It’s here. Whether you like it or not (make all the jokes you want, be it boomer jokes or millennials can’t dial up a receiver quips), the Fourth Industrial Revolution is here. The year 2020 will be upon us soon with smarter cars, computers, and AI machines and systems that help us do our jobs.
Notice I said “help.” Although machines continue to evolve, there are things machines just can’t do, which means the need for versatile talent will never end. However, this also means that just as machines are evolving, the talent we hire and the skills they possess must do the same.
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution is a way of describing the blurring of boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. It’s a fusion of advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other technologies. It’s the collective force behind many products and services that are fast becoming indispensable to modern life. Think GPS systems that suggest the fastest route to a destination, voice-activated virtual assistants such as Apple’s Siri, personalized Netflix recommendations, and Facebook’s ability to recognize your face and tag you in a friend’s photo.”
So, what skills should our candidates have in this new day and age? I’m glad you asked! Let’s go over some of the top skills candidates will need for jobs of the future!
- Creativity
How else will we advance as a society without creativity? We build machines, but machines can only do so much. Without creativity, progression stops, and any advancement that was happening ceases.
Having workforce readiness means your talent has the basic build blocks to go into and be able to maintain themselves in their employment. These building blocks can cover a variety of baseline proficiencies that a candidate should possess, such as basic math skills, punctuality, and teamwork, making them more employable.
In essence, this requires being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do. When a candidate can be aware of other’s feelings and understand theirs as well as their own, they exemplify perceptiveness and still get what they need to get done. This shows a sense of empathy and a strong sense of self.
- Complex Problem Solving
Individuals who are able to solve complex problems find solutions that advance current industry trends. Creators have to advance to keep up.
- Negotiation
The ability to create the best outcomes is the key to negotiation. This skill, which is considered cross-functional, involves the art of bringing people together to resolve problems, proposals, etc. If one can negotiate successfully, one can communicate effectively.
- Service Orientation
These candidates have a “we can change the world” mentality. They want to help people, whether finding solutions to better a company or society. Who doesn’t want that person on their team?
- Critical Thinking
You would think everyone already has this skill, but many don’t. The use of logical reasoning to make decisions based on what’s best after weighing all options shows an applicant’s ability to make judgments accurately and precisely.
Now, these are not all-inclusive, but these will be top skills we in the recruiting hemisphere need to look for at the very top of their resumes. Our talent pool is so much more than what’s on a piece of paper, and with the coming changes in the work industry, it’s up to us to figure out how to best fit them in.