With the overall unemployment rate in Australia at just above five per cent, there's no shortage of opportunities out there. For qualified candidates who really want to take their careers to the next level — and see their pay rise accordingly — what skill sets are most valuable in today's market? Read on to find out.
the human touch
Do you thrive on personal interaction, carefully listening to others and using your troubleshooting skills to reach a resolution? If so, it sounds like you're blessed with an excellent human touch. You might also have what it takes to be a fantastic customer service representative.
To be successful you need excellent verbal and written communication skills. In this role you'll spend your days speaking directly with customers - but not everyone who calls in will be in the best of moods, requiring you to think on your feet, listen patiently and act quickly. It’ll also mean being adaptable to preserve your customer relationships and steer the interaction towards a positive outcome.
the money manager
Is Monopoly your favourite board game? Good news, the existing pool of talent for many finance-orientated roles — from accounting clerks to accountants, financial analysts and more — is experiencing a modest increase in their demand. If you're highly organised, with strong accounting and general ledger skills, plus some technical know-how, it's time to search for openings in your area.
the front-to-back expert
Do you think you have what it takes to succeed as a full-stack developer? They're the tech pros who help manage companies' front-and back-end technologies, tools and systems. As the name implies, you'll need to know both sides of the latest and greatest technologies, front and back. That means you'll need to be skilled in languages like HTML5, JavaScript and CSS, and frameworks like Foundation, Angular JS, Ember JS, Backbone and Bootstrap. Proficiency working in .Net, Python, Java, Ruby, PHP and database programs like MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB, SQL server and others is also a plus.
If you're ready to launch your job search as a full-stack developer, bear in mind that a large number of openings in this field are located in major metropolitan hubs like Sydney and Melbourne. Your willingness to relocate may be an important factor for you to consider.
the HR/business hybrid
Got a background in HR but a mind for business? Lucky for you, the demand for professionals who possess your hybrid skill set is skyrocketing. That's because the HR function is rapidly transforming. While robots won't take over HR, there are a raft of new technologies on the market today that can automate and enhance HR processes to better support business outcomes.
As the strategic focus of the HR department shifts toward performance management, productivity (and how it’s measured) and adopting new tools to support teamwork, it should come as no surprise that companies are hungry to find business-minded HR leaders who can help them with these focus areas and deliver on bottom-line goals. Check out the HR Partners job boards, for the latest HR specific opportunities.
protecting people online
Want to land a job in a field that's not only fast-growing but also has a significant skills gap? That sounds pretty ideal — and it's the cosy reality for cyber security engineers today. In Australia, the shortage of trained cyber security professionals was estimated to number six million by the end of 2019. With increasing movement towards digitalised records and private information, organisations will be looking to fortify their networks from data breaches, which will increase their need for more cyber security professionals. If you have the right background, you're in a great place with a ton of opportunity, so job security won’t be an issue.
What does it take to succeed in this role? While most jobs require a four-year bachelor’s degree in cyber security or a related field such as information technology or computer science, there are tertiary education programs that are flexible for those that are looking to gain supplementary certifications or a degree to become qualified in the field.
More importantly, however, it's not just technical savvy that makes for great security engineers. You'll also need to be able to work collaboratively in teams, and possess core organisational, analytical and communication skills. After all, IT pros at most organisations these days are asked to work cross-functionally with various stakeholders, so fluency conversing with folks who don't necessarily share your technical background is a must. If you're ready to land your next opportunity as a security engineer, check out some of the openings available right now.
let us power your next career move
Whatever field you specialise in — from finance and accounting, to office and administrative work, to tech and HR — the market for talent across all industries is fiercely competitive right now. Why not strike while the iron's hot? Get in touch with a Randstad recruitment professional today and make sure you check out the Randstad website where we regularly update new jobs postings.