Jobs in times of crisis: skills that bosses now expect from you
Created: 09/30/2022, 07:30
By: Carina Blumenroth
Competencies that are in job advertisements vary again and again.
The requirements also depend on external factors such as crises.
In times of crisis, other approaches are required - you know that in everyday life. You react to the high gas, electricity and food prices by changing your consumer behavior.
In a study, two-thirds of respondents stated that their salary is no longer enough to cover their living expenses.
But the labor market is not exempt from crises either – be it the corona pandemic or the shortage of skilled workers.
Companies and HR managers must react to this.
Namely, by changing the structure of the job advertisements.
The Bertelsmann Foundation
has investigated
what these are .
The demands on employees have changed due to the corona pandemic and the shortage of skilled workers.
(Iconic image) © Simona Piolla/Imago
Jobs in times of crisis: These skills are in demand now
The Bertelsmann Stiftung's job monitor examines how the demand for occupations is developing.
For this purpose, data from more than 48 million online job advertisements is taken into account.
The result was that the top skills of employees are currently social skills.
Operational readiness: 47.5 percent
Ability to work in a team: 34.4 percent
Self-employment: 26.3 percent
Knowledge of German: 23.6 percent
Reliability: 21.7 percent
Planning ability: 19.3 percent
Communication skills: 19 percent
Critical thinking: 18.9 percent
Organizational skills: 17.5 percent
Knowledge of English: 17.2 percent
According to the study, however, times of crisis also demand a more positive attitude, more empathy and a higher tolerance for frustration from employees.
For example, frustration tolerance increased by around 71 percent between 2018 and 2021.
Empathy increased by 39 percent over the same period.
Those responsible for the study draw the following interim conclusion from these findings:
Crisis is no longer the exception, but the new normal.
This requires employees to be resilient in dealing with their own feelings as well as the feelings of others.
Study of changing skills in times of crisis, Bertelsmann Stiftung, September 2022
Decentralized work in particular, which became increasingly relevant for many companies at the beginning of the corona pandemic, has placed demands on employees that were not previously available in this form.
For example, the secure handling of data has become much more important in recent years, there was an increase of 62 percent.
That fits into the times of video conferences and online meetings.
Each individual is targeted by the point of digital identity, which has gained greater importance with online communication mechanisms.
Don't miss anything: You can find everything to do with careers in the regular careers newsletter from our partner Merkur.de.
Job requirements: digitalization is still not a matter of course
Some of the digital requirements have been increased by the corona pandemic.
However, those responsible write on the Bertelsmann Foundation website that this is only a "supposed matter of course" for most jobs: "Basic digital skills are particularly important in finance, law and management, but the competent one plays in more than half of all professional groups Dealing with classic Office programs, on the other hand, does not even play a role in every tenth job advertisement.”
Salary: Which jobs can earn you good money
View photo gallery
Jobs in times of crisis: Immigrants with German language skills could now have good opportunities
There is a shortage of skilled workers in many companies, which means that the requirements for the jobs have been adjusted again and again.
For example, four years ago every fifth job advertisement required knowledge of German, now every fourth advertisement contains the requirement.
In times of a shortage of skilled workers, this is also a great opportunity for immigrants.
If they have the required specialist skills and also speak German, a third more jobs are open to them.
Martin Noack, education and labor market expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation
The authors of the study also state that a shortage of skilled workers can hardly be covered without qualified immigration.
Furthermore, all requirements that are made also depend on which professional group you are looking at.
For example, knowledge of Office programs is particularly in demand in finance, management and legal professions.
On the other hand, reliability is particularly important in cleaning, vehicle driving and finishing jobs.
