Whether you are a job seeker or an employer, read this blog to find out the top 10 skills you should develop in 2024 to achieve success in the coming 5 to 10 years.
Do you remember the “jack of all trades” quote? This is an alliteration that is frequently used in reference to the fact that a person who has immersed themselves in multiple competences instead of gaining expertise in one particular field is much superior and is considered a more prized asset for a company.
This saying goes very well with the present-day job market landscape. Success in today’s world is not limited to one skill. The competition is fierce. According to the Future of Jobs report by the World Economic Forum, almost half of us will need to reinvigorate ourselves in the next 5 years.
Moreover, it is no hidden fact that we are living in the early world of the AI era. But the innovation is not yet fully functional in a way that makes the world entirely dependent on machines. Also, as humans, we are not ready to give in completely.
This leaves us with two choices: either we help organizations by unlatching the potential of advanced technology and tools or we maximize our human potential that machines can never hope to match or cross, such as soft skills. Either way, the final skills would fall into one of these two categories.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the top 10 skills that are the need of the hour and that you should develop in 2024 to skyrocket your career.
Top 10 Skills you Should Develop in 2024 (in no particular order)
1. Generative AI
The surfacing of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has become an overnight sensation among the general public. Remember the good old days when the first iPhone model was launched? It was very much like that. This was the first time an AI tool was actually being implemented for creating, automating, and fine-tuning professional and everyday tasks.
However, the right set of skills and human intelligence are needed to untap the potential opportunities, build efficient solutions, manage modifications, and know the ethical implications. All this makes it a very demanding skill in 2024, both for rookies and experienced players.
2. Mobile App Development
We are living in a technology-dominated era, more specifically an app-dominated era. The estimated course of growth predicts that the mobile app development industry will generate nearly $600 billion in revenue by the year 2025.
Moreover, the industry is constantly evolving with new trends or updates to existing features. This makes it imperative for businesses to invest in skilled developers to stay updated with current trends and advancements.
Regardless of whether you are a coder, marketer, or manager, fundamental knowledge of programming is always a plus. Hence, resulting in making mobile app development a hot skill of 2024 to develop for giving a career a massive boost.
3. Machine Learning
As AI-powered machines become an inseparable part of our lives, there will be an increased need for humans with technical knowledge who will be able to implement them. Thus, machine learning will be another in-demand skill in 2024 that you should invest your time in developing. Even the World Economic Forum has listed AI and machine learning as two of the fastest-growing jobs in 2024.
Moreover, there is a misconception among workers that, with the assistance of generative AI, even non-coders can build an application. That is true too. But nothing can beat the accuracy, standard, and security of the software built with human ML engineering. So, go carefree and start building this skill if you have an inclination towards coding.
4. Sustainability Literacy
Environmental awareness and adopting sustainable practices have become the need of the hour and have taken center stage globally in the past few years. Organizations are actively looking for professionals who can help implement green technologies in their day-to-day business operations. Integrating eco-friendly practices into their blueprints will not only be a moral requirement but will also give companies a competitive edge in the coming years.
In short, in order to survive, one needs to keep up with the changing surroundings. However, adaptation towards the greener solutions will need a right set of education, proper training, and awareness programs, which again create a demand for new skills to develop among job managers in 2024.
5. Creativity, Originality, and Initiative
Creativity and originality are two of the hottest skills demanded in the present time and will continue to remain the same for the coming years. Companies appreciate workers who come up with new ideas to solve present-day problems. This gives them an edge over their opponents and also enhances their productivity.
Moreover, creative people are good at exercising flexibility and can manage to activate and deactivate their brain networks in odd situations. However, the skill is not limited to the offline world. With more adoption of digitalization among every-scale business, companies are not getting afraid to experiment with new ideas and build rapport digitally. Thus, making it one of the hottest workplace skills in 2024 to develop.
6. Digital and Data Learning
As the world is accelerating more towards digitalization, data generation is certainly expected to rise in the future. Therefore, data literacy is an essential skill to invest in. However, interpreting, analyzing, and generating meaningful data so that individual entities can make an informed decision requires the right usage of digital tools and platforms.
Whether it is crafting a marketing campaign or understanding consumer behaviors, everyone is harnessing the power of data analysis. Thus, Needless to say, digital and data literacy will be one of the most in-demand skills to develop in 2024.
7. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is one of the strongest aspects of being human, which AI can never hope to match. Even if it tries harder, it can never, seeing the complexity of the human mind and subjective situations. This gives us humans an edge over technology and builds something exceptional with the EI quotient. Furthermore, it also has the strongest ability to build a solid foundation between co-workers and team members, leading to successful leadership.
With capacities like empathy to understand one’s pain or situations, self-awareness, and extraordinary interpersonal communication, one can constructively collaborate with others at the workplace. By consistently cultivating and working on these skills, you will get to the places you have never dreamt of.
8. Adaptability and resilience
Consider these two as a crucial part of your job more than the skills you need to develop in 2024. The ability to navigate through an ever-changing environment and bounce back from hardships has become more pivotal than ever. To grow at the workplace, one needs to embrace the changes that come along with them, stand against the challenges, in fact, consider them opportunities to grow, and keep igniting the flame of curiosity or learning something new.
These are the factors that will help you become a prized asset for your company. Being rigid is good for nothing and limits your learning curve. Therefore, keeping yourself resilient and adaptable to forthcoming situations is the key to personal and professional development.
9. Cybersecurity
With technological advancements and rising cyber threats and handling attempts, the demand for cyber security jobs will rise in the future. Moreover, with the increasing usage of cloud computing software, more data and applications are exposed to cybercriminals, creating another challenge for industry leaders. And as of now, there is already a shortage of skilled cyber professionals.
Both of these aspects have increased the demand for cybersecurity professionals, who, with their keen knowledge, could secure the company’s most confidential data from hackers. Thus, it is another great skill to develop in 2024 for employers who want to give their careers a jump start.
10. Digital Marketing
From small to medium to large enterprises, everyone is taking their business online, which has increased the surged demand for proficient digital marketers. Skills like social media marketing, creative thinking, content marketing, and soft skills are helping both creators and businesses reach a broader audience, interact with them, spread word about their services, and eventually drive more traffic to their site and generate higher revenue.
Digital marketing uses the cumulative value of both technical and creative skills to come up with the most engaging ideas, which helps you stay on top of the game. Thus, it will be one of the hottest skills to develop in 2024.
How long will it take to learn a new skill?
Nearly 94% of business leaders expect their employees to learn a new skill at their workplace, a 65% increase from 2018. The pandemic phase has fueled the trend toward online learning programs. In fact, 39% of employers agree with the on-the-job training programs, either by enrolling in the online courses (16%) or through external consultants (11%).
Also, the Future of Jobs survey report states different times of reskilling for different sectors and jobs.
For instance, the medical and healthcare industries and the consumer industry demand a period of six months for a worker to acquire a new skill.
On the other hand, the financial and energy sectors demand more time than six months because of their laborious trading programs.
Below is a division of the time frame needed to develop online skills for the future of tomorrow:
- Marketing, Content Writing, People, and Culture: 1-2 months
- Product development and data and AI skills: 2-3 months
- Cloud computing and engineering skills: 4-5 months
Final Words
In this ever-changing world, it is crucial to keep up with the latest skills. The skills you have today may not be the skills you will need at your workplace tomorrow. By keeping your time and money invested in demanding learning programs in the future, you can stay ahead of your competitors, make yourself relevant to the hot and cold marketplace, and increase your paycheck.
All the aforementioned skills listed that you need to develop in 2024 will give you a leg and boost your career. Moreover, there are numerous ways to upgrade your skill set, such as enrolling in online courses, attending workshops, joining on-the-job training programs, taking the help of a mentor, and reading the books of the leading industry experts. So, take some time out of your busy schedule and invest in your future.