Blockchain Most In-Demand Hard Skill for 2020

man looking at blockchain diagram

Blockchain is the hard skill employers most want in potential hires this year, according to an analysis from LinkedIn, while creativity is the most-needed soft skill. The social network looked at what hard and soft skills were listed on members' LinkedIn profiles and which people were getting hired at the highest rates, to determine what skills are in high demand for 2020.

Hard skills were defined as those that "concern an employee's ability to do a specific task," including specialized knowledge and technical know-how, according to the LinkedIn Talent Blog. Soft skills were considered behaviors and personal traits that impact the way employees approach their tasks: "how they adapt, collaborate, solve problems and make decisions."

The top 10 most in-demand hard skills identified by LinkedIn were:

  1. Blockchain;
  2. Cloud computing;
  3. Analytical reasoning;
  4. Artificial intelligence;
  5. UX design;
  6. Business analysis;
  7. Affiliate marketing;
  8. Sales;
  9. Scientific computing; and
  10. Video production.

And the top five soft skills:

  1. Creativity;
  2. Persuasion;
  3. Collaboration;
  4. Adaptability; and
  5. Emotional intelligence.

For more information, read the full blog post on the LinkedIn site.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • geometric pattern features abstract icons of a dollar sign, graduation cap, and document

    Maricopa Community Colleges Adopts Platform to Combat Student Application Fraud

    In an effort to secure its admissions and financial processes, Maricopa Community Colleges has partnered with A.M. Simpkins and Associates (AMSA) to implement the company's S.A.F.E (Student Application Fraudulent Examination) across the district's 10 institutions.

  • stylized figures, resumes, a graduation cap, and a laptop interconnected with geometric shapes

    OpenAI to Launch AI-Powered Jobs Platform

    OpenAI announced it will launch an AI-powered hiring platform by mid-2026, directly competing with LinkedIn and Indeed in the professional networking and recruitment space. The company announced the initiative alongside an expanded certification program designed to verify AI skills for job seekers.

  • Abstract AI circuit board pattern

    New Nonprofit to Work Toward Safer, Truthful AI

    Turing Award-winning AI researcher Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a new nonprofit aimed at developing AI systems that prioritize safety and truthfulness over autonomy.

  • hooded figure types on a laptop, with abstract manifesto-like posters taped to the wall behind them

    Hacktivism Is a Growing Threat to Higher Education

    In recent years, colleges and universities have faced an evolving array of cybersecurity challenges. But one threat is showing signs of becoming both more frequent and more politically charged: hacktivism.