Whether it involves writing a new article or compiling monthly sales figures, job tasks would be daunting and difficult to handle if technology stagnated. In fact, we should all be thankful for innovations in productivity enhancement. Successes in the modern business setting are never possible without applications and other technical tools at the disposal of employees.
At any rate, adapting to these innovations is crucial to bringing about the full potential of office tools and software. Employees will have to update their skills to catch up with organizational demands.
With that said, here are the 4 most important skills that every employee should learn.
1. Spreadsheet management
Spreadsheets are boring and all, but their value to a business is just too significant to ignore. As we continue to live in a data-driven world, spreadsheet tools enable companies to analyze and present crucial metrics on just about anything that has strategic value. Hate it or love it, Excel spreadsheets will continue to play a vital role in business reporting, and you will have to prepare one if the situation requires it. It takes a lot of practice, but once you make an effort in mastering basic Excel formulas, you can save yourself the trouble of crunching the data given to you.
2. Photo manipulation
This isn’t exactly a skill that applies to just about any employee. This is more applicable to those who are handling promotional campaigns or simply creating effective presentations. Fortunately, photo editing software such as Photoshop and Illustrator has been around for quite some time, and companies have been using them for a variety of purposes. Employees, on the other hand, can widen their skill sets by learning basic photo manipulation techniques that would come in handy for whatever situation.
3. Programming
Regardless if you graduated with a degree in IT, having substantial knowledge about certain programming languages is always an added bonus. Employers nowadays are setting their eyes on candidates that possess a great deal of skill in app building as well as web designing. The reason for this is that companies can save on labor costs by hiring individuals who are equally skilled in such technical fields. This should provide all the more reason to take basic programming courses online or to undergo mentorship with a professional.
4. Journalistic skills
What does being a reporter have to do with jobs lying outside the realm of journalism? Well, to answer that question, we have to look at the priorities of just about any business. Audience outreach is vital to improving an organization’s bottom line by way of addressing specific “pain points” and coming up with questions that will help it figure out a potential client’s needs. The communication and analytical skills of a journalist are best suited in this area. Conducting effective client interviews and creating relevant proposals and messages using digital tools are just some of the advantages of having a journalistic background. For this reason, you will need to think like a reporter to better understand your audience and maximize the channels that are crucial to reaching out to them.
