5 Skills You Will Need To Hire In The Next 8 Years (by 2030)

There is a famous prediction from the Institute for the Future (IFF) that around 85% of the jobs that today’s learners will be doing in 2030 haven’t been invented yet. To some, this might seem a bit far-fetched, but even the biggest skeptics must admit that the job market has changed more in the last decade than in the previous half-century.

The advancement of automation enabled by robotics and artificial intelligence makes companies and people more productive, but it also raises questions about the future of human jobs and skills. In the words of Shahin Khan from OrionX: “Computers are gonna do what humans used to do. The bad news is that some of that stuff we didn’t want to do but some of that stuff we did like to do.”

The future of human value and ingenuity will likely not lie in trying to compete with machines, but rather in adding value beyond what can be done by automated systems and being able to continuously adapt to new environments and ways of working.

For a future employer or a recruiter, this means that, unlike today’s highly sought-after, specialized resumes, the future in-demand skills will be a lot more interconnected, evolving, and human. What skills should you be looking to hire in 2030?

1. Emotional and Social Intelligence

With more aspects of our daily lives getting automated, we will crave ‘human’ interactions. In some industries, this will be crucial - for example in healthcare. As AI will get better and faster at diagnosing diseases, it will require a human dose of empathy to deliver often difficult news to patients. Studies already show that 90% of top performers have above average EQ - in the remote/digital work setting, this will be even more important.

2. ?Design Thinking

Computers are generally more advanced than humans in a structured, logical analysis. Recently, technology has also conquered the art of creativity - AI now generates stunning visuals, profound poetry, and even realistic movie scripts. However, using both the analysis and creativity simultaneously requires both sides (left and right) of the human brain and will be key to solving complex problems of tomorrow.?Design thinking combines understanding of customers with systemic reasoning to find solutions that aren’t immediately apparent.

3. Self-management skills

A remote workforce means relying on individuals to take control over aspects of work that were previously coordinated by the company - learning, time management, setting, and managing goals. Haier (an appliance manufacturer) flattened the organizational structure and put trust in the employees - treating them as entrepreneurs who share risks and rewards. In the future, employees will need to be relied upon to self-manage to achieve company goals.

4. ?(Ethical) Decision Making

Artificial intelligence presents many ethical concerns for society - privacy, surveillance, bias, and discrimination. Humans who design these systems and those who will regulate and control them in the future will require a strong moral compass and a clear judgment to examine the impact of AI decisions on society. In practice, that means that technology firms will be hiring employees with a background in philosophy, history, and ethics, rather than just technical backgrounds.

5. Digital and Technical Literacy

Lastly, in a world operated by machines, you will need people who understand these?(and future) technologies. You’ve probably heard of STEM, but the convergence of technologies is also driving demand for SMAC (social, mobile, analytics, and cloud). According to the Emeritus 2021 Global Career Impact Survey, 39% of employers currently demand technical skills in AI and 32% in machine learning. As technologies evolve, your people will need to absorb, understand, apply and scrutinize them.

Global leaders and recruiters tasked with acquiring talent will have a?key role in bringing in the right people to help organizations thrive in the digital world of the future. Those who take the time to define their desired future skillsets early will be in a?better position to attract the right talent. In the next Executive Growth Circle on the 14th of June, global leaders will collaborate to define what?future-ready recruitment of the 21st century look like. Would you want to join them? Get in touch!