If you’ve been looking to transition into a tech career, there is no better time to start than now.
As the new decade dawns upon us and the global tech market continues to evolve. The skills needed to stand out in the field are constantly in high demand.
In this article, we examine 5 in-demand digital skills for 2020 and beyond.
1. Digital Marketing
From list building to social media marketing to email marketing, inbound marketing, and Search Engine Optimization, digital marketing plays a very vital in the success of a company online.
Whether you decide to have your company, become a freelancer or work for a company, having great digital marketing skills is sure to pay off big time.
The amazing thing about digital marketing is that people are ready to share everything they know about the subject for free. Therefore, there are resources you might want to explore to begin learning right away.
Some of these resources include Udemy’s Complete Digital Marketing Course – 12 Courses in 1, Google Digital Garage, and Analytics Academy, Hubspot Academy,
2) User experience/design
UI/UX is one of the skills that have become very popular in the design community. Although they are in the same family, UI and UX are different.
“UI” meaning User Interface involves designing websites and apps to be visually appealing so that users can navigate through easily.
“User eXperience” on the other hand involves simulating the total experience of users when they interact with your website or application. A UX designer is the middleman between the developers and the UI designers.
The UX specialist tests every element on the website or application to ensure that the experience is seamless for the users.
If you are a creative and analytic person, then UI/UX might just be the field for you. Some resources to get you started include InVision – Principles of UX Design Ecourse, Gymnasium – UX Fundamentals Course, Open To Study – User Experience for the Web, and Skillshare
3) Project Management
Over the last several years, digital project management has grown to be a more recognized and organized field for good reasons.
Until recently, the role of a “digital project manager” did not exist. but with a lot of people concurrently working on a diverse set of projects, the need for effective management of these projects cannot be overemphasized.
Project managers exist across practically every industry, so if you’re considering this career path, you have the liberty to work in different sectors. Project managers ensure projects happen on time and within the resources allocated. If you can pay attention to details and are very organized, then you may want to become a professional in this skill.
Some resources to get you started include Coursera Project Management Courses, Philanthropy University Fundamentals of Project Management, Alison – Diploma In Project Management, Oxford Home Study College – Project Management (Short Course)
4) Copywriting
Who would have thought that having a talent for writing would pay off besides being an author? Well, you can make a career off copywriting and the best part is that you can be flexible with work.
Copywriting simply means “writing to sell”, and the industry has boomed in the digital age, especially with so many new websites needing well-written content.
Copywriting has become very important for businesses to thrive and be successful in today’s world because it helps businesses connect with their target audience, propagate their brand and ultimately drive profitability.
If you’re interested in copywriting, here are some resources to guide you: The Definitive Guide to Copywriting, A Free Copywriting Course (Learn Copywriting in a Few Minutes), Copywriting that sells for ambitious people
5) Coding
No list would be complete without mentioning coding. Almost every piece of digital technology you interact with is backed by multiple lines of code, hence the rising need of programmers.
Contrary to what a lot of people think, learning how to code isn’t difficult. In fact, with dedication, you can complete the beginner phase of a programing language you choose in as little as 3 months.
Because “Coding” is broad – there is a myriad of programming languages to choose from, you might want to take advantage of some resources where you can learn how to code for free.
By doing this, you can discover what you like and don’t like before investing money into a certain coding language or set of courses.
A great place to start for free is Codecademy. Other resources to help you on this journey include freeCodeCamp, Coursera, Codewars and Khan Academy
To thrive in this digital age, it is important to continue learning. Which of these digital skills are you great at? Which of the skills are you interested in learning?