If you are on the hunt for your the next role and if you're having a hard time getting the perfect fit, you're not alone.
Nearly three in five (58%) of people around the globe plan to look for a new job in 2025, and half are frustrated with research, saying the process has become more TOUGH over the past year, according to LinkedIn explorative.
These days, even candidates who have strong academic credentials may not stand out recruiters. More than 30% of companies eliminated bachelor's degree requirements for certain positions last year, and 25% of them planned to eliminate or continue to eliminate those qualifications by 2025, data from the prep company of Intelligent college. FOUND.
So what exactly should job candidates do to set themselves apart from the competition — and succeed sUccess – in 2025?
Independent US platform Upwork decided to find out. In a new one REPORT that provided skill data from the platform's database and based on freelancer earnings, two skill sets emerged as the most critical.
Related: How skill-based hiring leads to better hiring decisions
Companies need employees with technical skills to keep up with the rapid progress it. However, leaders estimate that only a quarter of their current workforce can effectively use AI solutions today. According to the report, nearly half of full-time workers now depend on freelancers to address critical gaps and help them do their jobs.
Data mining, analytics and visualization, all useful in assessment and application AI modelsare in high demand, and AI annotation and tagging are among the fastest growing skills on Upwork – growing by 220%.
This growing preference for technical expertise is already showing up in skill-based employment practices: 81% of C-suite executives report that they have embraced removing degree requirements and emphasizing skills assessments, according to Upwork research.
Leaders who want to help their current workforce expand their technical skills to keep pace with increasing AI development are looking for another important asset in new hires: the human-centered capability for it coach and guide others effectively. Coaching, training and career development are among the fastest growing skills within their category on Upwork.
In some cases, these essential soft skills can help a candidate overcome a lack of technical expertise over time the interview processespecially if they are willing to grow.
Related: Why prioritizing soft skills in employment is essential for the modern workplace
“If your skills still don't match yours the dream jobask for guidance on how you can learn more,” the chief people officer at the edtech company D2L Amy Clark said entrepreneur. “Don't forget, yours human abilities — communication, collaboration, problem solving — are just as important as the technical skills you need (sometimes even more important). Do not neglect them”.