Introduction
In the past few years, becoming successful in the competitive corporate world is more than just getting a degree from an A+ college. It has boiled down to who has the better skill set, learning, development and is showing continuous improvement.
Most of these skills are being necessitated because of rapid advancements in technology and the kind of impact that this is having an impact on shaping modern businesses.
Every sector is advancing at rapid break-neck speeds. Your employees either need to keep abreast with all the changes that are taking place or they stand the risk of falling by the wayside. If they fail, it means your company fails!
In this article, we try to address the issue by coming up with a skill development guide for corporate professionals.
Why Skill Development is so Important for Corporate Professionals in 2021?
Every company today is on the lookout for multi-skilled professionals. In other words, you might be qualified and skilled for the role you are being selected for, but what is extra? How are you going to benefit the company in significant other ways?
This is the question, which the HR team of every corporate office is asking of individuals who walk through the door during interviews. However, the question remains, why has this scenario become ever so important in today’s times?
- The Emergence of Digital and Tech Advancements-
Modern business is increasingly dependent on digital platforms and tech adoption to optimize efficiency, workflows, productivity and streamline operations. Imagine coming into work and being told that from today onwards you cannot use the computers or your laptop.
Tech and digital adoption mean that the employees not only need to be familiar with how it works but be at their best to extract the maximum benefits from the same. This has led to the demand for skill development in learning and understanding how digital and tech work.
- Restricted Resources and Greater Expectations-
Saving money in any corporate organization is as good as contributing to profits. A multi-skilled professional is a great asset for any corporation as they can possibly do the work of two or more individual employees. For businesses, this is a win-win situation.
There is also the added expectation of someone being innovative, sparking off an idea, and building up the same on behalf of the same. As skills open up thinking and contribute to creativity, organizations have started to expect the same from employees.
- Competition and Lack of Jobs-
We all know how the Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in massive job cuts in the corporate sector. Highly qualified corporate professionals with years of work experience are struggling to find jobs. This is where skills can become an additional asset that can help in getting jobs.
If you have an added skill and you can present the same to a prospective employer constructively, you can make them believe that you have a lot to offer. This makes your candidature more significant and you are more likely to get the job even in these tough times.
Top 5 Corporate Professional Skills in Demand in 2021
In this section, we are going to look at the top corporate professional skills that are being preferred in the industry-
- Communication Skills-
When it comes to practically any employment opportunity, communication skills are important. However, as we have already stated, digital and tech mediums are playing a strong role in the field of communications as well.
According to a leading Professor taking a skills development course from Global Speech Academy, communications through emails, social media, and work-flow programs are integral for any corporate organization.
- Critical Thinking and Innovation-
It does not matter if you belong to the Marketing team or the IT Team, you need to be proficient in critical thinking. The need of the hour is to develop a logical thinking approach, which is analytical in nature.
If the same is worked on through an advanced skill development course, an employee can become a master at problem-solving. Critical thinking is acquired over a period, but the same can be taught in a controlled environment with relevant examples.
- Interpersonal and Informal Skills-
Being qualified and experienced for the job is a massive yes. However, at the end of the day, you need to work and engage with your colleagues, higher management, clients, and customers. If you have poor interpersonal skills, you will not last for a very long time.
The best skill development courses lay a lot of stress and emphasis on developing interpersonal or people skills. While all employees working across teams should develop the same, client-facing teams, especially sales, marketing, and business development require it more than others.
- Tech Knowhow and Foundations-
Gone are those days when people used to write- know how to work on MS Word and MS PowerPoint. In 2021, everyone needs to have some basic idea and knowledge of digital marketing, whether it be SEO, or SMM, or SEM, you need to know how it works.
In addition, most corporations use workflow and task assignment software. You need to know how a Trello or an Asana or Slack works in order to start working in the organization. The belief that time can be given to learning the basics does not exist anymore.
- Emotional Intelligence and Leadership-
If there is one word that has become the buzzword for corporate professionals in the last two years, it is emotional intelligence. For a team leader or anyone aspiring to become one, skill development leading to emotional intelligence is a necessary attribute.
Leadership training will allow you to make a claim for any vacant openings that are coming into your organization. It shows that you were already prepared to assume the mantle and have been working away with an eye on the prize. For an organization, it shows commitment.
The Final Word
Besides the above, skills like time management, handling pressure, being good at networking will allow you to be considered for important assignments and projects. At the end of the day, all the above-mentioned skills will help you climb the corporate ladder of success and become successful.
Do you think we have left out any of the important corporate skills in this article? Let us know in the comments section below.
