Communication Tops Employers’ Wants in New-Hires

The top “resilient human skills” appearing in 84 percent of job postings are communication, (both written and oral), management and leadership skills, problem solving, teamwork, and critical thinking, according to findings from the labor market analytic firm Emsi.

Among those essential interpersonal skills, communication wins (35 percent).

Skills are labeled resilient because they flourish in any situation. They are like a rubber ball that bounces back in the case of adversity. Communicating effectively tops the list.

Resilient skills are especially valuable during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, it makes sense that grads should highlight these abilities on their résumés, and current students should focus on acquiring them.

Communication is considered an important core business skill because it is necessary for success in nearly every arena. While technical skills such as data analysis, software development, and programming languages can seem to be stealing the spotlight, no business can survive without the human beings who interact with customers, market the firm’s products, and oversee the company’s operations—in other words, communication.

So while having technical skills is desirable, having technical skills plus resilient skills such as communication is even more desirable. Jobs requiring people who are good at interpersonal communication, persuasive communication, and content creation are projected to grow eight percent over the next five years. Some, e.g., technical writers, earn a median advertised salary of $70,000/year.

College students planning on preparing for careers should pay heed and work toward acquiring the skills employers seek and need.

Discussion

1. Why do today’s workers need to be resilient and flexible?
2. Name several industries in which written and oral communication are important.
3. Why do you think having both breadth of knowledge and depth of knowledge makes a worker highly valuable?