). While it may be comfortable to stick to what you know and 

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12. Knowledge of new social and digital media

ignore the newcomers, that mindset will leave you and your resume in the dust — especially as we enter the new decade. Skill Tip: There are classes out there that you can take to brush up on new media, as well as plenty of articles detailing the complexities of the different social and digital media sites out there. But if you want to save a few dollars and get 

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12. Knowledge of new social and digital media

right to the heart of it, find a college-aged person and ask them what kinds of media they use and how they use them.

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13. Artificial intelligence

It's truly an AI age now with robots and automation making its way into the job market. We not only want computers to do work for us, but we also want them to get smarter as they work.  Just like cloud computing, you may not need to be a top-level expert, but a solid understanding of AI can give you a vital edge in a difficult job market.

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13. Artificial intelligence

Skill Tip: Again, there are free courses out there for the taking.

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