Brush up on some basic skills

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FOR some of you, the New Year of 2020 may be when you enter the workforce for the first time.

Whether you’re straight out of secondary school or just finished college, there may be some basic skills that will be required for your job that you may not have thought much about before.

Although some of you may not think much of these skills, your level of proficiency could set you apart from your peers or at the very least increase your productivity at work.

So, have a Happy New Year 2020 and brush up on these skills as you enter the workforce next year.

 

Being productive with software

Different jobs will require different levels of skills and knowledge. However, having basic computer skills does boost your chance at getting hired especially if you’re considering working in a non-technical field.

Apart from Microsoft Word, you might have a better chance at being employed if you have additional computer skills on productivity software such as PowerPoint, Excel, and Adobe Photoshop, as well as basic video and sound editing skills.

Being able to type at a decent speed would also serve you well, especially if your work requires a lot of typing or data entry.

 

Emailing

When it comes to corporate communication, most of it will be conducted through email and not messaging apps like WhatsApp – not yet, anyway.

In the working space, email is still the main way for contacting and connecting with clients and communicating with co-workers.

So, it’s important for you to know the basic features of composing, formatting, sending, and organising your emails.

 

Storing your digital stuff

Every day, you’ll be bombarded with new information and data from various sources.

So, if you’re the type to get easily overwhelmed with information and data, you’ll need a systematic way of storing all of the information and data coming your way.

In this case, you might want to take advantage of cloud storage apps such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Mega.

 

Social media

Unless you’re a social media influencer, this might seem an unlikely tech-related skill to have in the workplace.

However, whether we like it or not, social media does play an important part in our everyday life.

So, regardless of what role you have in the workplace, you will have an added advantage if you are social media savvy, as you know how to share information and stay engaged with all your clients and colleagues.

 

This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (Azam) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.