Boost Your Career: Master the Skills Everyone’s Talking About
Think you’ve got everything under control at your job? Think again. The only way to stay ahead is to sharpen the skills that employers are demanding right now.
The Big Two: Digital & Soft Skills
- Digital Skills – coding, data analysis, and digital marketing. They’re like your tech superpowers.
- Soft Skills – critical thinking, cultural awareness, and the ability to think on your feet. These are your people‑person charisma.
Why the split? Because the business world is sprinting forward, driven by automation and AI that are clocking out more and more routine tasks.
Expert Insight from Ashish Raivadera
“The market’s changing fast enough that you’ll need to keep learning and applying new skills over the course of your entire career,” says Ashish Raivadera, Head of Private Practice for South East Asia at Major, Lindsey & Africa.
In other words, your skill set isn’t a one‑off. It’s a lifelong toolbox you’ll keep adding to.
How to Build Up Your Skill Bank
- Learn a new tech skill. Pick something hot like Python or Google Ads and actually use it in your day‑to‑day tasks.
- Practice critical thinking. Take any problem at work and break it down step‑by‑step; then shout out your best solution in a meeting.
- Bridge cultural gaps. Volunteer for a cross‑border project or simply ask a colleague about their perspective on a topic—you’ll learn a ton.
- Showcase it all on LinkedIn. Create a short, snappy summary of each new skill you master.
- Stay curious. Attend webinars, read industry blogs, and keep asking “why” until your brain gets a workout.
Put the effort into your resume, and watch hiring managers take notice. Keep learning, keep growing, and make your career future‑proof.
When the World Goes Digital, Brands Become the New Celebrity
Picture this: more than 20 % of the globe has a Facebook profile. That means a brand’s online avatar matters almost as much as the product itself. Traditional giants are now scrambling to fit into the crisp, pixel‑perfect world of digital marketing.
“The surge in digitalisation has created a tidal wave of demand for marketers who actually understand the online side of things,” says Ingrid Liew, senior consultant at Robert Walters Singapore.
In short: companies that once sold their goods by word‑of‑mouth are now setting up shop in virtual front‑doors. The result? A sharp spike in hiring for roles that blend creativity with tech savvy, especially those that give a digital‑first spark to the journey from idea to customer.
Learn the Craft at Equinet Academy
- Weekend crash‑course in Digital Marketing (starts at $500)
- Designed for people who just want to get the tricks of the trade without a full‑time commitment
- Check it out at www.equinetacademy.com (just type it into your browser)
Data Analysis: Your New Best Friend for Marketing
Know your crowd, measure how they behave, and boom—you’ve got a recipe for hitting the mark.
Data analysis isn’t just a side hustle; it’s a must‑have skill. In marketing, you need to spot patterns, evaluate engagement, and decide on budgets—all by peeking at numbers.
Ingrid explains, “Tech has birthed hybrid roles such as digital marketers who lean on data to steer campaigns.” That’s why, while Excel remains a staple for crunching spreadsheets, tools like Google Analytics, Sprout Social, and Tapinfluence are becoming all the rage.
Master Big Data in Three Days (and Beyond)
- iKompass Singapore offers a three‑day course, plus six months of online self‑study and a final exam.
- Price: $3,072.
- Great for folks who want the nitty‑gritty of data without a full‑time program.
In a nutshell, the digital age is all about blending creativity with data‑driven precision. Get the right skills, and you’re basically turning your brand into the next online superstar.
Unlocking Tech Superpowers
Learning a new language is great—but starting to speak computer slang is even cooler. In a world that’s buzzing with tech, coding skills can turn you into the ultimate career ninja, no matter your job title.
Why you should get your hands on code
- Give the Project Pitch a Boost: When you’re bouncing an idea for a new feature on a company website, knowing whether it’s actually buildable can instantly decide if the concept takes off or flops.
- Quick Fixes on the Fly: Who knows when a quick tweak to a back‑end script or a little HTML edit can save a deadline? It’s the secret weapon of every workplace.
Get Started with UpCode Academy
- Learn HTML, Python, CSS, & More: From scratch lessons to project‑based courses, you’ll be coding like a pro in no time.
- Starting at $2,000: Be careful to check if that’s a one‑time fee or per course—sometimes money travels faster than knowledge.
Cultural Compass: Navigating the Global Playground
Singapore’s own vibe is a melting pot of cultures. In a workplace that’s increasingly diverse, having a good read on cultural nuances can make a candidate stand out—without sounding too “career‑ist.”
Pro‑Tip: Show Your Worldly Wisdom
- LinkedIn, Tell Me More: Instead of bragging “culturally aware,” highlight the overseas trips you took for social causes. “I helped build a community garden in Kenya Skill: teamwork.”
- In Interviews, Slip in Your Stories: Talk about the aha moments you had while working with people from different backgrounds. It’s a juicy anecdote that showcases adaptability.
Think Like a Jedi: Mastering Critical Thinking
Scholars call it “creative thinking,” we call it “brain gymnastics.” The trick is to fuse imagination with a methodical groove.
Show It Off, Don’t Just Talk About It
- Concrete Examples > Empty Claims: Mention a specific project where you challenged the status quo—maybe you revamped a workflow that cut time by 30%.
- Innovation Highlight: Walk through the steps you took, the hurdles you overcame, and the final payoff. That’s the story that moves hiring managers.
—
This article was first published in CLEO Singapore.
