5 In-Demand Skills That Employers Value Over Degrees

As seen on Forbes.

For decades, a college degree used to be the key that unlocked your professional future. You graduated, got the diploma, and that was your entry pass into the working world. But work doesn’t look the same anymore, and neither do the skills it takes to succeed. While our parents probably worked the same job their whole lives, the majority of us have moved through not just several jobs but even multiple careers.

That’s why it’s clear that job skills, not college degrees, are becoming more important in the years to come. In fact, a Udemy survey found that 84% of workers are aware that their employers are thinking about shifting to a skills-based model (such as through skills-based hiring) and that 75% of companies have already taken steps in that direction. Here are five skills that employers value over degrees.

Selling And Negotiation

Did you know that selling skills are not just for salespeople? Think about it: when you want to express a thought, a viewpoint, or a request, you are selling. It’s how you convince people to listen in meetings, choose the restaurant you suggest, respond to your messages, or even agree to pay you fairly. To put it simply, sales skills allow you to identify opportunities, connect with people, and provide the right information so they can make decisions that also bring value to you.

Negotiation goes hand in hand with selling. It means creating fair agreements, balancing everyone’s needs, and making sure everyone feels like they got something in the end. Strong negotiation builds trust, resolves conflicts, and helps teams move forward together.

And here’s why employers prize these abilities: they deliver results. A degree may indicate that you studied business, but bringing in clients, forming partnerships, and rallying people behind projects proves real success. For this reason, companies frequently promote strong communicators and negotiators regardless of the letters following their name.

Leadership

Whether it’s a nonprofit, government agency, academic institution, or business, every organization needs strong leaders. Great leaders see the big picture, articulate that vision clearly, and then foster an atmosphere that encourages open dialogue and collaboration. In other words, effective leadership and management are crucial for every organization aiming to reach its goals.

Leadership skills can benefit your career at every stage, from job hunting to climbing the corporate ladder. Strong leaders inspire others, create healthier workplaces, and build loyalty.

Another quality that sets outstanding leaders apart is adaptability. Leaders who welcome feedback and suggestions, handle surprises, initiate projects, and encourage new ideas all show their team they can be trusted through change. This is why employers value leadership so much: it helps organizations adapt quickly to evolving environments, something a degree can’t teach you.

Communication

Effective communication is the fuel that keeps the workplace running. It is essential for building and preserving solid working relationships at all organizational levels. When workers feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their thoughts, it fosters an environment of trust, which in turn can improve morale and output. On the flip side, poor communication is costly. The numbers back this up: American companies lose an estimated $1.2 trillion a year because of it, according to a study by Grammarly and The Harris Poll.

Strong communication isn’t just about speaking or writing clearly. Empathy and active listening are just as important. Today, it also means being able to communicate effectively across both traditional and digital channels: emails, reports, video calls, presentations, and more. As remote work continues to grow, building relationships and sharing ideas without face-to-face interaction will become increasingly valuable.

Data Literacy

In today’s data-driven world, people who can read, understand, and draw insights from data are in high demand. This is a skill that employers seek out in candidates, regardless of whether they have formal training as data analysts or not. That is why any experience with analyzing data, presenting insights, forecasting trends, or using data to guide decisions is worth highlighting on your resume.

Today, data literacy also includes basics like data hygiene and cleaning. Forrester Consulting found that 82% of decision makers expect all department employees to have basic data literacy skills in their 2021 survey. This means that businesses rely on their workers not just to use data but to judge its quality.

What makes data literacy so valuable is how it connects numbers to strategy. Asking the right questions, spotting patterns, and turning raw information into stories that support decision-making are more important than just crunching spreadsheets.

Influence

Influence happens constantly, often without us noticing. The way we carry ourselves sends signals that others interpret as signs of what we’re thinking or feeling. Their reactions show we’ve already influenced them for better or worse.

This skill isn’t just for managers or executives. Employees at every level can benefit from developing their influence. It helps you persuade colleagues to consider your ideas, encourage collaboration, and align teams with shared goals. For those already in leadership, strong influence motivates teams and inspires people to give their best. For those still building their careers, it’s a skill that can open doors to leadership opportunities.

What makes influence especially valuable to employers is its power to build alignment across differences. When working with teams that span departments, time zones, and even cultures, having influence is crucial for bridging gaps and keeping projects moving forward despite competing priorities

Degrees can open doors, but it’s your skills that ultimately seal the deal. The good news? These skills can be learned and practiced anywhere, at any stage of your career. And that’s what employers truly reward. Rooting for you!