Table of Contents
Introduction?
The inevitable rise of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), or AIICT, has led to companies seeking more employees who possess digital ICT skills. ICT skills can range from programming in Python or JavaScript (amongst a variety of other languages), to sending emails and automating Excel tasks in the name of maximizing productivity and business efficiency.?
These skills will no doubt serve you well throughout the bulk of your career, and here are some of the most essential ones you can pick up today to help with your new job search.
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Online Etiquette
Online etiquette, also known as netiquette, are rules and guidelines for respectful online communications and behaviour that govern the bulk of internet communications in the golden digital age.?
Many of these rules, while explicitly laid out by social media platforms, are also implicit and arise from a need for amiable and productive conversations online. Having good online etiquette can lead to fostering better online relationships with partners, customers and clients along with boosting your reputation and that of your company.?
2. Word Processing?
Being proficient at written communication these days is not just about putting pen to paper and having good grammar, but also requires knowing using and manipulating word processing software for your desired purposes.
Many companies also utilize software such as Microsoft Excel to maintain important databases, and this makes having data entry skills an added plus for any employee working with any form of information that needs recording and updating.?
3. Social Media Analytics And Management?
Marketing, advertising and data-centric roles these days require employees to possess social media analytics and management skills. These skills stem from the sheer amount of information and data that passes through social media platforms each day.?
Analytics tools available on social media platforms need to be extracted to measure performance regularly, which can further aid in fine-tuning business strategies.
Aside from analytics, it is also important to attain skills in content creation and distribution, especially as competition for audience engagement remains at an all-time high with shorter attention spans and more content being produced than ever.?
4. Problem-Solving?
With hundreds of online software and tools available to solve business problems, it can be a daunting task to choose which would be the best and most appropriate for solving a specific business problem.?
However, these tools would be irrelevant if an employee does not have key problem-solving skills in place. These skills include being proficient at analysis, brainstorming solutions, formulating research ideas, and active listening among others. (provigil online order) ?
Having such skills in your professional arsenal will no doubt appeal to employers who are always in search of resourceful employees who can solve problems effectively by identifying the right approaches.?
5. Technological Skills?
Along with having the relevant soft skills, it is also necessary to possess relevant technical skills that can help businesses solve everyday and long-term problems, making you a highly valuable employee in the process.?
Technological skills can include being proficient at word processing software, and programming languages, troubleshooting hardware devices such as laptops and tablets, along with maintaining and cleaning databases.
How To Hone Your ICT Skills
With the relevant skillsets identified, you may wonder how exactly you can go about honing these skills to become exactly the kind of proficient technological candidate employers are on the lookout for.
Here are some of the most effective ways you can hone your ICT skills:?
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Watch Online Tutorials
Self-learning is easier than ever these days with hundreds if not thousands of online tutorial videos available on a wide variety of topics.?
Tutorials are available on the simplest of topics, from sending emails and creating a simple website to coding machine learning models for analyzing your company?s database.
You can also explore new technological interests that might not be relevant to your career, to expand your domain of knowledge which may prove to be useful down the road.?
2. Practice Makes Perfect
As with any other skill, getting good at ICT requires constant practice to retain and refine your knowledge, otherwise, you may risk falling behind given the fast pace that technology is constantly evolving.?
Through consistent practice, you can also identify gaps in your technological knowledge that you can fill in with online tutorials and forums, which will make you a better problem-solver and more efficient at approaching technical challenges.?
3. Real World Experience?
If you are a young jobseeker, it can be useful to attain industry-specific knowledge by taking on an internship with a company in your preferred industry. You may also offer your services for a free or low rate to relatives or local small businesses to solve their technological problems.
Through these methods, you will attain useful real-world experience in technological problem-solving that can translate to high-level research and solutions further down in your career.?
4. Seek Out Technological Communities?
One of the best ways to immerse yourself in the vast world of technology is to surround yourself with like-minded colleagues and professionals in your industry. The power of a network especially in tightly knit communities such as the technology industry cannot be understated and is highly beneficial for job seekers.This can be done through joining regular networking sessions, hackathons, conferences and seminars or online forums where you can link up with other professionals, which can give you a further leg up in your job hunt or present career.?
Conclusion
With these skills in place, and with the proper framework to guide your technological progress set, you will have gained a significant advantage in your next job interview.?
Be sure to prepare an appropriate and effective resume and cover letter that highlights your relevant ICT skills and experience. You should also list company experiences, technological projects completed, and hackathons or conferences participated in to demonstrate how you have applied your skillsets to real-world problem-solving.
It may also be useful to highlight the exact skills you possess that can help a company solve its problems, to help employers determine if you will be the right fit for the company, and this has the added advantage of helping you stand out as a candidate who has done their homework.?
