Job skills to future-proof your employability

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How can you be confident there will be job opportunities for you in the future? While we don’t claim to have a crystal ball, there are certain steps you should be taking now to future-proof your employability.

Even if your skills are in demand and you’re well placed to find and keep jobs today, it pays to look ahead and consider what employers may need in future years in our rapidly changing world of work.

This constant change fuelled by rapid technological advances makes continuous skills development important. Therefore the first way to future-proof your employability is to ensure your skills and experience expand, either through formal or on-the-job learning or by moving to another organisation where you can gain exposure to new technologies or industries that are growing and will drive our future economy.

Secondly, remain digitally proficient. In our increasingly digital lives almost every job now has a digital element to it, so become digitally adept, up-to-date with the latest technological advances related to your role and industry, and lean into the changes of a digital world.

Thirdly, plan your career progression. If you know in which direction you are headed, you can determine the training options, work opportunities, technical skills and systems you need to learn or pursue. Aim high but be realistic and don’t be afraid to set long-term goals. They can always be amended as your aspirations or values change over time.

Next, take every opportunity to improve your soft skills. There’s been a lot of talk about how automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will, and has already begun to, impact a diverse range of workplaces and jobs. With automation and AI replacing or taking over manual and repetitive tasks, this will leave employees free to focus on the non-routine and more advanced aspects of their job.

Crucially, when we look at the skills automation is taking over, they are usually hard or technical skills. Soft skills are a lot more difficult to automate or outsource. So it is soft skills that will add to your value in the years ahead. This includes communication, team work, adaptability, creative thinking and relationship building skills.

Finally, remain connected to your sector and industry through social media, networking and your recruiter. This will ensure new trends and technologies don’t pass you by.