The nationwide movement towards digitalisation in the post-pandemic world reflects Singapore’s efforts to keep the economy relevant. The job market will therefore require a greater pool of skilled practitioners to fill the digital roles pertinent today. As already reported, almost half of employers in Singapore plan to hire more people with IT capabilities, indicating the need to upgrade and diversify skillsets for greater technological literacy no matter the industry you are in.
However, upskilling is not a means to an end, but rather an end in itself — it is a lifelong process to stay relevant in an increasingly volatile climate.
If you want to acquire new tech skills in 2021, here are five possible avenues you can explore.
Top skills in 2021 for your resume
1. Data analytics
Data is an indispensable resource today. Across industries, theories and strategies are proven and implemented on the basis of data. It comes as no surprise that one will have to collect large amounts of raw data and convert them into insights at some point in their career.
Being able to extract raw data, compile and make sense of it is a profound task, which is the core skill of a data analyst. However, it is also a cross-industry competency. It can be applied to any type of job that works with data to some extent — you could be a marketeer, a researcher or a teacher.
There are plenty of tools to conduct data analysis, from simple ones like Excel to more complex and industry-grade like Google Analytics and SAS. Theory and/or practical knowledge in these may just make you stand out of the crowd.
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2. Data visualisation
Following analytics, what is also critical to note is the presentation of such data. While text-based data can provide in-depth information, visualising it in a pictorial format allows for greater identification of patterns, correlations and trends, which thus makes the data more insightful to the receiver.
Be they in charts, graphs or any other visual element, data displayed in a more sophisticated manner helps translate complexity into simplicity for better comprehension and further analysis. Some of the tools used to perform data visualisation will be perfect for your resume include Tableau, Google Data Studio and Datawrapper.
3. Programming
Programming languages like Python and R are also effective as data analysis tools. However, what makes the skill itself well-sought after is its ability to allow for automation. Programming is a process of creating a set of instructions for a computer to understand, through a programming language, which results in different outputs.
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By harnessing computing power, you can create software to speed up everyday processes for streamlined workflows or develop novel solutions for the industry. Even if a programmer or coder is not your ideal role, these skills will still offer you greater leverage in careers like marketing and business where computers or systems are heavily relied upon on the day to day.
4. Search engine optimisation
Search engine optimisation or SEO refers to a set of techniques that allows a website to rank high on the search engine results pages when a user submits a relevant word, phrase or sentence as a query. With a high level of penetration of the internet today, brands have to market their services where their target audience is mostly found. This means they need to ensure they occupy a good amount of space on these search engines based on what their audience is searching for online.
Just like data analytics and visualisation, SEO is a skill that will be required in all industries, especially so now when businesses are encouraged to go digital in their efforts to attract leads and sales.
Read More: Getting a Digital Role: How to Market Yourself Effectively to Employers
5. Web development
To leverage the fullest potential of SEO, businesses must establish an online presence. The most basic requirement is a website. Whether it is to build a website from scratch or maintain an existing web infrastructure, all industries will require skilled individuals who know coding languages central to web development. These include HTML, CSS, PHP and JavaScript.
Especially if you are interested in digital marketing or want to work in the IT sector, web development skills are perfect add-ons to your resume.
Complementing these with in-demand soft skills will make you an all-rounded professional in your chosen field. Start today!
