7 New Skills Every Worker Needs

US News & World Report  July 27 2010 03:17:52 PM

You're an expert at something? Hey, congratulations. Now, go become an expert at something else.

Most Americans striving to find or keep a job know the sensation: It's getting harder to get ahead, and the demands keep intensifying. Everybody knows how the recession destroyed wealth and derailed careers, leaving millions in a hole they're trying to dig out of. Now we're beginning to see some of the longer-term changes in the way Americans live and work. Some are distressing, but there's also plenty of hope for people who are industrious and willing to do what's necessary to succeed.

Unemployment is obviously far too high these days, and likely to stay that way for a couple of years at least. A prolonged "jobless recovery" is likely to depress incomes, spending, and living standards. But it's a mistake to assume that there are no good jobs or that Americans must consign themselves to inevitable decline. Despite a damaged economy, good jobs are emerging for people with the right qualifications. And it's an ineluctable fact of capitalism that wealth can be created by those who are shrewd, determined, or just plain lucky. Even now.

The catch is that success these days requires new skills and a degree of toughness that a lot of Americans lack. A recent survey of big companies by consulting firm Accenture, for example, found that the majority plan to hire over the next two years. But not like before. Like many individuals, firms fear that they're failing to keep up with technology and falling behind in a ruthlessly competitive marketplace. Only 15 percent of firms in the survey, for instance, felt that their workers have cutting-edge skills. That means they're interested in hiring talented workers who are able to give them an edge. But few companies plan across-the-board hiring to reverse the mass layoffs of the last three years. Instead, most firms plan targeted hiring to fill their most vital needs--while maintaining a lean payroll in case the economy turns south again.

Specific needs vary by company and industry, of course, but some key commonalities apply to many firms. Here are some of the attributes that workers will need to thrive in an austere economy:

Agility. When the recession hit, a lot of companies discovered that their workforce was poorly configured for a sharp downturn. Many big firms didn't know enough about their workers' skills to move people where they were needed, for example, so they ended up cutting staff by arbitrary percentages or axing whole departments. Then they realized that they had fired people they needed, along with others they could do without. Now, as companies rebuild, they intend to fix that problem. That means there will be fewer full-time hires and more temporary workers, even among managers and professionals. Companies will hire people for particular projects, for example, and maybe even offer some of the same benefits that full-time staffers get. But they'll also retain the ability to quickly downsize without the trauma and expense of a mass layoff. And they'll move people around more frequently, to best match workers' abilities with the company's needs.

Workers will have to get used to less predictable work, more turnover, and careers that could entail several different jobs and even different disciplines. Those who adjust to project-related work without a single, long-term employer could turn out to be appealing hires--and they might learn to enjoy the breaks between jobs. But those who complain about turbulence and insist on a stable, predictable career path could find that nobody's listening--or offering them a job.

Skill combos. If you're good at one thing--but only one thing--companies might pass you by. In the Accenture survey, for example, companies said that sales, customer service, and finance were their most important functional areas. But lots of people have that kind of experience, and many of them are unemployed. The way to differentiate yourself--and land that job that 150 people applied for--is to develop and highlight two or three different skill sets, such as IT and strategic planning, or sales and logistics. That will make you more valuable to an employer, especially if they need to shuffle workers around. A 2009 study by consulting firm McKinsey found that the highest earners with the best overall prospects have a combination of valuable skills. That's especially true in global companies that need technical experts who are also good at managing the complexities of international supply chains or a dispersed staff. The more things you're good at, the more reasons you give a company to hire you.

Tacit skills. Companies increasingly value intangible qualities that are hard to put on a resume, like informed intuition, judgment under pressure, ease with clients, and problem-solving abilities. These "tacit" or "cognitive" skills tend to come with experience, but they also accrue to people who seek additional responsibility, volunteer for tough assignments, and are willing to take risks. The McKinsey study, for instance, found "an increasing demand for tasks that require human skills complemented by technology." To build these kinds of skills, work with colleagues who seem to have them and volunteer for projects that will force you to learn new things. To highlight these intangibles for a potential employer, line up references from people who can attest to your tacit abilities and find concrete ways to emphasize how you've solved problems or achieved unconventional results....To Read the rest of the 7 Skills, click here

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