20 New Skills to Learn To Advance Your Career

Basic Digital Literacy
Public Speaking and Interpersonal Relationship Skill
Good Written Communication
Personal-Management Skill
Coding Skills
Presentation Design
Data Analysis and Statistics
Learn a Foreign Language
Digital Marketing
Exercise Skills and How to Keep Fit
Cooking Skills
SEO Skills
Logic and Reasoning Skills
Video and Audio Production
Acquire Microsoft Excel Skill
Learn Podcasting
Acquire YouTube skills
Photography Skills
Adobe Photoshop Skills

#1 Basic Digital Literacy

A lot of people often jump straight to the conclusion that acquiring a coding skill is essential today. The truth is, coding is not for everybody. Other fields like business development, sales, and business management are also vital.

While coding can be a valuable skill today, the truth is, it is not for everybody. However, what is essential for everybody is digital literacy. Every individual needs to have a good understanding of utilizing the full potential of the computer set.

Some of the areas every modern worker needs to acquire digital literacy include:

Touch Typing
Understanding and use of keyboard shortcuts to speed up workflow (Mac users are also not left out)
The use of task management tools like CRM tools and To-do-list
The use of collaboration tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Suite
How to communicate with chat integration software like Slack, Dropbox, Asana, etc.
Managing email inbox and use of tools like Boomerang to improve workflow

Digital literacy can help you increase your work skills. It will also increase your chances of landing a better job if you’re looking for one. When you are conversant with using your tools, it saves you a lot of working hours.

Read: How Can I Become a Graphic Designer in 2024? Skills, Tools, Salary, Cost, Schools

#2 Public Speaking and Interpersonal Relationship Skills

Public speaking and relationship skills are essential even today that many in-person events hit the rock or get postponed or rescheduled online.

It is good to understand that even online communication requires some understanding of public speaking and interpersonal relationship skill. Good public speaking skill means that you can communicate your skills to a group of people, whether one-on-one or via video call.

You can learn some valuable lessons on becoming a great public speaker by visiting the following link.

#3 Good Written Communication

Written communication remains a part of our everyday office life, even for those who are not writers. Emails, text messages, memos, cover letters are all different forms of written communication.

Therefore, learning to communicate your ideas properly will make your work easy. It will also improve your relationship with your friends. Developing good communication skills does not require so much.

A college degree in Business Communication or the English Language is not necessary to improve your written communication skills. You can start by learning some professional guides to communication.

You can also take an online course on how to write an Effective Cover Letter if you want to be more specific with your writing skills. Another great way to become a good writer is by utilizing tools like Grammarly.

Read: What Does A Forensic Computer Analyst Do? Career Information, Salaries, Skillset

#4 Personal-Management Skill

As you advance in your career and learn to manage others, you must learn how to manage yourself. Many people undermine the importance of self-management themselves, which can be dangerous to productivity.

Without proper Personal Management, it is hard to set and achieve goals. Some of the main elements of personal management you need to learn includes:

How to create and utilize a to-do-list
How to draw up and use a work calendar
Changing habits that are detrimental to your business
Learn ways to reduce digital distractions during work
Ways to reduce/stop procrastinating
Learn more about weekly review and its importance
The Concept of Deep Work

#5 Coding Skills

While coding may not be for everybody (not mandatory for everybody), acquiring some coding skills can be very useful. It can help catapult your career to a higher level. With coding skills, you can make money as a freelancer.

Besides, it also provides you with the valuable skill to create an online presence for your product(s). Coding can be fun as it is relevant to today’s industry.

Coding may be a little intimidating at first, but with persistence, it is easy to learn. If you have an interest in coding, the following sites will provide you with the basic knowledge for free:

Codecademy
Treehouse

You can also find useful information by following the link above to learn more from industry experts about putting your coding skills to work.

#6 Presentation Design

It is okay if you feel that design should be left to only professionals to handle. However, a basic understanding of design principles is essential in our today’s digital world.

Think of all the things you can do with design. From better social media posts to professional-looking presentations, design knowledge makes the job a lot easier, especially if you are working with designers.

If you are a novice to design, the following link can help you understand and hone your skills.

#7 Data Analysis and Statistics

Data Analysis and statistics are essential in today’s world. Whether you believe it or not, business is a game of numbers, and having the appropriate data and statistics is vital for businesses. Companies want to know what customers want.

They also want to understand if they are making a profit or loss. Companies wish to understand the market and how best to approach their clients. All these boil down to analyzing different types of data and drawing conclusions from them.

Therefore, acquiring a skill in Data Analysis and statistics can be the missing link between you and success if you are a manufacturer or service provider. It will also give you an edge over other competitors in your area and set you apart from other employees if you are looking for a better-paying opportunity.

You can find more information about Data Analysis and statistics by clicking here.

#8 Learn a Foreign Language

Today, many companies wish to market their products and services globally. Therefore, it has created room for demand for people with knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. Employees want to communicate with customers in a language they can easily understand.

Therefore, learning a foreign language can help you find a better-paying job or a bigger paycheck. In the United States, there is a demand for individuals with the following language skills by employers:

French,
Chinese
Spanish

The world is fast becoming a global village where most of the population spends most of their time online. Hence, to actively engage the vast population, especially the youth, companies seek the services of an employee with Digital and Social Media Marketing skills.

A basic understanding of how social media works and its importance to businesses is relevant in today’s business world.

#10 Exercise Skills and How to Keep Fit

Many people do not understand the basics of proper exercising and its importance. Keeping fit and maintaining a healthy and regular exercise routine is essential.

Therefore, gaining some exercise skills and knowing how to stay fit is one way to enjoy a long-lasting healthy life. You can either sign up for a gym class today and pay a gym instructor or visit Nerd Fitness.

The website is a great place to begin practicing how to exercise and stay fit today. Also, you can pick an activity that interests you and continue doing it regularly. Different exercises work for various purposes.

So, you decide what you want and stick to it regularly. A regular exercise routine has numerous health benefits as well as physical benefits. It also helps you to perform better during the day and work more effectively.

It is no longer news that those who exercise regularly are more productive than their counterparts.

Read: Free Online Course: Communication Skills for University Success

#11 Cooking Skills

Cooking skills are heavily underrated today. However, the truth remains that there is nothing better than eating healthy. Acquiring cooking skills is also a great way to save money. Cooking is also rewarding and fun and a great way to relax and impress your loved ones.

If you wish to acquire some cooking skills, the following links can be a great place to start.

The 4-Hour Chef—a great book by Tim Ferriss for novices in the area of cooking
Basics with Babish—is a YouTube Channel by Andrew Rae that focuses on teaching the basics of cooking. There are many exciting lessons you can learn from the channel.

#12 SEO Skills

Whether you believe it or not, there are a good number of people making a living from creating content and writing for websites. Any content you write for online purposes needs to adhere to Search Engine rules to be relevant.

However, the rules are constantly changing, and companies require the services of those who are abreast with SEO Skills.

Thus, acquiring and improving your SEO Skills is one way to remain relevant in the industry.

The Search Engine Journal is one of the places to find valuable information about SEO and learn current trends in the subject matter.

#13 Logic and Reasoning Skills

Your ability to make a sound decision and solve problems better than the next person lies in how well you can make logical conclusions. The sad truth is that many people get little or no knowledge of logic from colleges and higher institutions.

Therefore, spending time to learn how to make logical conclusions is essential. It helps you to make sound judgments and avoid unnecessary cognitive errors is therefore worth it.

Though, it is vital not to become too logical in your approach to life to avoid losing touch with life. Instead, having some skills in logic can be a great tool to handle everyday life.

Less Wong is one website where you can learn to become more rational.

#14 Video and Audio Production

With the growth of the internet, video, and audio content are relatively becoming very important. Many businesses and companies rely on video and audio content to tell their story and market their products.

Today, there are video and audio content creators in almost every field. Video editing skills provide the knowledge you need to create and alter videos and audio.

Acquiring video editing skills is one way to improve your resume and compete better with others in your field.

#15 Acquire Microsoft Excel Skill

Today, Microsoft Excel skills are one of the most sought skills by employers and companies. Microsoft Excel can be handy when dealing with different kinds of data.

It saves you time and the frustration of handling different types of data that may include various levels of calculation.

One of the best places to acquire both basic and in-depth knowledge of Microsoft Excel is Chandoo.org.

#16 Learn Podcasting

While many people go into podcasting for fun, the skill can serve as an excellent side hustle. There are many people making money off the side through podcasting.

To become better as a podcaster, you need to invest in quality equipment.

#17 Acquire YouTube Skills

There are many people making money from creating visual content for YouTube. Therefore, it is not a bad thing to acquire some YouTube skills. It is a good side hustle to earn money off your free time.

The best place to gain solid YouTube skills is from YouTube’s Creator Academy. Before starting a YouTube Channel, having a clear understanding of the website is essential. Also, it is vital to have a clear roadmap of what you wish to achieve from the site. Getting burnout as a YouTube content creator is very easy.

However, making time to visit the Creators Academy will help you stay relevant for a long time.

#18 Photography Skills

Today, good photography can be an effective way to put your product before your audience. So, paying to acquire some photography skills can be a great way to boost your career. There are many websites you can learn how to become a great photographer for free (YouTube is a good choice).

Many great resources are scattered out there on the web for those who wish to become great photographers.

Read: Top 10 Academics Skills to Prepare you for College

#19 Adobe Photoshop Skills

Adobe Photoshop is no doubt the most popular software for photo manipulation and editing in recent times. Today, the demand for people with Photoshop skills is relatively higher. Therefore, it is time to upgrade your resume. One of the best places to harness Photoshop skills is TUTS+.

The website contains many free tutorials on Adobe Photoshop and paid content for those who wish to become experts in the field. For a few dollars, the site provides a complete training course on Adobe Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop is one of the skills to learn if you want to earn more money from freelancing.

#20 Networking Skills

Networking skill has the potential to open up all kinds of doors of opportunity. There are many relationships founded through networking last beyond the workplace and even a lifetime. The best way to think of networking is through friendships.

There are many friends you make through networking that share your professional interest. They can help you grow in your career and throughout your career journey. Many people do not understand the art of networking.

Hence, those who do stay above the game. There are several valuable resources online that can help you become an expert in networking.

Learn how to network today.

Bottom-line

Acquiring one or more skills once in a while is a great way to stay relevant. However, it is essential to select the right skills.

While gaining one or two skills at a time can be a great idea, avoid the temptation of trying to acquire too much knowledge at once. It is best to focus on one skill and become good at it or two skills at max.

Perhaps by reading this article to the end, you will find the inspiration to learn a new skill today. These are the new skills to learn to advance your career.

20 New Skills to Learn To Advance Your Career

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