Don't Let Your Career Stagnate: 10 Skills You Need To Master Now!

Looking to boost your employability in a short time frame? You can learn many skills in just six months that can impress potential employers and enhance your resume. But, which ones are in demand?

A user asked on a popular forum, what is a skill someone can learn in 6 months that will impress employers on a resume? and here are the top picks:

1. Pivot Tables In Excel

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While it may sound simple working with Excel is a skill that only a few have.

“Pivot tables – One of the best things I learned at my internship is. Pivot Tables are the life of the business world! My boss even said if you master Microsoft Office, it is an easy way up in the business field, as many executives don’t quite grasp the concept.” said one.

“As someone who only left engineering school two years ago, I was amazed that I had never learned about pivot tables/charts in school once I was taught them at work. Combining that with some other excel knowledge, I have slowly evolved into the excel guy.” another said.

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2. Wine Course

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Not a lot of people are aware of this.

“My friend from NYC was out of work, so he studied wine for a month and applied as a server at a high-end French restaurant. Many high-end restaurants quiz you on wine as part of the interview. He’s also super charming, pulling hundreds in tips a day.” said one.

“I can confirm this. My sister was a manager at a very high-end steakhouse in the city, and they quizzed her heavily on food pairings with wines. Had to know it inside and out.” another said.

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3. Public Speaking

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You need to focus on improving communication skills if you want to advance in your career. It helps increasing visibility and credibility, and opening up opportunities for networking and leadership roles.

“Public Speaking will do you heaps of good in whatever field you pursue.” said one.

“One of the main things most talented people do not possess is excellent communication skills. I’ve seen too many amazingly gifted people get passed up in job opportunities with lesser skills and better personal communication skills. And seriously- the classes are easy to access.” said another.

4. Coding

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This one needs no introduction. If you love it, there is no reason why you shouldn’t learn coding.

“I’m unemployed and started learning coding at the recommendation of an old professor. There are many free online courses for this and many other subjects taught by reputable professors on coursera.org.” said one.

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5. Start Making Blogs

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I’m a blogger as well and I can stand by this recommendation. If you can be consistent and learn new internet skills every year, you can make good money with this skill.

“As a PR major, you should start a blog. Write about whatever interests you, but it should be something comms-focused. I’m a suit at an ad agency, and my old blog helped me get a job. Happened to a few friends too.” suggested one.

“Learn basic SEO. It will help your blog tremendously and also help that resume.” said one.

6. Learn Sign Language

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“Try learning sign language; you would be surprised how many opportunities appear. If you’re in college, you can learn the basics in only one semester. Employers hired my sister because they could always use an interpreter to talk to deaf customers.” said one.

“My friends and I learned the basics of ASL for fun and then learned that it can come in convenient in loud situations like bars or concerts or when you just don’t want the people around you to know what you’re saying.

We have been mistaken for a group of deaf folks, and it shocks the hell out of the people around us when we laugh out loud at a joke a friend of ours told in ASL.” another said.

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7. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

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“They won’t admit it, but fat-cat bosses like having folks around who can revive them if they have a heart attack at work.” said one.

“Damn right. Hell, this is something that someone can learn in 6 hours. Also, it’s just a damn good thing to know, resume aside.” another said.

8. Typing Skills

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There is no excuse for slow typing these days, is there?

“I’d been passed over at hiring fairs because of slower typing, so I started practicing; it made all the difference, and I landed a job immediately after a couple of weeks of steady practice.” said one.

“Getting good at typing fast doesn’t take very long and is impressive for any office job. ” Put your pointer fingers at F and J and stop looking at your keyboard.” another said.

9. Learning HTML/CSS/JavaScript

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“HTML/CSS/javascript, learned in 3 months, put together a portfolio and started interviewing, was picked up by a Fortune 500 company within the year.” said one.

“Basic HTML/CSS/Photoshop skills have helped me stand out on my resume. And it’s so dang easy to learn. Never thought something I picked up on a whim as a kid would make such a huge difference.” another said.

10. Start Networking

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“Network like crazy. Go to the industry meetings that you want to work in, meet people, ask them about their projects (and e ready to talk about yours), volunteer, intern if possible, organize meetups and small un-conferences, brush up your social media profile and take pictures of events and post them on your professional themed blog.” said one.

Developing a new skill can be a game-changer for your career. Have you learned a skill in six months that impressed an employer? Share your views.