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These Hard and Soft Skills Can Help “Future-Proof” Your Career, According to LinkedIn Creators

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Having a great interview may get you a job, but having the right skills will keep you there. 

These skills are usually broken up into two categories: hard and soft skills. According to Brandi Fowler, a LinkedIn News reporter, these skills have distinct differences, and show up in different ways in the workplace.

"Soft skills are interpersonal skills that give us the ability to get things done, and hard skills are quantifiable and teachable," Fowler explains in a recent article. "Hard skills are the first things recruiters and hiring managers look for on resumes, and it is essential to match your skills with those on the job description."

A new LinkedIn Learning report found that the top soft skills to "future-proof" your career include leadership, communication and problem solving, while the top hard skills include customer service, sales, and accounting. 

Though different jobs require different skills, having an array of technical and interpersonal capabilities is a great way to stand out from others and allows you to be a combination specialist, making you a great candidate for different opportunities and projects in the workplace. 

To better identify what skills experts think are most valuable in today's workforce, CNBC Make It spoke with three LinkedIn creators, who share professional and inspirational content on the platform.

Computer literacy and public speaking

Audrey Pe is a junior at Stanford who started her own technology accessibility non-profit, WiTech, at age 15. Founded in the Philippines, WiTech currently has over 400 members and 26 chapters across 10 countries.

Pe believes that hard skills like programming and computer literacy, in addition to public speaking and networking, are crucial drivers to one's professional success in today's workforce. 

"Programming is so fascinating to me because it is an essential part of understanding the technology that we use on a daily basis," Pe explains. "While I don't think everyone needs to be a computer science major, I do believe that everyone should have the opportunity to take a computer science class at least once in their lives."

Public speaking preparation during her school years also helped Pe become less nervous while speaking in front of others. 

"Years of debate and Model UN made the transition from school stages to speaking to crowds of over 4,000 people less daunting. Networking is also crucial as it's enabled so many partnerships for WiTech — partnerships which started from me simply going up to startup booths or sending a cold message via LinkedIn to introduce myself."

Confidence and communication

Dylan Gambardella, the co-founder and CEO of Next Gen HQ, a business hub dedicated to helping young entrepreneurs reach their goals, says that he's teaching students "skills that matter" to prepare them for the workforce.

"To us, the 'skills that matter' include confidence, communication, grit, wellness, and a growth mindset, among others," Gambardella says. "We're big believers in teaching skills that promote career success … Employers desire to connect with prospective employees that can contribute from day one."

Video editing and presentation

Eric Sim, an author, lecturer, and financial investor, is no stranger to fields like banking and tech. He advises professionals in these fields to learn skills that may not be directly related to their roles.

"If you are applying for a banking and finance job, you will stand out if you are good at editing videos. You may get hired because, on top of your banking skills, you can help edit the team's training videos or CEO's recorded town hall speech," Sim says.

"If you are after tech or engineering roles, surprise the potential hiring managers with some public speaking skills. You don't have to be a TEDx speaker, just be good enough to explain complex products in simple terms in front of clients or senior management."

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