What skills will take your career to the next level in 2025?

In today's competitive job market, developing your skillset is essential for career progression. But what skills should you focus on to get ahead in 2025? Using the latest insights from the latest Hays Ireland Salary & Recruiting Trends guide, we've identified the top skills employers are looking for this year.

Read on to discover how these skills apply to you and how you can develop and showcase them, whether you're planning to apply for a new job, get that promotion, or negotiate your next pay rise.

Key stats:

• 93% of employers in Ireland have faced skills shortages over the last year.
• 86% of employers plan to hire staff in the year ahead.
• 76% of employers value a willingness to learn over existing skillsets.
• Top challenges employers are facing include managing change, skills shortages, and adopting new technology.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills, also known as core skills, are an essential part of career development and success. Unlike technical skillsets, which can become outdated more quickly, soft skills require focus and personal growth to develop and are transferrable across multiple roles. Read on to discover the top five soft skills employers value and how you can develop them.

Communication skills:

Effective communication is a crucial skill at any level of your career, with almost half (48%) of employers wanting this skillset. Whether you’re delivering a presentation, providing feedback to a colleague or negotiating a key contract for your organisation, being able to articulate your points clearly is essential.

To better develop your communication skills, taking steps such as understanding your audience, being clear with the point you’re trying to make, and improving your presenting skills is key.

Understanding who you’re speaking to and what they require from you is an important step to help you better communicate in the workplace. Making sure you’re being clear and concise is vital to better communication, as doing so eliminates any confusion. Having key points clearly outlined helps everyone involved.

Being an active listener is also essential to develop your communication skills, but this can be difficult. It takes focus to let someone know you’re really listening to them and understanding what they’re saying. Public speaking also doesn’t come naturally to most, but being able to command a room and communicate effectively is a major skill in the workplace. Those involved in leadership roles typically practice this skill – developing it can help level up your career.

Ability to adopt change:

The rapid evolution of today’s workplace means change is a given. With over a third (36%) of employers wanting their employees to actively adapt and embrace change in the workplace, it’s important to develop this skillset to help further your career.

Having a positive mindset towards change is key. Viewing change as an opportunity for growth and improvement can help you adapt more easily, so make sure you focus on the potential benefits and new possibilities that evolution can bring, rather than fixating on the potential downfalls.

Building resilience is another important factor when developing your ability to adopt transformation in the workplace. Having coping strategies for stress and setbacks, such as mindfulness and maintaining open communication with your colleagues and your manager, can help you stay grounded and prepared during times of change.

Adaptability and flexibility:

The ability to adapt to change and remain flexible is highly valued in today's dynamic work environment, with 28% of employers valuing these skills. With new advancements in tools and technologies, such as the rise of AI, impacting us more and more in the workplace, being able to adapt to these new developments and potential challenges is an important step to furthering your career.

New developments and ways of working are constantly happening and being open to them is essential. Take advantage of training opportunities to prevent your skills from becoming stagnant. Whether offered from your employer or an external source, these opportunities can help sharpen your skillset and enhance your CV.

Actively seeking and embracing feedback from your peers also helps you grow and become more flexible, as constructive criticism can provide valuable insights into areas where you can develop and adapt. Furthermore, having a strong support network provides you with various resources and insights, making it easier to navigate changes and adapt to new situations with confidence.

Ability to learn and upskill:

Employers value professionals who showcase their commitment to personal and professional growth, as 28% are after this, with continuous learning being vital to keep your skillset relevant in the workplace. 82% of employers say they would be likely to hire someone who doesn’t have all the required skills, with the intention of upskilling them instead. Attaining new skills shows your current and future employers you’re a valuable asset to their organisation.

Working to clear, set goals gives you a timeline for success. Clear goals help provide direction for your development, making it easier to focus and track your progress. Taking the time to reflect on your career, skillset and previous experience is a great way to help you understand where you need to develop.

Embracing a growth mindset and believing that your abilities can be developed through hard work can help you take on new challenges, learn from potential mistakes and push past any setbacks to take the next steps in your career.

People management:

Strong leadership and people management skills are critical for maintaining team morale and achieving goals. Almost a third of employers want this (28%). Leadership skills aren’t just limited to those in management roles, they have a part to play in many aspects of working life whether you’re leading a project, running a meeting or mentoring a colleague.

Good leaders and people managers possess a range of soft skills such as communication, teamworking, collaboration and emotional intelligence. They also foster a positive work environment, recognise the achievements of their team and support professional growth.

Working with different generations is also an important part of being a people manager. In this day and age, there could be up to five different generations within an organisation, so understanding their different ways of working and how best to cross-collaborate is key.

While technical skills will always be a requirement for certain roles, having a solid set of soft skills is essential to get ahead in your career and stand out from the crowd. By focusing on these skills and investing in your own development, both employers and professionals can navigate the challenges of the workplace and achieve long-term success.

For professionals looking to advance their careers, continuous learning is key. Check out Hays’ 5 tips to advance your career, for practical advice on climbing the career ladder.