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These are the 15 most in-demand skills in Australia right now, according to LinkedIn

  • Professional networking platform LinkedIn has revealed the top 5 soft and top 10 most sought-after skills separating Australian job candidates in 2020.

  • Creativity and persuasion ranked highly in soft skills, while blockchain, cloud computing and AI took out top honours in the hard skills category.

  • It comes as LinkedIn unlocks its associated learning courses for users until 31 January.

  • Visit Business Insider Australia’s homepage for more stories.


The job market might have seen better days, but it doesn't mean you can't do better.

Whether you're looking to get a new gig, a promotion or a pay rise, what you can do for an employer will always be the most important thing you can bring to the table.

"Learning not only helps Australians build skills and improve in their roles, it has a strong correlation to a change in mindset, boost confidence and open doors to new opportunities," LinkedIn Learning Asia-Pacific senior director Jason Laufer said in a release.

It's in this vein that LinkedIn has revealed the 15 most sought-after skills in the country right now, and made some of its own courses free for the rest of January.

"By sharing insights about the most valuable skills in the workplace today, our goal is to help more professionals own their careers, cultivating the essential soft skills and most current hard skills."

READ MORE: These are the best 25 startups to work for in Australia

So if your new year fervour for change and improvement hasn't yet subsided, something on this list might be just the ticket you need.

Soft skills

1. Creativity

While it might not in and of itself score you a flash new job, it will undoubtedly help you do whatever it is you do.

"Organisations need people who can creatively approach problems and tasks across all business roles, from software engineering to HR. Focus on honing your ability to bring new ideas to the table in 2020," according to LinkedIn.

2. Teamwork

You might be a superstar at what you do, but if you don't play well with others and don't know how to leverage the talents of others, you're only limiting yourself.

"High-functioning teams can accomplish more than any individual and organisations know it. Learn how your strengths fit with your colleagues to develop the best way to reach a common goal."

3. Persuasion

Equally, if you can't communicate your ideas and get the team behind you, your idea is not worth the piece of paper it's written on.

"Leaders and hiring managers value individuals who can explain the “why.” To advance your career, hone your ability to effectively communicate ideas and persuade your colleagues that it’s in their best interest to follow your lead."

4. Adaptability

Guess what. It's 2020 and the world's built on sand. Whether it's new technology or your business that moves the goal posts, you've got to be able to thrive.

"To stand out in 2020, embrace that reality, bring a positive attitude, and maintain open-minded professionalism in stressful situations."

5. Time Management

There are only so many hours in the day and it's never been more important to optimise them.

"Mastering time management today will serve you the rest of your career because it enables you to manage your workload and complete tasks efficiently."

Hard skills

1. Blockchain

Not even making the global list last year, blockchain technology has skyrocketed up the list as demand spikes for it worldwide.

"Blockchain was born in 2009 to support the use of cryptocurrency. But blockchain’s novel way to store, validate, authorise, and move data across the internet has evolved to securely store and send any digital asset."

2. Analytical reasoning

It's all about data these days and anyone who knows how to dig into it and use it as a compass is going to be well ahead.

"Trending data also reveals that data-driven decision-making skills like analytical reasoning are essential in today’s workforce. As companies continue to collect and analyse more data than ever before, they need people who can help interpret and take action on that data to drive growth for their business."

3. Cloud computing

Another revealing trend in workplaces is the pilgrimage of information to the cloud.

"Today, companies are built and run on the cloud. They need talent who have the skills to help them drive technical architecture, design, and delivery of cloud systems like Microsoft Azure."

4. Artificial intelligence (AI)

It turns out AI isn't just a buzzword, at least not according to LinkedIn, with the demand for those who know how to apply the technology in hot demand.

"The people who can harness the power of AI, machine learning, and natural language processing, are the ones who can help organisations deliver more relevant, personalised, and innovative products and services."

5. Translation

In a globally connected world, it's important not to let things get lost by translation. While it does apply to language, this skill also covers understanding cultural nuances and subtext to avoid making -- how do you say? -- a faux pas.

6. Scientific computing

Much like AI, data science professionals, engineers and software architects all risk being left behind unless they're across computational science -- a fancy way of describing using computers to crack complex problems.

"Companies need more professionals that can develop machine learning models and apply statistical and analytical approaches to large data sets using programs like Python, MATLAB, and others."

7. Investor relations

Communication is key, particularly when it comes to letting the outside world know what's going on inside a company.

"Investor Relations (IR) combines finance, communication, and marketing to effectively control the flow of information between a public company, its investors, and its stakeholders. This skill is critical to ensure the success and growth of a company."

8. Customer service systems

Of course investors aren't the only ones you need to keep on side. The old axiom that 'the customer is king' rings as true today as it ever did.

"In a world where one bad experience can lead to a tweet the whole world sees, consistent customer service is increasingly paramount."

9. UX design

Of course, it helps if your product isn't trash in the first place. For this crucial part of the puzzle, a business will always need the know-how to build the damn thing.

"It seems like the average attention span of consumers decreases every year and so does their patience for unintuitive products. Organisations need more expertise to help them build more human-centric products and experiences."

10. Competitive strategies

Get ahead or get left behind, LinkedIn reckons, with those who can outthink the field highly prized candidates. Go figure.