Five skills every career woman should have in 2020 and beyond
Want to stay ahead of the game? Here are five skills every career woman should have in 2020 and beyond.
According to Alvin Toffler, one of the most outstanding futurists, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”
This statement has never been more appropriate, as advances in technology, changes in workplace behavior, and the continuing evolution of the concept of work are calling for professionals to acquire new skills in order to remain relevant.
There are skills, however, that will remain relevant in the foreseeable future. In this article, we discuss some of these hard and soft skills and how you can apply them to your career.
1) Accounting skills
Accounting is often referred to as the language of business. An innate understanding of the factors affecting the behavior and flow of money is key in running a business. But even if you’re not an entrepreneur, this knowledge is important to have since it helps you better manage your finances.
Having basic accounting skills allows you full control over your investments and budgeting decisions, thus helping you cement your status as an independent career woman. Nonetheless, if you don’t relish the idea of wrestling with numbers and receipts, rest easy.
You can employ the help of accounting software. This will handle the tedious and time-consuming aspects of accounting for you. Xero is one such option. Take an online Xero course to cut the time it takes for you to find your footing. Don’t forget, such qualifications are highly sought after by employers.
2) Decision-making skills
The ability to make quick yet good decisions is important in all aspects of life. Good decision-making skills allow you to quickly and effectively evaluate all the options at your disposal and take the best course of action.
These skills can prove invaluable at the workplace, where your decisions could potentially impact your success and productivity.
3) Problem solving skills
Like decision making, problem-solving is invaluable. Problem-solving skills entail approaching problems from different angles and coming up with innovative, creative, out-of-the-box solutions.
Additionally, it is through problem-solving that we identify things that need changing or improving. It is, for this reason, that these skills will remain evergreen.
4) Communication skills
Communication is the process by which we exchange ideas and information. Good communication skills help you better manage your teams, ensure that you present your ideas without being afraid of ridicule and that you freely listen and talk to your colleagues and superiors.
Therefore, it is no wonder that individuals with poor communication skills are unlikely to get ahead in their careers.
It is important that you work on both your written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills. These are the main avenues of communication used at the workplace, although it’s worth noting that non-verbal communication usually complements verbal communication.
A good mastery of all these types of communication will ensure that you’re able to confidently communicate in both formal and informal workplace settings.
5) Negotiation skills
It is one thing to come up with a great idea. It is a completely different thing to convince people to buy into it. While communication skills will let people know of your idea, negotiation skills will convince them to accept it.
You will need to have good negotiation skills regardless of your job title because ever so often, you’ll want to convince other people to see things your way.
Keep refining your hard and soft skills
Almost all careers are evolving, adapting to the changing social, cultural, and technological environment. By renewing your skills and adapting them to this dynamic environment, you reinvent yourself and increase your appeal to hiring managers.
