Due to the rise of the digital economy, the demand for digital skills has dramatically increased in recent years. Not only are tech companies requiring an increased level of technical proficiency, but companies of all industries and sizes have realised that digital skills are essential in the current era. Regardless of the job for which a candidate is applying, it’s likely that recruiters will be looking out for candidates who are cross-disciplined and have some degree of digital competencies or expertise.
This trend has soared to new heights due to the Covid outbreak, which has led to the future of work being reimagined within an increasingly digital and connected world. This shift has already come to fruition through the switch to remote work and the ever-increasing reliance on the internet by consumers for shopping and communication. Therefore, as global connectivity continues to increase and companies adapt to a new era of working, job seekers must similarly transform their professional profiles.
Here are the 5 top digital skills to include when building a resume that will help candidates impress recruiters and stand out from other applicants.
Search engine optimisation
SEO stands for search engine optimisation, which involves improving a site’s visibility on the web and helping it rank higher. This makes it easier for customers to find the company through search engines such as Google or Bing, which in turn increases attention and potential sales. Due to the fact that nowadays almost all organisations have some sort of digital presence, having the ability to promote a site on the internet is highly sought-after by hiring managers. However, this digital skill is particularly important for applicants looking for jobs within the field of marketing, as that is where SEO plays the biggest role. To learn more, check out Dagmar’s plastic surgery SEO guide.
Data analysis
In the modern era, companies continuously gather immense amounts of data, both internally and externally. This helps them to optimise strategies and processes in marketing, operations, and production, as well as within many other key business areas. Therefore, it’s no surprise that data science roles are routinely featured in the top job listings from across the world. However, being able to manage data can be an excellent skill to also include on resumes that are not for solely data-focused roles. Having a data analysis certification will add extra credits to your resume and make it outstanding Some understanding of data science or analytics can be helpful in many types of positions, and it can help applicants position themselves ahead of the curve. Specifically for management-level positions, data skills are becoming a minimum requirement as employers expect their team leaders to find ways to optimise strategy in response to newly gathered information.
Coding and web development
Programming is no longer only reserved for tech gurus, computer engineers, or full-time coders. In fact, having a basic knowledge of software or web development can help candidates succeed in a variety of industries. Recruiters hiring for many types of positions, for companies both small and large, will positively value candidates with some programming experience or ability. Even if primarily self-learned, having some basic coding skills means that a new hire will be able to make tweaks and adjustments to the company website if necessary or to host an internal project in a more digital sphere.
Digital experience monitoring
As consumers and employees increasingly interact with businesses on digital platforms, tracking and monitoring the customer experience has become essential. This is referred to as digital experience monitoring. Due to the importance of maintaining a high standard of user experience, recruiters are increasingly on the lookout for candidates who have proficiencies with some type of digital experience monitoring tool. Being able to comfortably use these software programmes is one of the best ways for job hunters to stand out to hiring professionals.
Social media management
Social media has become infused into virtually every aspect of our lives. Social networking sites such as Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook provide companies with direct access to customers and collaborators. As a result, most leading companies have some fully-fledged social media or PR roles within their ranks. These individuals are usually entirely focused on building and managing the social media presence of the organisation. However, other positions are also habitually exposed to social media, and being able to effectively use these platforms can help improve performance in a variety of ways. For example, although marketers usually create and manage a company’s social media accounts, salespeople who are able to use LinkedIn to generate leads can vastly outperform their colleagues. Thus, hiring managers will give extra points to prospective hires who demonstrate some aptitude for these types of tools.
Digital skills can be a great addition to most modern resumes. Job-seekers need to adapt to compete in an increasingly connected world by adding new technical abilities to their repertoire. Digital proficiencies are not limited to tech roles and companies. They are also helpful when trying to stand out among other applicants in the hiring process for less technology-oriented positions. Every applicant should consider investing time and effort into learning new digital skills through extra courses, side projects, and self-learning.
Ellen Diamond, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
