Modern technology has widely impacted the way we conduct our business. Thus, today being tech-savvy is not a bonus but rather a mandatory prerequisite in every workplace. In the present day and time, workplaces depend largely on technology. It is a salient point, which drives business operations. Thus, beyond the soft skills, your hiring managers also look for some familiarity with the technology. Here is a quick rundown of some of the technical skills that you need to have to survive in your workplace. Let us get started and address them one by one.
Social media savviness
Regardless of the profile, it is quintessential for each of us to be social media savvy in today’s digital age. Some of the most important social media platforms that you ought to be familiar with are Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook. You must have the right knowledge and skill to share information on social media and engage new clients and customers. Please bear in mind; it is a two-way street, which will benefit you and your company as a whole.
Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are boring, but it is a vital skill, which many companies look for any time they open up fresh vacancies. Hannah, an HR executive with TrueBlueFishermen, says that anytime a company makes new hires, it looks for basic MS Excel proficiency. Excel. See, you do not have to know much; only having the simple ability to use and create pivot tables will suffice. Further, you should know how to represent metrics and data on spreadsheets. It is vital to measure the growth and progress of the company. Regardless of your scope or area of work, you will have to time and again store calculations, analyze research data or make reports, which will require knowledge of MS. Excel. If you are not yet familiar with Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel, it is time you learn them now.
Emailing
Email applications are a universal technology at every workplace. Organizations depend on email as a useful mode of internal and external communications. Today, no one likes being ambushed with phone calls. Hence, the calls have been replaced by emails as they offer adequate flexibility for you to reply whenever you are available for it. In emails, you need to know about the inbox rules, learn to create signature profiles, and send and create meeting invites. It is a mandatory tech skill, and there is no area or field of work, which will not require sending or receiving emails.
Presentation skills
In all honesty, whenever we hire someone, we automatically assume that they are familiar with making presentations, comments David, who is an HR with MyPlumberschoice. You will have to make presentations for both internal and client use. Whether you work in a B2C or a B2B company, you should have the basic ability to produce visually compelling emails.
There are many tech tools available to create flawless emails, such as Microsoft Office or Google Suite.
Database Management
Today storing data is easy and inexpensive, all thanks to technology. In addition to the statistical figures, this data is exploited to accentuate business strategies or make market predictions. However, to get through this, you need the know-how of database management. Further, if you have adequate knowledge of Oracle and SQL, you will be a preferred pick for most companies.
Digital conferencing
Today, every employee must know how to conduct digital conferences, states Stan, an HR manager with RazorHood. Well, yes, digital conferencing is a vital skill for conducting effective business meetings. In today’s workplaces, it is crucial to have adequate methods to communicate with others, regardless of the global boundaries and the time differences in the workplaces. For this, web conference technology is employed. It helps in product demonstrations, holding training sessions, webinars, or any virtual team collaboration.
For a successful digital conferencing seminar, you need:
- TV monitor HDMI cable
- Desktop or laptop for running the conference
- Microphone, either speakerphone or speakers
- Speakers
- Camera
- Access to the video conference software
Word processing
Though one of the most fundamental skills, the lack of adequate knowledge of Work Processing, could be the reason for your rejection in almost every workplace. Thus, you must know how to type correctly, as nearly everything happens digitally these days. Therefore, you should know how to do some basic word formatting, such as using bold, italics, and underlining effectively.
On the internet, you can find several tutorials that can help brush up your skills and teach you the right way to make your content more readable and attractive.
Troubleshooting
One of the most vital tech traits that we look for in employees these days is the skill to troubleshoot their technical difficulties, comments Natasha, an HR head with a company that offers CDR report writing services. Well, we agree with Natasha on this! Troubleshooting is a vital thing that employees consider before they recruit someone. It is because an employee who can troubleshoot can think creatively and decisively. Further, such a technically sound employee can source solutions without any disturbance in work. Why is this skill important? Anyone who can troubleshoot technical issues is a resource for a company as such as employees can overcome the problems before they swell up. Hence, if you wish to accentuate your chances of getting hired, this is one of the most vital skills you need to possess.
Touch typing
If you still use three fingers when typing, we honestly feel sorry for you. What is touch typing? It means that when you type, you do not have to look at your keyboard. An employer will never consider an employee who is not a natural with the keyboard as computers are a necessity in every workplace. If required, you can use free online programs, such as Keyhero or Ratatype, as they can better your touch typing skill.
Keyboard shortcuts
Next, you need to know all the prevalent and basic keyboard shortcuts of the system that you use. So, be it a Windows PC or macOS, you should be familiar with the shortcuts. This can save you a lot of time. Some of the common shortcuts you need to know are window switching, pasting, copying, printing, booking, and others, making you a faster and more efficient worker.
Bottom Line
To be up-to-date and keep pace with current times, you need to work on your tech skill consistently. This is a mandatory prerequisite to succeed in a workplace. Always remember that learning is never finite progress; it goes on and on. So, with the advancement of technology, you also need to advance your skill. Because as technology advances, your workplaces will modernize and adapt to newer technology. To match pace, you need to update and upgrade too. So, always be open to broadening your knowledge horizons, as this will give you a better sense of accomplishment and productivity. Lastly, please know these are only a few of the many tech tools you need to be familiar with. So, keep learning and ace at your workplace. If you have more suggestions to add to the list, you can let us and our readers know in the comment box below.