Being skilled with computers and other technology is no longer a unique skill. All employers expect their employees to be tech-savvy and find ways to figure out solutions with technology, at least on a basic level.
While some jobs require you to have extensive knowledge of technology, others require you to be able to use a computer and learn new tools to complete your tasks.
No matter what job you’re applying for, you’ll be expected to have these technical skills:
Social Media
Even if you’re not in a marketing role, you’ll still need to be social media savvy. Make sure you’re familiar with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and now, TikTok.
Having basic social media skills demonstrates you can share information and engage with people, including customers and prospects, which is vital to any business.
If you are in marketing, then this skill is even more important. You should be up to date on the most recent social media trends and know which tools are best for getting the job done, including influencer integrations, social media scheduling tools, and hashtag generators.
Spreadsheets
At some point in your job, you’ll be introduced to a company spreadsheet. If you’re in accounting, these spreadsheets will likely have financial equations in them. If you’re in another department, you can expect to see spreadsheets that cover certain tasks needed to be completed.
Spreadsheets are used by all types of businesses to increase productivity. Thanks to tools like Google Sheets, companies can now collaborate on the same spreadsheets, which makes project management much easier.
Presentation Skills
Most employers will need to know you can create presentations for clients or internal use, even if you’re not expected to do this in your job. It doesn’t matter if you’re entering a B2B or B2C company; presentations can help you visually present your ideas to make them more engaging for the person you’re presenting to.
Website Platforms
Many websites today operate on WordPress because you don’t need to be a web developer to figure out how to use it. WordPress is simple to use, which is why employers expect their employees to be able to make small changes to the website without having to consult their web designer.
Word Processing
Word processing is one of the most basic tech-savvy skills you should possess. Learning how to type properly is important for almost any job. We’re living in a digital world where your inbox is filled every morning with communications from coworkers, clients, internal communications, and more.
You’ll be typing a lot at almost any job you have from this point forward, so it helps if you can type quickly and efficiently with few errors so you can be more productive.
You should also learn how to format your communication. You never know when you’ll be tasked with drafting a meeting summary or internal communications.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Computers are an integral part of any workplace, so you need to know how to efficiently use them. If you don’t already know them, you should learn all of the basic keyboard shortcuts on both Apple and Microsoft systems. These shortcuts can save you a lot of time. Learn these basic ones to start:
- Copying
- Pasting
- Printing
- Window toggling
- Bookmarking
Emailing & Email Software
You’ll be emailing a lot no matter what type of job you have. Office workers especially have a ton of emails they send daily. Email is one significant staple of workplace technology, so knowing how to email professionals is crucial.
Communication Tools
Now that many workforces are becoming remote, you’ll need to learn how to communicate with your managers and coworkers without seeing them in person. There are a lot of communication tools out there to help you do this, with one of the most popular being Slack, which allows you to directly message groups and individuals.
Another thing you are expected to know is video conferencing. Whether you use Zoom or Google Meet, you’ll be meeting with people remotely for meetings instead of in-person because it’s more convenient for everyone.
Most communication tools function in the same way and aren’t hard to learn. Once you’ve learned one software, you’ve basically learned them all. However, once you know what types of tools you’ll be using in the workplace, make sure you watch tutorials and play around with them before you have to use them in a professional setting.
Project Management Tools
Spreadsheets are typically a company’s go-to project management tool because people have been working with spreadsheets for decades.
However, there are many other project management tools you should know about, such as Trello, Monday, and Basecamp. The purpose of these tools is the same, but they look and function differently.
Trello, for example, allows you to create lists and tasks and move a task over once it’s complete. You can pass a task on to another team member, depending on how your Trello board is set up. For example, you can create a board for web design and development.
Once the designer has designed the page, they put the task in the copywriters’ list. Once the copywriter is done, they can send it to the client for approval before moving the task to the developer.
General Tech Savviness
Overall, employers are looking for people who are tech-savvy and won’t need training on how to use computers or certain digital tools. If you’re tech-savvy, you won’t need to look up tutorials for how new tools work because you’ve likely used something similar in the past.
However, even if you haven’t used tools like the ones your employer use, a tech-savvy person can easily figure it out.
Final Thoughts
The tools an office uses are designed to be simple for people with basic computer knowledge. You’ll never be expected to code a website if you’re not a programmer; just make sure you’re comfortable using a computer and learning new things.
Overall, you don’t need to be a computer genius to get a job in the digital world; you just have to be willing to try new tools and figure out which one works best for you.
