For anyone preparing to enter the workforce for the first time, assembling a resume that demonstrates an attractive set of skills can be a challenge. After all, if you have little in the way of direct experience, so what you are attempting to sell to a prospective employer is your potential and a (hopefully) well-rounded knowledge base. To do it, it’s helpful to know exactly what most employers are looking for in the first place.
These days, the list of in-demand skills begins and ends with one thing – technology. There was a time when most entry-level positions required nothing more than enthusiasm, drive, and a willingness to learn, but those days are long gone. To be successful in today’s workforce, you need to acquire certain tech skills before you ever set foot in a workplace. For those just starting out, here’s a list of four easy to acquire tech skills that will help you land a good job early in your career.
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Coding
When most people hear the word “coding”, they imagine a complex array of languages and hours upon hours of tedious work. That isn’t always the case, though. Many modern programming languages are easier than ever to learn – and their applications are everywhere. For example, HTML and PHP form the basis of modern websites, and knowing how to use them is an excellent skill to list on a resume. The best part is that anyone can gain a working knowledge of these languages for free and at their own pace.
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office skills have been a mainstay basic requirement for a variety of jobs for years. That shouldn’t be surprising, given that the software suite has over a billion users worldwide. Lately, though, Microsoft Office skills are becoming even more highly sought-after. In fact, studies have shown that Microsoft Excel skills, in particular, lead to higher paying jobs for entry-level employees. Since Excel is often used as a data preparation tool for analytics and big data applications, that trend should continue for quite a while. Job seekers can become experts in Excel usage by taking advantage of online courses, which more than pay for themselves through the higher earning potential they help create.
WordPress Skills
If you’re applying for a job with a company that has a website (and which ones don’t?), there’s a good chance that site relies upon WordPress. Statistics indicate that 30% of known websites rely on the popular content management system, so becoming well-versed in its operation is a great way to make your resume stand out from the competition. To get started, you can even set up your own WordPress website for free to get used to the platform. There’s also a wealth of information online to help anyone become a WordPress master.
Web Analytics
If you’ve started to notice the trend that the most in-demand entry-level tech skills all revolve around data analysis and the internet, you won’t be shocked to find out that a skill at the intersection of these two concepts is also on our list. Web analytics involves using tools to measure and track the performance of online applications. This is a critical part of marketing and web development and is used daily by most companies. Search giant Google offers free courses on using their web analytics tools, which are the industry standard.
If you are interested in even more resume-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels then we have a lot to choose from.
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