These are the skills companies are looking for now.
The job market is quickly shifting and your skills need to reflect this.
Ty Heath, director and co-founder of LinkedIn’s B2B Institute think tank, said companies are changing what they value.
“AI is commoditizing competence,” she said. “What used to take days now takes seconds. So the question becomes, what can we do that AI can’t?”
This mindset shift means communicators, marketers and PR pros should start showcasing skills that combine human intelligence with strategic thinking.
Heath, a keynote speaker at Ragan’s upcoming Future of Communications Conference, outlined some considerations for how to sharpen your skills and hone your professional story to reflect what employers are looking for now.
- Lead with strategy, not just skills: Don’t just list what you can do. Show how you think, Heath said. “Companies don’t just need people who can push buttons,” Heath said. “They need people who can decide which buttons matter.” If you’ve led a campaign, don’t stop at describing tactics. Add a line about your decision-making process or why you chose one strategy over another and how you interpreted data to adjust course. Employers want to see that you can think several steps ahead, not just follow instructions. For example, instead of writing “I managed social media content calendar,” say “I developed and refined social strategy based on audience insights, improving engagement by 35%.”
- Show that you can bridge human and AI: AI tools are everywhere, and companies want people who can use them wisely, Heath said. But just knowing how to use ChatGPT or analytics software isn’t enough. You need to show that you can make sense of what comes out. “We need strategic curators, people who can sift through AI-generated options and know what will actually resonate,” Heath said. If you’ve used AI to research, write or analyze, explain the role you played in the process, such as editing for tone, adding nuance or aligning the message with brand voice. Employ framing like, “I used AI tools to analyze audience sentiment and shape brand messaging that reflected real customer concerns.”
- Reframe your role as a memory architect: “In a world of infinite content, creating something people remember is the competitive advantage,” she said. That means employers are looking for creative thinkers who understand storytelling, brand consistency and emotional impact, she said. You could say, “I led campaign development using consistent brand voice and visual identity, strengthening audience recall and recognition.” If you helped build recognition for a campaign or maintained strong brand tone across platforms, put that front and center.
- Emphasize your bridge-building skills: The most successful communicators connect technical and human worlds by translating data, strategy and creativity into something meaningful for audiences. “We need bridge builders who can translate technical capabilities into human needs,” Heath said. Think about moments where you’ve served as the connector, whether that’s between a data team and leadership, or between a brand and its customers. Those stories show adaptability, empathy and clarity, which are all top traits for the next era of work, Heath said.
- Reflect adaptability and continuous learning: Professionals entering the workforce today are expected to hold twice as many jobs over their careers as workers did 15 years ago, Heath said. That means agility is key. Show you can evolve your role, whether by learning a new platform, leading change or re-skilling for AI. Companies want communicators who are comfortable navigating uncertainty. You could say something like, “I adapted content strategy to integrate AI-driven tools and trained a team on best practices,” Heath said.
Register now to hear Heath’s keynote, “What the Future of Work Means for Marketers” during Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference, Nov. 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
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