Want to future-proof your career? Build up your Hybrid Job skills
It’s no longer about career. To get the job you want you need to think about skills.
If you’ve looked for a new job lately, you’ve probably noticed what is happening in the job market: Being good at just one thing is no longer enough.
Whereas in the past a specialized skill set could land you your dream job, today’s employers are looking for more. They are looking for multi-faceted and multi-skilled employees that can combine technical skills such as programming with “offline skills” such as analysis, design, or marketing.
They are looking for someone who can view opportunities, challenges, and problems through multiple perspectives. In short, they’re looking for the hybrid employee to fill the growing demand for hybrid jobs.
Moreover, according to a recent Inc.com article, “the creativity, resourcefulness, and mindfulness needed to do a hybrid job is what makes it harder for these positions to get outsourced or automated, unlike non-hybrid jobs which companies view as commodities”.
So if you’re looking for your dream job — one that can challenge and inspire you — then it’s time to get your hybrid skills on.
But first, what is a hybrid job?
A hybrid job is one that requires many skills and roles, such as technology and people skills, to effectively get the job done.
According to a 2016 Bentley report, for many industries, specialty skills that were once separate from each other, and jobs that two or even three people in different departments used to do, are now being combined into one role. For example, one of the most in-demand professions today, Product Management, is the ultimate hybrid job, requiring product, technology and business skills. The same is true for Growth Hacking, Community Management, and other in-demand positions.
In addition, the report shows that some previously popular jobs are in decline as their once-innovative skills have become mainstream and integrated into other roles. For example, postings for social media strategists have fallen 64 percent in the last five years, even as the skill of social media strategy has risen sharply in human resource jobs (up 376 percent), sales jobs (up 150 percent), and marketing and PR jobs (up 117 percent).
And what is it good for?
In today’s world: Versatility + Specialization = Job Security
Job security doesn’t come from relying only on your boss to tell you what you need to do. Job security comes from knowing yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, and especially the skills that will give you the added value to get and stay ahead of the game.
In this way, building a hybrid skillset is so important because these skills can potentially offer more job security.
Acquiring diverse skills enables you to be versatile enough to embrace change and new challenges. This kind of professional flexibility results in a worker getting more opportunities in a constantly changing job environment. Moreover, building up your hybrid skills enables you make more deliberate and mindful decisions about your professional life.
We all know by now that millennials are looking for jobs that bring them meaning — more than 50% of millennials say they would take a pay cut to find work that matches their values, while 90% want to use their skills for good. By developing the right skills you can position yourself at an advantageous place to get those meaningful jobs.
According to a recent article, “It’s about knowing that you have adaptable skills with whatever your career is,” Jacinto said from New York City. “Even though you have this job right now, it doesn’t mean it’s going to look the same 10 years from now.”
Even more importantly is that developing a more well-rounded skillset brings YOU value. You can look at problems more creatively and communicate and collaborate more effectively with diverse teams. And filling multiple roles can help you ward off boredom — more skills usually means more interesting and varied tasks to accomplish.
Indeed, one of the key denominators across people who innovate and stand out is that they take the time to cultivate multiple skills.
So now what? How do you build the skills to future-proof your career?
The main takeaway is that it’s no longer about career — careers are dynamic, they ebb and flow over time as technology advances.
To get the job you want you need to think about skills. You need to think broadly about the types of skills you have and the types of skills you need to develop to help you stand out.
According to a recent report, having two specialties at the intersection of two fields is a plus for job-seekers. If you’re in a technical profession, focus on acquiring marketing and business skills. If you’re on the creative side, consider analytics. The company you are applying to is going to look for both sets of skills.
To build up your skills consider taking online courses or signing up for in-person short and long-term courses in marketing, programming, product and more.
At Elevation Academy we’re dedicated to helping you build the skills you need to land your dream job.
Visit our website or contact us at contact@elevationacademy.co, for more information.
Help us help you get your hybrid skills on.
