Through a partnership with the World Economic Forum, LinkedIn have tracked the supply and demand of 50,000 job skills and discovered which are the most valuable and influence the most “Human Capital”. The Report defines “Human Capital” as the knowledge and skills people possess that enable them to create value in the global economic system.
Your Skills Are Dynamic
After releasing its 2017 Human Capital Report, The World Economic Forum evaluated different countries on how well they’ve equipped their workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to create value whilst also being successful in the global economic system.
One of the unique advantages of LinkedIn’s collection of data is the way it can be used to cross-evaluate the labour market in an unprecedentedly granular way. Therefore, we can break down human capital into its most fundamental and critical component unit: skills.
There are certain skills commonly held by all types of employees whilst there are other specialty skills that are unique to specific fields. The fundamental purpose of this report is therefore valuing which skills are so important they shouldn’t be undervalued.
So, Which Skills Should You Learn
LinkedIn found that, across multiple diverse fields of study, there are certain core, cross-functional skills that underpin a career.
With the two skills that are most valued being:
1) Interpersonal Skills, like leadership, communication and customer service.
2) Basic Technology Skills, like knowing how to use word processing software and manipulate spreadsheets.
Having a strong base in these cross-functional skills is important across industries and job titles – and also gives people the foundation to adapt to any career or job title whenever needed.
While cross-functional skills are versatile and likely to stand the test of time, they aren’t necessarily the ones that will launch you into a lucrative career off the bat. However, they will introduce and accommodate other skill sets that facilitate career progression.
This broader economic trend towards specialization reflects a widening economy that demands more specific skills from the workforce as it grows. However, there are some that will always stand the test of time.
Skills for life
What is clear is that interpersonal skills are unlikely to be rendered obsolete by technological innovation or economic disruptions. In a changing workforce, it’s having a strong foundation in these versatile, cross-functional skills that allows people to successfully adapt themselves within different environments.
Learning the latest or hottest technology skills is beneficial but shouldn’t come at the expense of maintaining the basic, core skills that people need to be successful in the workforce.
For more research into the skills held by today’s global workforce, check out the full 2017 Human Capital Report here.
Minstrell Training 