Tips for building an effective “Skills Stack”

If innovation changes the type of work, more technology jobs require a combination of skills. As a result, the trend towards expert attitude grows.

Indeed a Recent study shows that the introduction of state -of -the -art technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) technology workers forces to deepen their existing skills or to integrate new ones “Soft skills” This defines how you work and interact with others.

So how can you convince a potential employer that you have the right mix of skills and qualities to be successful in one position? The answer lies in the establishment of a highly effective ability or a talent stack.

“The idea of ​​a talent stack is that they combine ordinary skills in a way that gives them an extraordinary advantage,” said Mateusz Siniło, software engineer and product designer.

Here you will find some tips on the assembly and use of a highly effective and impressive qualification stack.

Stack of purpose

When building a talent stack, it is not about collecting random skills.

The key is “stacking on purpose, based on what you want to achieve,” advised Marc Menninger, information security officer for Astrumu.

You don't have to be great in everything, Menninger added, but your skills should match in a way that makes you unique. If you find out your next career step, you can add skills that work well together, which leads to a more robust and more valuable skills.

Take the cyber security fieldfor example. If you want to continue working in penetration tests, you will find out how to use programming languages ​​to write custom scripts that automate various tasks during a test process – which you could be about other pen testers. However, if you really want to stand out, consider to acquire extended skills in niche areas such as web application security, cloud infrastructure -penetration tests, ethical chopping in a remote environment or mobile app security.

Or you can Pursue advanced certificationsEspecially if you want to move the rows up to the engineer. The idea is that there should be a synergy or a positive interaction between the different domains.

In addition to the technical width and depth, adding soft skills such as communication, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution or indirect leadership will make you a more attractive candidate for employers in various industries. Imagine it like a puzzle: Combine and pack your knowledge, your skills and experience, which you make unique and differentiate you as someone who can achieve better results.

However, do not try to be a Renaissance person, otherwise you have more difficult to differ on the market, warned Siniło. Adding skills that are closely related is more effective than a massive list of skills that have nothing to do with each other.

Focus on complementary, high -quality skills

To maximize your time and efforts, first list the essential skills, knowledge and expertise that you have with a specific area, a specific industry or a specific role. Then analyze job descriptions and take one Qualification gaps analysis To identify the skills and experiences that you have to acquire in order to be more valuable and effective in your current or next role. While you do not have to add any skills in a certain order, you should add additional, popular skills that have the greatest influence at first.

Take a look at your natural strengths and talents to find things that you can build on and build up. For example, Siniło had an interest in art, shapes and colors, which led him to a career in graphic design. When he overlaid coding skills about his artistic skills and experience about the implementation of the needs and visions of customers into visual designs, he was able to bring a role as a user interface designer.

But he didn't stop here. Siniło added to his talent stack of software engineering and developer communication experience and ultimately landed a position as a lead product designer for a startup based in the USA.

Creating a personal branding statement that explains why you are unique and supported by a well-organized stack of high-quality skills can be marketed as a unique setting.

Concentrate on skills that complement and improve other skills. For example, if you negotiate the ability to negotiate and compromise with the stakeholders on visual communication and presentation skills and compromise, you can become more effective as a business analyst. If you use the synergy between your diverse talents instead of concentrating exclusively on a field, you can stand out from others and drive your career forward.