5 Essential Skills You Need to Get Ahead in 2017

Sponsored by the University of Birmingham

As 2017 gets underway, what essential skills do you need to get ahead in today’s fast-changing employment market? Like technology and consumers, the modern workplace is changing. To keep pace, employees must abandon old-school mentalities, embracing the new global, agile, entrepreneurial workplace.

The robotization of the workforce, the rise of digital, and the ongoing march of globalization are all contributing to improved efficiencies and diverse opportunities – but they’re also sure to bring some new challenges. To blossom professionally and stand out from your peers, here are the five essential skills you need.

1. Creativity

Many could be misled into thinking that “creativity” means untucking your shirt or dying your hair purple. If, like the character Peter Mannion (played by Roger Allam) in UK political comedy series The Thick of It, you “always tuck [your] shirt in” because “it’s part of getting dressed”… carry on. Creativity is not about office style.

Instead, focus on gaining long-term vision and finding inventive, creative solutions to business issues. Show employers that you’re an imaginative problem-solver. If this is an area you want to work on, consider enrolling on an online course as a way to unleash your creativity, while learning about cutting-edge business theories and practices.

2. Leadership skills

More than ever before, you must be able to give your team a clear sense of direction, build trust and motivate your co-workers to build new skills and support your vision, especially when faced with changing markets, competition and developments in technology…

…. And, believe it or not, leadership skills can be taught! As Liz Ryan puts it in Forbes, “One of the worst business lies is ‘You can't teach leadership skills, because leaders are born and not made.’” If you’re ready to develop your own leadership potential, a program such as the University of Birmingham’s Online MBA or Online Masters of Public Administration will inculcate you with indispensable people management skills, helping you become a more effective and inspiring leader.

3. Marketing acumen

These days, everyone needs marketing skills – even those who don’t work in marketing. Most professions require you to have some level of branding, data analysis and social media know-how. Building these skills will help you stay in tune with the zeitgeist of your sector, and support all of the other essential skills in this list.

You can develop marketing acumen in context while building on other aspects of your business know-how, through a course such as the University of Birmingham’s Online MSc International Business. With a focus on practical skills and one-to-one coaching, this program provides a good foundation for all business functions, which of course, includes marketing!

4. Project management expertise

How confident would you feel about heading an office branch in a new city or managing a new project from start to finish? Today’s workplace calls for competent project managers, who have the skills required to turn ideas into concrete outcomes.

From assessing potential risks to managing budgets, deadlines and egos, project management calls for a broad mix of hard and soft skills. A solid understanding of the latest project management theories and tools can be essential here, helping you convert even the most complex project into a manageable form, and keep things moving forward.

5. A global mindset

Perhaps the most essential skill required to thrive in today’s economic landscape is a global mindset - if you want to help your company and career prosper in 2017. You can develop this through training with an international university, where you’ll be immersed in a melting pot of cultural and business contexts and ideas, as well as building a global network of contacts in all corners of the world. Latest statistics show that 63% of students studying across the University of Birmingham’s Online MBA, Online Masters of Public Administration and Online MSc International Business are international!

Rejuvenate your career with an online degree

Want to accelerate your career progression? Start your application today at the UK’s University of Birmingham and gain access to a large global network, industry connections and trailblazing resources. Ranked among the world’s top 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings® 2016-2017, the University of Birmingham offers 100% online degrees grounded in the needs of the modern workplace.