SKILLS TOOLKIT

for the

21 CENTURY
st

PROFESSIONAL

Table of contents
1.

Why an up-to-date skills toolkit is a must for every

21st century professional

2.

3.

The Skills Toolkit Unboxed!

-

Addressing the right problem

Career planning

Digital skills

Programming skills

Cognitive Flexibility

Negotiation skills

Judgment and decision-making skills

Emotional Intelligence

Critical Thinking

Complex problem-solving skills

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION
Why an up-to-date skills toolkit is
a must-have for every 21st century
professional

In a world that is reeling from the after-effects of the global financial crisis of 2008, it has become
extremely challenging to find a job, let alone retain one. Recruiters are more cautious about hiring,
and only the best and the most-skilled make the cut.
The rate at which companies are laying off employees is increasing. Hiring managers are looking for
candidates who can check all the boxes on their skills check-list. Unfortunately, most candidates fail
to understand what these skills are and the best possible way to acquire them.
Like in a game of chess, one wrong move can make or break your career. It's important to plan ahead
and continuously re-skill to keep yourself relevant - and in the game!
But the skills landscape is constantly changing. We know it's not easy to keep track of every new
technology and trend on the market.
And that's why we've prepared this handy compendium of skills for the smart, ambitious 21st century professional. Read on to find out which skills to invest in - and which to avoid!

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The Skills Toolkit Unboxed!

So - without further ado - here are the top 10 skills you need to get ahead in today's world!

Skill #1. ADDRESSING THE RIGHT PROBLEM.

Problem-solving is a skill that has been important to success since man began to hunt, whether for
game or for jobs. Employers would want candidates who can think on their feet and quickly come
up with solutions to any problem. It is one of the first skills that employers look for and test.
At least thats what we believe. Surely problem-solving is still the most-important skill to possess?
Wrong. The notion that problem solving tops the skills list has changed a little.
Today, employers are looking for candidates who are sharp enough to identify and address the right
problem. Answering the question What is the problem? has taken the lead in the skills race.
Problem-solving is a good skill to have, but more and more recruiters have come to realize that the
single biggest challenge most new hires face is in zeroing-in on the appropriate problem to solve.

Skill #2. CAREER PLANNING.

According to a survey, 74% of workers are passive job seekers and are ready to consider a move.
This is not evidence of a career plan in place, but instead of chaos and confusion. A lot of candidates
leave their careers to chance. This is the age of the Millennials, and as we touch upon in the article
Climbing the Corporate Ladder: Advice for the Ambitious Millennial, Millennials arent particularly
known for being goal-oriented! They dont usually have a plan for tomorrow.

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This leaves hiring managers in a fix. Without well-honed personal goal-setting skills, success in the
corporate world is tough to attain.
Having a set career plan shows dedication and commitment, something hiring managers are
extremely particular about.
Therefore, before anything else, this is a skill you need to work upon. Cultivate the ability to see the
bigger picture and set yourself achievable goals. What do you want from tomorrow? Where do you
see yourself in the next 20 years? And what do you need to do to get there?

Skill #3. DIGITAL SKILLS.

With more than 3.17 billion people around the world and counting- wired into the internet, the
world is getting increasingly digitized, and businesses are left with no choice but to take their
offerings to the world of bits and bytes.
Digital media has had a tremendous impact on our everyday lives. Organizations around the world
are waking up to the opportunity of this revolutionary medium to fulfill various business objectives in
sales, marketing, CRM, product development, and research.
The older generation will mourn the decline of traditional channels of communication and media like
newspapers, television, radio broadcasts, and books. But millennials have high buying intent and
purchasing-power and if you arent digital media savvy, you will get left behind!

How do I work on my digital skills?

Based on your area of interest, you could consider basic certifications in digital marketing, or
a course in writing for the web, SEO, or social media.
Your resume will show that you are interested, hardworking, and curious about other domains
as well. Plus, the validation of a certification will give you an edge over your competitors.

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Skill #4. PROGRAMMING SKILLS.

This ones the biggie. Programming languages are extremely important today. Knowledge of a few
programming languages is a must. There will be days when you will need to lean on programming
languages to get your work done.
HTML and CSS are known to fix any backend problem. And with all work being done on systems
rather than papers, glitches are bound to arise. It pays to be able to fix basic problems by yourself
than running to the technical department at every hurdle.
Recruiters and employers appreciate resources who can resolve minor problems on their own. Thus,
basic knowledge in HTML and CSS will put you on a level that is higher than those who dont have
the extra knowledge.

Skill #5. COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY.

The ability to evaluate multiple concepts simultaneously is what Cognitive Flexibility is all about.
Interestingly, this skill wasnt even in demand in 2015, but will become extremely important in the
next few years.
According to a report on The Future of Jobs, a large proportion of jobs in the near-future will call
for a higher level of cognitive juggling skills. At its core, cognitive flexibility is a function of skills like
logical reasoning, creativity, multi-tasking, and problem sensitivity. Work on these to exercise your
cognitive abilities and make yourself more flexible.

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Skill #6. NEGOTIATION SKILLS.

The Future of Jobs report states that by 2020, negotiation skills are going to be in high demand in
the IT industry and in roles like software development, data analytics, business intelligence, etc.
Negotiation skills have also become crucially important to the design and arts professions,
particularly in industrial and product design.

Skill #7. JUDGMENT AND DECISION-MAKING SKILLS.

In 2015, judgment and decision-making was ranked the 8th most in-demand skill. By 2020, however,
it will move up a spot to the 7th position.
Decision-making skills and assertiveness are both traits that appeal to employers. The ability to make
effective decisions is a good leadership skill that earns favor with employers and can help you gain
promotions.
With organizations having to deal with ever-increasing data volumes, there is greater demand for
metrics-driven professionals who have the ability to analyze this data and utilize it to make powerful
decisions.

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Skill #8. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.

Reading people still isnt something that robots are able to do, at least not yet.
For this very reason, emotional intelligence is something that is that is going to stay very close to
the top of must-have skills and abilities to possess for the 21st century. The ability to empathize,
understand and be conscious of colleagues reactions and understand why they react the way they
do is an important skill to have as you build your profile.
Within emotional intelligence, there are two distinct skills that employers look for

Cooperation
Another skill that falls under the social skills umbrella, this is also something that robots
havent figured out yet!
It involves the ability to adjust actions in relation to colleagues and cooperate with them.

People Management
What people management entails is motivating, developing, and finding the best for the job.
The Future of Jobs report states that the demand for this skill in the media and energy
departments will rise significantly in the decade ahead.

Skill #9. CRITICAL THINKING.

Critical thinking skills have been in demand for almost as long as there have been jobs, and this is
unlikely to change in the future.
The ability to use reasoning and logic to identify weaknesses and strengths of different approaches
and solutions is a skill that will always be of importance. Critical thinking is based on evidence and
logical reasoning. Emotions and memorization are not a part of logical thinking.

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Critical thinkers rigorously question ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value.
They will always seek to determine whether the ideas, arguments and findings represent the entire
picture and are open to finding that they do not.
Critical thinkers will identify, analyze and solve problems systematically rather than by intuition or
instinct.

Skill #10. COMPLEX PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS.

Lastly, there is problem solving. The skill to solve problems will always be important, be it today or
20 years from now. Though there will be an increase in data to help make decisions, employers will
still look for candidates who have the basic skill to solve complex problems.
By 2020, it is said that at least 36% of jobs across industries will require complex problem solving
skills, according to The Future of Jobs.

Conclusion
Before including any skill on your resume, it's important to invest the time and effort necessary to
cultivate these skills. Recruiters need something concrete - a tangible validation to prove you do
indeed possess these skills. This could have been as experience demonstrated at your previous job,
or by investing in up-skilling
The best way to prove you have the skills that hiring employers are looking for - certifications!
As the world's largest certifications company, we offer a wide range of training courses to choose
from. Get world-class certification training in HTML\CSS, Android App Development, Digital
Marketing, SMAC, and more. With a network of over 2000 expert trainers with decades of experience
and a Silicon Valley faculty, these courses will propel you to the top of every recruiter's hotlist!
We also have a community where you can network with a wide audience. You can put out your
thoughts, have endless discussions, and learn from experts. So, what are you waiting for? Dont be
one to leave your career to chance. Get out there, and get certified!

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