The skills Top Companies want right now — and how you can build them

The LinkedIn Top Companies have more than 240,000 jobs open right now on LinkedIn across the United States, and those roles range from everything from a production finance associate at Netflix to a machine learning expert at Deloitte. To fill these opportunities, companies are on the hunt for jobseekers who can demonstrate the right slate of skills — both hard and soft.

While engineering skills are widely in demand, Top Companies are looking for people with an array of unique skills. And the range of sought-after skills go far beyond the R&D department, from sales to finance and beyond.

We dug into the data to look at the roles companies are hiring for now and what skills are in demand. We looked at both the frequency at which a particular skill shows up across the 50 Top Companies in the U.S. as well as the total number of job openings to uncover a collection of some of the most common skills companies are seeking today. You can read more about our LinkedIn Talent Insights and our methodology at the bottom of this article.

Here are 15 skills Top Companies are hiring for now — and how you can start developing these abilities.

The LinkedIn Learning courses mentioned here are free through April 23rd.

1. Cloud computing

Cloud computing is everywhere in today’s business world, and it’s in high demand at companies like Amazon, Salesforce, Deloitte and Amazon. Some companies are hunting for people who can help clients develop strategies to take advantage of the cloud, such as this opening for a Cloud Computing-Machine Learning Senior Manager at Deloitte. Other companies are looking for experts who can build and sustain cloud operations, such as this listing for a Network Development Engineer at Amazon.

Get started: Introduction to Cloud Computing for IT Pros

Become an expert: Microsoft Azure: Core Functionalities

2. Cross-functional team leadership

Companies aren’t just looking for hard tech skills. There’s great demand for workers who know how to communicate and work across multiple teams and functions. Companies like GE are looking for this skill in roles like a Shop Support Team Leader, and Nike wants people skilled in cross-functional team leadership for openings like a Global Entertainment Marketing Manager.

Get started: Managing a Cross-Functional Team

Become an expert: Leading Inclusive Teams

3. Recruiting

Getting the best talent starts with having great talent finders, an expertise that’s particularly hot today. Companies like Google, Facebook and Airbnb are actively seeking workers skilled in recruiting.

Get started: Recruiting Foundations

Become an expert: Social Recruiting for Recruiters

4. Finance

Finance skills cover a range of expertise, including financial risk, wealth management and corporate finance. Companies are on the hunt for all types of financial prowess, and it’s not just banks that are looking for this kind of talent. Netflix is recruiting an Associate, Production Finance and EY is looking for a Service Line Finance Associate Director.

Get started: Finance Foundations

Become an expert: Finance Foundations: Risk Management

5. Supply chain management

Supply chain management involves thinking through how a product or service will get from here (say, a warehouse) to there (your home) and sorting through all sorts of challenges that might surface in the process. Several Top Companies are on the hunt for this skill, including Johnson & Johnson’s listing for a Senior Manager, Supply Chain Planning Projects and Apple’s posting for an Americas Supply Demand Planner.

Get started: Job Skills: Supply Chain and Operations

Become an expert: Lean Inventory Management

6. Python

Python ranked as the most common fastest-growing skill across our Top Companies. It’s a popular and easily readable object-oriented programming language, and it’s requested in job listings like a Python Developer, Full Stack at Oracle and an Infrastructure Security Engineer at Uber.

Get started: Learning Python

Become an expert: Advanced Python

7. Software as a service

Software as a service, also known as SaaS, is a distribution model where companies provide their software via a central location, often via a subscription model. SaaS requires a range of targeted skills depending on the job function, from a basic understanding to support sales to in-depth knowledge of underlying systems for engineers. Companies looking for this knowledge include Splunk, Box and Workday.

Get started: Vue.js Essential Training

Become an expert: React: SPAs

8. Distributed systems

Distributed systems represent a tech setup where components are hosted in various locations and communicate in a coordinated fashion across each hub. Like SaaS, a series of targeted skills apply to this discipline. And a range of companies are looking for people with deep knowledge of this area, including a Senior Backend Infrastructure Engineer at Spotify and a Manager, Network Engineering at Twitter.

Get started: VMware vSphere: Configure and Manage VDS

Become an expert: Cloud Architecture: Advanced Concepts

9. C++

C++ is a versatile programming language. And as this LinkedIn Learning introductory course explains, it “powers systems software, desktop applications, and even video games, and it’s the language that helped land humans on the moon.” Google is looking for a Software Engineer with C++ chops, and Intel’s hunting for a Deep Learning Data Scientist with experience with this language.

Get started: Learning C++

Become an expert: C++: Advanced Topics

10. Analytics

With more and more data built up every day at Top Companies, there’s strong demand for people who can parse the numbers and provide an in-depth understanding of analytics, to gauge the success of a marketing campaign or a tech product (and so much more). Roles that are recruiting now: an Account Services Manager at Interpublic Group and a Data Scientist — Journey Analytics at McKinsey & Co.

Get started: Learning Data Analytics

Become an expert: Data Analytics for Business Professionals

11. Business process improvement

Professionals with business process skills — for both implementing as well as improving current approaches to getting work done — are in demand across Top Companies; that includes employers like WeWork, which is hiring a Finance Transformation Manager, and PwC, which is looking for a Senior Associate with the skill.

Get started: Process Improvement Foundations

Become an expert: Business Process Improvement

12. Entertainment

Top Companies are on the hunt for people with more than typical office skills. Many are looking for professionals with a unique line-up of entertainment skills, whether it’s broadcasting for an outlet like NBC, film expertise for Netflix or television prowess at the Walt Disney Company. And don’t forget podcasts: Spotify is hiring a Comedy Podcast Producer.

Get started: Producing Podcasts

Become an expert: Video Writing: Using Humor to Communicate and Persuade

13. Product management

Product managers are responsible for developing new features, platforms, software or physical products. Product management follows the lifecycle of the item at hand, from setting the strategic vision, outlining how it will get built and ensuring a robust launch. Adobe is looking for a Senior Product Manager, and Cisco is hiring for an Internet of Things Product Manager.

Get started: Interviewing for Product Management Jobs

Become an expert: Product Innovation for Product Managers

14. Program management

Program management focuses on setting up processes to pull off a series of related projects. It takes project management to a new level by connecting different initiatives with the goal of improving an organization’s overall performance. Top Companies hiring now for this skill include Verizon (Manager of Program and Project Management) and DocuSign (Senior Program Manager, Enterprise Learning Services).

Get started: Program Management Foundations

Become an expert: Managing Resources Across Project Teams

15. Pre-sales

Sales is the second most common job function that Top Companies are hiring for: No matter the industry, companies need great sales people. One of the skills that they are looking for among that group is pre-sales, the ability to find leads and lay the foundation for a successful client relationship. ServiceNow and Dell Technologies are both hiring for this skill.

Get started: Sales Prospecting

Become an expert: Purpose-Driven Sales

What skills are in demand in your industry today? Weigh in. #LinkedInTopCompanies

Methodology

Skills data were sourced from LinkedIn Talent Insights as of March 2019, and the analysis looks at both the parent company and majority-owned subsidiaries. Data looks at active job listings on LinkedIn, matching associated skills called out or inferred within the job listing. The methodology analyzes the top 10 skills companies are hiring for now, looking at the frequency they occur across all companies as well as the quantity of open jobs asking for that skill. The final data is ranked using a log scale and normalized, then editorial analysis is applied to provide the final list of sought-after skills.