​Many of us welcomed in the new year with joy and jubilation, celebrating the chance of new beginnings and possibilities that a new year brings. This year is shaping up to be a year of great change with geopolitical uncertainties and technological innovations creating significant disruption.

The turn of the year often see’s many of us make resolutions to kick bad habits and pursue new goals and this is the time to start that transformation and in no better area than in your career!

With report after report showing the world of work changing faster than ever, it’s fair to assume there’s more change in store and 2019 will be no different. What is your career outlook for 2019? Our team at half the sky have put together a list of the key skills and jobs that companies are looking to hire in 2019.

Whether you are looking for a new job in 2019 or planning to stay put, it’s important to start planning for a few of the major trends that will affect your workplace and thus your career in 2019 and beyond.

Let’s start off with the soft skills in high demand in 2019:

• A focus on emotional intelligence - companies are putting a high premium on emotional intelligence as they focus on individuals who have deep self-awareness and can deal with workplace pressures and function effectively whilst managing their emotions. Social Skills are also a must as companies seek employees who able to interact well with others and build strong rapport with leaders and co-workers. Some important social skills include active listening, verbal communication skills, nonverbal communication skills, leadership, and persuasiveness. Finally, empathy - or the ability to understand how others are feeling, is absolutely critical in a workplace that is increasingly diverse and fluid. Being empathetic also allows people to understand the power dynamics that often influence social relationships, especially in senior management or leadership roles.

• Also, research from Linkedin annual skills report also noted: Creativity, persuasion, collaboration, adaptability and the timeless skill of time management as critical soft skills of 2019

The hard skills companies need most in 2019:

• The most sought-after roles in 2019 will be analytical and data driven in nature many new jobs will be created in these areas as digital and wider technological transformation takes shape across the economy.

With AI, Machine Learning and Blockchain being key sectors that have received billions of investments these technologies have the potential to have a radical impact on your work and career as new products and services get rolled out more vigorously in 2019. Being familiar with these technologies will be essential for career prospects in years to come.

Top roles in 2019 – according LinkedIn report:

1. Cloud Computing Architect

2. Machine Learning Engineer

3. Business Intelligence Analyst

4. E-commerce

5. Cyber security specialist

6. UX Design

Support and initiatives in attracting female talents into these highly skilled and highly paid jobs will also be rolled out aggressively by companies and governments especially in Singapore and Hong Kong in 2019.

Whilst data driven and technological jobs are at the top of corporates agenda – jobs in traditional sectors such as accounting & finance, legal, supply management and especially human resources with an emphasis on ‘coaching and empowering’ will also be in high demand in the year ahead.

​

Whether you are looking for a new job in 2019 or planning to stay put, it’s important to start planning for a few of the major trends that will affect your workplace and thus your career this year and beyond.

Get yourself all geared up for the year ahead to face new challenges. Reflect and rediscover yourself, and get started to be the best version of yourself.

​

About half the sky

half the sky (HTS) is a career platform for women in Asia. We connect women to career opportunities at companies that care. We also want to equip you with information, tips and strategies to navigate the workplace today and the future.

Sign up to get career tips and job alerts directly to your inbox! Join us to shape the future of women at work together!