Do you have the skills you need to be a competitive candidate in today's knowledge economy, and what can you do to make sure you have the skills employers look for when hiring and promoting employees?

In this report, published by the Balancecareers website, author Alison Doyle notes that in 2016, 63% of employees learned new work-related skills (or improved their skill level), according to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, which required this Evolution - for some employees - following special courses, obtaining an experience certificate, or even obtaining a scientific degree, but for other employees, this entailed participating in conferences, attending a training session, or attending a seminar.

Knowledge economy

The writer explained that the knowledge economy depends mainly on the production, dissemination and use of information and ideas rather than physical or mechanical capabilities, as many jobs in industrial sectors are considered part of the knowledge economy, and these disciplines vary between academic researchers, programmers, software developers, and health workers who conduct research and data analysis, All of these jobs require the application of knowledge to serve others in some way.

According to the author, in the knowledge economy, a company’s knowledge of its workforce is its greatest value, indicating that due to today’s ever-changing technologies, employees need to stay up-to-date with the latest information and skills.

It indicates that people develop and update their skill sets to keep pace with the development in the accelerating knowledge economy, by knowing the most important skills for the knowledge economy, and then acquiring those skills through certification programs and some other means, so that the employee can impress the employer, and he can also Convince any hiring manager if he is in the labor market.

Developing new skills... why?

Doyle explains that different categories of workers and job seekers participate in vocational learning to develop new skills, also known as skill development.

It turns out that many professional learners have a college education and a steady income, and many work in government, educational, or non-profit organizations, often have the means to continue their education, and many of their jobs require continuing professional development.

The writer asserts that people of all educational levels and from all disciplines participate in skill development, and do so for many reasons, some of them do so in the hope of maintaining their jobs in light of competition, and some do so to develop their skills so that they do not lose their jobs due to dependence on automation, and some The other is to expand their business networks.

However, some develop their skills as they are required for their job, for promotion, or for a new job in a different company.

Higher Skills for the Knowledge Economy

Doyle points out that the job-related skills that employers want in their employees vary by field and by the specific job, as there are certain skills that are very important in almost every job in the knowledge economy, explaining that the most important skills required are a combination of soft skills (i.e. skills that include Interaction with others) and IT skills, as these skills can be combined into mixed skills i.e. a combination of hard and soft skills that can enhance a candidate's competitiveness on the job.

In her article, the writer reviews a number of skills that employees need in the knowledge economy, as she clarifies these skills and their necessity for employees with a number of other skills related to that skill, including:

communication

It is an intrinsic skill for almost everyone, as employees need to be able to speak clearly and politely with colleagues, clients, customers, etc., through written and oral communication. Employees also need to be able to communicate their ideas, decisions, innovative questions, and more.

Relevant skills: clarity, kindness, interpersonal skills, oral communication, presentation skill, teamwork, written communication.

Flexibility

The knowledge economy requires that employees be able to regularly develop skills and become comfortable with new technologies, so they must be open to learning new things and be flexible in taking on different tasks.

Related skills: adaptability, multi-tasking, openness to feedback, broad-mindedness.

Information and Communication Technology

The term information communication technology refers to an individual's ability to use everyday technologies such as computers, tablets, and mobile phones. It also relates to an individual's ability to perform certain tasks such as sending e-mails and using basic computer programs (such as Microsoft Office).

Other important ICT skills vary based on the specific profession and job, and some jobs may require other software or programming skills, and people in the knowledge sector need to continuously develop their skills related to the technologies needed for their jobs.

Related skills: Business intelligence, programming, data analysis, information technology, and network design.

long-term learning

Most employers encourage their employees to continue learning. They want to hire people who are interested in continuing their education, so employees need to demonstrate a desire for long-term learning on a variety of related topics.

Related skills: ambition, motivation, passion, and self-learning.

Problem solving skill

Employees in a knowledge economy need to use their personal knowledge to solve real-world problems. For example, they might rely on data to help doctors treat patients more efficiently, or in historical research to teach students or the public about an important moment in history.

Employees also need to be able to identify and solve problems, whatever the job, by relying on creativity and innovation.

Related skills: analysis, creativity, critical thinking, decision-making, innovation, and originality.

Business Management

Depending on the program, a Business Administration degree can help you develop your skills in leadership, ethics, finance, marketing, international business, and more, and is a good degree for people interested in moving into business leadership positions.

Leadership and Management Certificate

A degree in leadership and management can help current or potential executives develop and improve their leadership skills, and those skills may range from conflict resolution to effective communication and negotiation.

Microsoft Certificate

Almost every job requires some knowledge of Microsoft software, and with this company you can follow online courses in all kinds of Microsoft skills and programs, and you can also take similar courses through other institutions, both online and in person, where the topics of certificates vary From data engineering to Microsoft Office programs to database management.

Project management

A project management certification is useful for anyone who leads a team or manages a project. This certification can help you develop your leadership skills, your organization, and your ability to meet and exceed project goals. There are also free online courses you can take to develop your skills.

Risk Management

Risk management certifications are becoming increasingly popular among professional staff, as these programs enable people to identify and measure various business and financial risks.

The Risk Management Certificate is valuable to people in a variety of financial positions and in business and economics.