Getting Tech Savvy

Acquiring technological skills would most likely help one fare professionally in the future. Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, Robotics, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and Big Data are the ways that majority of the companies would look forward to for making their business stand strong in the future. So people who are well versed with such technologies are far more likely to be absorbed in the corporate world.

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills

People who can think critically and come with relevant solutions to business problems in order to undertake well informed decisions would be preferred.

Leadership and Emotional Intelligence

With a shift in focus to remote working, people with strong leadership skills, who can bring out the best in people under any situation, inspire and motivate them, handle virtual teams and foster collaboration among them would be high in demand. To make a remote workplace efficient, 3 key things that would be expected from a leader would be – Trust, Communication, and the Ability to Create a Culture. Moreover people with a high EQ would be in demand across organisations and industries. People with a high EQ can understand self, others, and also understand the company’s clientele better.

Data Literacy

People who are in a better position to analyse large amounts of data to find trends and extract useful insights will be crucial for business given the large amount of data that’s available. With the help of data, companies can predict impact of business disruptions and better serve the customer needs.

Digital Skills

Digital skills such as digital marketing, social media marketing, coding, web development, graphic designing, and content writing are likely to be in demand in the future as integrating digital in business is the way forward for a large proportion of companies.

REMOTE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR RESKILLING AND UPSKILLING

• Get certified, retain and use what you have learned: Various certificates are being made available by platforms such as Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn learning. One can also go Ivy with paid certifications available from universities such has Harvard and Wharton. Google offers free certificate courses for Analytics, Digital Marketing, and Ad words. One should try to apply the knowledge gained practically such as by starting a blog of own or creating website or by contributing to work using the newly acquired knowledge.

• Leverage Professional networks: Try to get in touch with the right people in your domain of interest and seek their guidance and mentorship.

• Internships and Projects: One should try to undertake virtual internships and projects. This will give business exposure; help you attain domain specific and real life skills.

• Read books and listen to podcasts: Read business books and listen to podcasts on various topics. This is not just a more effective but also an extremely engaging way of learning.

• Attend webinars, virtual events and conferences: Try to attend webinars conducted by experts, and conferences on topics of your interest. This will not only help expand your knowledge base but also help you stay relevant in the business community.
  

Mind over matter is the best way to approach any bad situation. So don’t let the world take away your greatest asset – your ability to learn. While this seems to be a challenging time for everyone, we can use this time to prepare ourselves for the competitive and disruptive business landscape that lies ahead and use the relevant skills to up our game for better career prospects in a post coronavirus world!