Dive Brief:

• The most in-demand 'hard skills' sought by employers in 2018 include cloud and distributed computing, statistical analysis, data presentation and mobile development, according to a new LinkedIn Learning report.
• Authors of the list gathered hiring and recruiting activity data between January and September, identifying skill categories among LinkedIn members who were more likely to either start a new role or receive interest from recruiters, according to LinkedIn Learning.
• Employers also showed high interest in certain soft skill categories, including leadership, communication, collaboration and time management, analysts said.

Dive Insight:

Companies' need for cybersecurity specialists is well-documented, especially given the past year of security breaches. IT and cybersecurity talent remains a key area of focus for recruiters.

At the same time, companies are waking up to the need for soft skills, which employees need in order to work effectively on teams. Typically, leadership skills are the first such area that comes to mind, but employers should also consider areas like emotional intelligence and delegation.

LinkedIn's report also acknowledges the role of training needed to bridge the gap between what workers bring to the table and the requirements of the jobs they'll need to perform.