Not in IT? Here are Five Technical Skills You Still Need to Know About

Data management and analytics

The term “big data” is bandied around almost everywhere today, but what does it even mean?

Quite simply, big data is the colossal amount of data companies generate from their hardware, apps and websites to interpret and use.

Data management skills will be incredibly useful in this area, and can give you an edge over the competton as you’ll be able to assist companies in turning their big data into informaton they can use. If you’re more profcient at managing big data, you’ll also be able to help businesses predict future trends.

How can it help you? If you’re either in, or planning to enter, the digital marketng sector, knowing how to manage data will help you decipher your target audience beter and be a way for you to quantfy the results of your work.

Data visualisation

A branch of visual communicaton, data visualisaton helps others understand data with the use of visuals. It includes a solid understanding of a number of things, from the details of the data you’re trying to pass on to how the target audience would consume this informaton, and which visual would comply best with its purpose.

Though it sounds much like plugging numbers into a graphs and charts, data visualisaton is more than that, and people with skills and knowledge in this arena can ofen be found exploring new methods of simplifying and conveying complicated results and trends – culled from big data – to decision-makers and managers.

How can it help you? Can you imagine wow-ing everyone if you’re able to present your ideas visually instead of in text like everyone else? How can it help you? Products that provide good user experiences tend to achieve beter success. Only when customers are happy with using your products, will your business succeed.

If these skills aren’t of crucial importance to your role at work, there’s no need to spend too much tme or money on it. You can start with the many free courses and readings available online, and simply spend some tme every day learning a new skill. Just take the frst step and you’ll eventually pick them up!

User experience

User experience, or UX, is far more than making sure a product is palatable to the eye. It’s about perceiving how design plays a part in customer interacton, as well as improvement. It also denotes an understanding of how customers use and value a product or service, along with their limitatons and abilites.

A strong grasp of a company’s brand, aesthetcs and usability is also needed, as is an awareness of current concepts and trends.

Transferable Skills Employers Want to See

If clinching a job could be likened to winning a chess game, you’d want to use these fve transferable skills to capture your recruiter’s attention and ultimately checkmate the position!

As a graduate fresh out of university and stll riding the high of graduaton, there’s a tendency to focus on sector-specifc and academic skills – hey, you’ve spent years building and refning these skills in school, and now you want to apply them to your frst job!

There’s nothing wrong with that, but here’s the thing: recruiters are looking beyond those specifc skills. Employers are always on the lookout for nonacademic sof skills – or, “transferable skills” – that’ll make you stand out from the other applicants.

Transferable skills are portable skills that can be easily imported from one sector to another with litle difculty. Some examples of such skills include communicaton, teamwork and problem-solving skills. Although it sounds straightorward enough, many new applicants are lef stumped when it comes to showcasing these skills in their resumes and during interviews.

Here are fve transferable competencies that most recruiters want in successful candidates, along with tps on how you can demonstrate each of them efectvely in your applicatons! Work today largely involves teambased work. Which is why almost every employer out there will specify, in the job descripton or otherwise, that they want graduates who can work well in teams. Efectve teamwork means knowing how to operate smoothly and efciently with other personalites as a collectve group towards a common goal. In essence, commercial awareness is the intersecton between two areas: familiarity with a company’s mission, vision and products and services, and an understanding of current industry trends. Commercial awareness takes tme and research to build, so graduates who’re able to display it are highly sought-afer!

1

Teamwork and team management skills

Tip During your interview, detail how you used your skills in communicaton and negotaton to encourage and inspire your team members, whether in your internship, student club, or part-tme summer job!

2

Commercial awareness

Tip The best way to call atenton to your commercial awareness during the recruitment process is to include a sentence like “I notced this trend in the industry, and did some research on it. Due to the company’s history and mission, I believe you can take advantage of it and consider moving in this directon”. Your initatve will certainly help you to be notced!