The folks over at LinkedIn report that they see a spike in job applications around this time of year. To help people looking to make a career move focus on what is really in-demand by employers, they’ve released their annual list of the most sought-after skills. It could be argued that new business owners seek employees through Linkedin, as well as use Linkedin Integration as a way of growing and expanding their businesses.
If you have (or can acquire) some of these skills, highlighting them in your resume and online profiles can go a long way towards catching the eye of potential new employers. They’ve also broken down the in-demand skills by country. So, here is what the data says Canadian companies are looking to hire this year and heading into next.
The top skills of 2016 on LinkedIn Canada
- Statistical Analysis and Data Mining
- Middleware and Integration Software
- Mobile Development
- Software Revision Control Systems
- Storage Systems and Management
- Data Engineering and Data Warehousing
- User Interface Design
- Network and Information Security
- Web Architecture and Development Framework
- Java Development
Globally, Cloud and Distributed Computing tops the list of sought-after skills – as they did for 2015. This has remained the Top Skill in most countries included in the report, including France, Germany, India, Ireland, Singapore, the U.S., and Spain.
Statistical Analysis and Data Mining comes in as a close second for demand in most regions. Writes LinkedIn, “Employers need employees with cloud and distributed computing, statistical analysis and data mining skills to stay competitive. They’re at the cutting edge of technology.”
Along with all the technical wizardry and statistical savvy, don’t forget your soft skills. Earlier reports have pointed out with consistency that employers seek communications, problem solving, and teamwork abilities from new hires. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that the “ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization” was the most sought-after skill for 2016.
Conversely, these are the skills that can actually lower your value on the job market.
You can read the full report, and view the in-demand skills for 14 countries on their blog.