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Want To Be More Marketable? Add These 11 In-Demand Tech Skills To Your Resume

This article is more than 7 years old.

Tech skills pay more. According to a labor-market analysis by Burning Glass Technologies, 78% of well-paying “middle-skill” positions call for basic proficiency with technology.

But I get it: you have a full-time job, volunteering every other weekend, a puppy to train, plans with friends...you’re busy. You don’t have time to go back to school, or take three months off for an intensive certification program.

Here are 11 digital skills you can easily acquire that’ll boost your resume/LinkedIn profile.

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1. HTML

AKA “hyper text markup language.” This language is the foundation of webpages - knowing it can help you understand how websites works. Plus, learning HTML is relatively easy. There are tons of free places where you can learn HTML for free online.

Careers where HTML is desired: design, digital marketing, content creation, technical writing, and more

2. Basic WordPress proficiency

WordPress is the most popular CMS (content management system) in the world. Tons of sites, big and small, use it to power their businesses. (In fact, 25% of all websites online use it.)

You don’t need to become a WordPress expert to add it to your resume. But you should be able to make your way around the admin dashboard without issue.

WordPress is helpful to know in a range of careers from web development to writing. Since so many sites and businesses use it, it ranges across industries.

3. Project management

Project management is a broad skill that appears across industries - not just tech. It involves planning and executing a project, and monitoring a team as they work towards the objectives you’ve set.

There are various project management approaches. One popular strategy is agile management - especially for software development, though it is now appearing across other industries/types of work.

Common project management tools include Atlassian, Basecamp, Podio, Wrike, and others.

4. Marketing campaign management

Marketing campaign management involves leading a promotional campaign - whether it’s creating new company branding, promoting a specific product, or running damage control after a negative situation.

According to research by LinkedIn, it’s number three on the list of hottest skills to know in 2016.

While one could use project management tools like those mentioned above, also marketing-specific tools for campaign management like Marketo, Adobe Campaign and HubSpot.

5. Search engine optimization (SEO)

SEO is a combination of the techniques used to increase a webpage’s placement in the results page of a search engine - like Google or Bing. The goal is to get traffic organically from the search engine (without buying ads).

According to research by LinkedIn, SEO/SEM marketing is the fourth hottest skill to know in 2016. And while SEO falls under marketing, there are technical aspects of SEO, too, which involve how search engine spiders can crawl a website and index the content.

Because SEO combines many different things, it’s advantageous for anyone who works on the web - including developers, web content writers, digital marketers, etc.

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6. Web analytics

Web analytics involves the measurement, collection and analysis of data on the web. Companies use it to determine their demographics, figure out what marketing tactics work and which fail, etc.

Common web analytic tools include Google Analytics, Kissmetrics, Mixpanel and others.

Careers where analytic know-how is desired: digital marketers, growth marketers, web/data analysts, web content writers, anyone who wants to figure out how a website is performing.

7. Microsoft Excel

The thing about Microsoft Excel is that it has broad applications. It can be used for simple tracking, or to make complex business decisions.

And it pays to know it. Proficiency with Excel is one of the most commonly required skills for well-paying mid-level jobs.

Careers that use Excel include business intelligence analyst, finance/accounting professionals, management consultants, and marketers.

8. Image editing

Simple image editing can be done using a tool like Canva, Gimp or industry-standard tool Photoshop. Being able to create a visually appealing image is important for grabbing a reader or customer’s attention.

Careers where image editing is desired: design, marketing, content creation and other roles where digital image editing may be required. (After all, content professionals may be expected to make in-post visuals to go along with the content.)

9. Wireframing/prototyping tools

Almost every company in existence has a website - and in today’s competitive online market, it needs to be a good one. Planning the site before building it is key, which is where wireframing and prototyping come in.

Common wireframing tools include Balsamiq, Axure, InVision and others.

Careers where wireframing/prototyping is desired: user experience designers, user interaction designers, visual designers, interactive designers and even front-end engineers.

10. Presentation tools

Communication skill meets technical when you’re able to harness Powerpoint, Google presentations, or Keynote.

All kinds of companies rely on presentations, in a range of industries.

These skills are especially relevant if you’re in marketing or sales - or anything client-facing or outward facing - like if you’re sent to represent your company at conferences or you have to put together a webinar with a slide deck.

11. Video editing

You don’t have to become the next Spielberg to use video editing skills to your advantage.

Communicating through video is effective. Over 50% of marketing professionals consider video to be the medium that gives them the highest return on investment, and 92% of shoppers name visual content as the “most influential factor” when they make a purchase.

Video editing can be helpful in marketing and social media. However, it can also be helpful in customer support roles - where you may have to make video tutorials on how to use a product/service.

Tools include Final Cut Pro, Screenflow, iMovie, and Adobe Premiere Pro.

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You don’t have to add all 11 of these skills to your resume to give your resume or LinkedIn profile a boost. Pick several that relate to the area you want to work in, and take it from there.