Skills trends are constantly evolving. What was in demand several years ago is no longer relevant, or has lost its sense of urgency, today. To thrive in your career at a consistent level, you need to be prepared to adapt…constantly.
Since change can occur almost without warning (look at the AI boom as an example), you should always upskill yourself at least once a year, so you’re always current and on top of your career and job, instead of allowing your job or employer to be in control of you.
High-income skills afford just that. They provide you with a cushion which allows you to be flexible and navigate your way through job and business opportunities fairly easily. Since they are in demand, you will find that you will be a more attractive candidate to hiring managers and recruiters, and you will have more leverage as a freelancer.
However, merely possessing high-income skills is not magic sauce. Just like any skill, they need to be honed and developed, but unlike any other skill, the frequency with which they need to be developed is more than you might expect.
Since they occur in industries and markets that tend to shift rapidly (such as technology or marketing), you should try to always stay abreast of trends and changes that might impact your work in some way, in addition to your annual upskilling.
For example, if you worked in marketing before the AI boom took off, you would have noticed how, within a matter of months, the entire industry and market you serve has changed. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, new AI-powered apps and tools popped up which generate designs, write copy, and can do a host of other things. If you’re not careful to upskill so that you can adapt your skills to these changes, you could find yourself obsolete.
The more you upskill, the more of a specialist you become, and the more you increase your credibility and quality of work.
High-income skills pay much because they are either rare, or they provide strong tangible value to the businesses they serve. They solve or tackle a problem that is at the root of the company being able to make more money. Becoming specialized in your high-income skill puts you in a fortunate position to be able to generate unique and creative solutions to problems, and enables you to command higher pay rates and salaries.
If you’re wondering where to begin, here are a few you might want to consider learning this year (and remember, you can learn these through bootcamps and online learning platforms, both free and budget-friendly options available):
1. Audio and Video Editing
Who doesn’t need an audio or video editor? Every day, millions of production content from videos to podcasts are released for marketing, education, and entertainment, by start-ups and well-established businesses all over the world. And for them to look polished, crisp, and seamlessly professional, they underwent a makeover by video and audio editors. This explains why A/V editors are in high demand, experiencing a 7% surge in job growth, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
1. Audio and Video Editing
Who doesn’t need an audio or video editor? Every day, millions of production content from videos to podcasts are released for marketing, education, and entertainment, by start-ups and well-established businesses all over the world. And for them to look polished, crisp, and seamlessly professional, they underwent a makeover by video and audio editors. This explains why A/V editors are in high demand, experiencing a 7% surge in job growth, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Where You Can Learn It For Free:
- Udemy (they have a selection of free courses here)
- WsCube Tech
- Great Learning
- Reed (in the UK)
2. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is a rapidly evolving and expanding industry, that is projected to grow by 6.87% by the year 2028. Professionals with digital marketing skills are in high demand, with the BLS predicting 6% growth on average in the U.S. Everything is carried out online, from business, to shopping, to entertainment and work, so it makes perfect sense why this is a thriving skill to have.
You can expect to make as much as $124,000 as a digital marketing manager.
Where You Can Learn It For Free:
- Semrush
- HubSpot Academy
- Meta
- Coursera
3. Google Analytics
According to Salary.com, the average you can expect to make with Google Analytics as a skill is $125,593 a year. This skill can be utilized in a variety of roles, from SEO manager, to SEO specialist, and social media analyst.
Where You Can Learn It For Free:
- Google Career Certificates (via Coursera)
- Google Analytics Academy
- Great Learning
Have any of these skills piqued your interest? If so, then so long as you have a good internet connection and a laptop, there are literally no excuses to not get started building these high-income skills today.
-FORBES
