7 Pertinent Skills Needed for Future Workplaces

The future workplace may look a lot different than offices of 2018. Rapid changes in technology lead to industries prioritizing certain skills over others as companies seek to hire the best possible workers. Take a look at seven skills you need to compete in the professional world, regardless of your industry.

1. Adaptability

In future workplaces, expect market forces, computer software and industry trends to change rapidly. You must continuously demonstrate your ability to learn new skills quickly to show you're competent and add value to your team. If you have a great capacity for expanding your skills and abilities, you can easily adapt to organizational changes as they occur.

2. Collaboration

It's essential to collaborate with your team every day, whether you're an entry-level employee or top-level supervisor of a large team. In a future workplace, expect brand new and seasoned workers to develop ideas together and maintain great relationships with suppliers and clients. Become an expert in using videoconferencing technology and smartphone apps that support collaboration among you and your teammates.

3. Entrepreneurial Spirit

Companies want you to take ownership of your ideas, so think like an entrepreneur. Don't be afraid to take the initiative and point out key insights based on your background, knowledge and education. Your unique perspective is valuable. Employers call this self-starting, a soft skill in which you make a conclusion about a problem or issue and then act on that knowledge.

4. Communication

Communication, both verbal and written, is more important than ever because there are so many ways to communicate with someone at the office. Just think about the hiring process in general to get an idea of what skills you need to communicate. You have to write a resume and cover letter, speak on the phone with your employer, maybe have a video interview, write emails to confirm appointments and then meet your hiring manager in person for a face-to-face interview.

5. Curiosity

Curiosity is what leads you to dig deeper into a situation. Ask questions about problems, and do your best to come up with solutions. Try to expand your thinking when coming up with solutions to company problems instead of using the same approach over and over again.

6. Analyzing

The future workplace has a ton of analytical tools that help you sift through mountains of information. Prioritize what data you need to complete your daily tasks, and determine the best tools to use to help you gather data and meet your overall project goals quickly.

7. Problem Solving

If employers do not improve, they stagnate and fall behind the competition. Workers must continuously solve problems in order to move a company forward. If there's a problem that's causing your company to become stagnant, point it out and come up with a solution.

Regardless of your career choice, you need these seven skills to succeed in current and future workplaces. Learn each of these soft skills sooner rather than later to jump start your career or boost your future career opportunities.

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