Skills you need to compete in the new workplace.
In our very digital world, we are all more connected than ever. The workplace has changed and along with it, the way we connect with others and find jobs has changed as well. These days, employers are looking for people who understand these changes and who can be leaders as they move toward new technology and new ways of getting work done.
Companies who have been at the forefront of these changes have reaped the benefits of early adaptation. Today, companies need to embrace things like social networking and accept that the marketplace has gone global. In order to achieve this, they need to hire people who have the skills to compete in a digital world.
To stand out to a prospective employer, we have to demonstrate that we have the skills to compete in the digital age. Here are 4 skills you need to compete:
Adaptability - Things are constantly changing, and being able to adapt to change is crucial. Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean that it's always the best way to do it. To be competitive in today's marketplace, you have to be able to roll with the changes and adapt to new ways of doing things and new technologies. In addition, it's important to be able to work with people from different backgrounds and different cultures.
Collaboration - Collaboration is the new buzzword and it's everywhere you look. In music, television and business, people are working together more than ever before. It's so easy to connect with others through social networking, mobile applications and video conferencing that there is no downside to working with people on the other side of the globe to complete a project. Collaboration is also a great way to learn new skills by working with people who are further up the career ladder than you. To stand out in the job market, show some examples of times that you have collaborated with others to achieve a goal.
The ability to prioritize - Although technology makes it easier than ever for us to communicate with others, it also makes it easier to become overwhelmed. In the course of a day, I might receive emails from professional contacts, personal contacts, tweets from people in my network and so on. Sometimes, it is hard to filter all of the information and decide which things need to be accomplished first. It doesn't help that the internet is filled with distractions that make it easier than ever to get distracted and waste time.
Don't take it personally - One of the drawbacks of having so much information at your fingertips is that you have to have thick skin. There will always be people who enjoy making others suffer or just like to stir things up. Sometimes they troll websites and say hurtful and often cruel things, or they may take their gossip to social networking sites like Twitter. It's important to be able to just let that stuff go and not rise to the bait. Having a heated argument with someone, especially online, is never a good idea. Those arguments have a way of getting out of hand and can come back to haunt you. Show your professionalism in this area by having an active online presence that doesn't include these sorts of "flame wars".
What others skills do you think are important in the digital world? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for BusinessWorkForceBlog and Nexxt. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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