Looking for a job? Digital skills a big plus — study

MANILA, Philippines — Digital roles appeared to be the top target for the 77% of Filipinos who are willing to retrain for new jobs, based on JobStreet’s Decoding Global Talent report.

Because of the report, online employment portal JobStreet urges candidates to upgrade digital skills regardless of profession.

As hybrid work becomes the new workplace norm for companies, candidates with digital skills have an edge over the rest of the applicants.  

Careers in different industries are evolving. With more automated tasks, employees must rely on transferable skills, or universal skills, to keep on adapting to the ever-changing work environment.

1. Self-study is the key to upgrade your skill set.

Jobstreet Philippines Country Manager Philip Gioca recommends learning skill sets that employers will likely look for in a hybrid work setup.

These include communications, teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking, leadership and management. Digital workers are huge believers in self-study and online learning, preferring the flexibility and on-demand nature over more traditional “classroom” setups. 

According to the Decoding the Digital Talent Challenge report last November 2021, 75% cited self-study as their preferred way to learn, while 65% used digital academies. 

“Start close to home, with tools and software related to your current role. You’ll find it more relatable and immediately have the chance to practice it. There’s a lot of free resources online that you can leverage for your advantage,” said Gioca.

With the massive amount of learning materials now available at your fingertips, you can pick up nearly any skills you need to future-proof your career. To maximize your online learning experience, JobStreet recommends taking online courses from various digital education platforms like FutureLearn, Luna Academy, Udemy, as well as Coursera and the world of open university learning.

2. Master the tools for hybrid work.

During the pandemic, employees have become well-acquainted with apps like Zoom. A productive hybrid workplace, however, is more than just using virtual meeting applications. Virtual office simulator tools, video chat tools, document storage systems and live document systems are especially critical for hybrid work. 

Digital tools like Google Workspace, Calendly, Trello and Basecamp help processes to be more consistent, secure and efficient. More and more employers will start adapting digital ways of working and mastering these digital tools put candidates in a better position. 

Online collaboration among team members is key to a productive hybrid work setup. These collaboration tools help with scheduling, accountability and remove the need to keep sending files back and forth between members.

3. Learn to be flexible and resilient.

As the work environment continuously evolves, flexibility and resilience will be your key to remaining competitive in this highly digital age. 

Remote work, staggered hours, being output- or task-based, collaborating across time zones – digital workers were already working this way before the pandemic. They were the first to adapt, and many have not only kept their jobs but moved to even better ones.

“Flexibility and resilience are digital skills, too. As more jobs rely on innovation or technology, candidates are encouraged to be more open to trying ideas and not be afraid of failure because when conditions change, we must learn to adjust, recalculate and bounce back,” shared Gioca. 

The future of your career lies in your ability to navigate a hybrid environment. In order to do this, you must be knowledgeable of the in-demand skills and online collaboration tools. This builds an atmosphere of trust, whether you are working remotely or on-site. Additionally, a productive workspace is also conducive to teamwork. 

RELATED: ‘Sana all’: Hybrid setup and other things we wish for in our workplaces