Study: Soft skills still highly sought after by marketers despite AI boom

Despite the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI), soft skills are the most sought-after skills by APAC employers in the marketing industry. In fact, communication is the most in-demand skill across all sectors and it is the second most in-demand skill in marketing in the APAC region and globally.

In fact, the demand for communication skills has exponentially increased year after year, as marketers focus on nurturing customer relationships, building thought leadership, proving ROI, and securing budgets to build memorable brands.

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These were the results of LinkedIn’s 'Most In-Demand Marketing Skills' data which also highlighted that analytical skills are the number one fastest-growing soft skill year-on-year.

More specifically, strategy, customer relationship management and problem-solving were ranked in positions six, 10 and 18 in APAC, respectively.

As companies are looking for marketers with essential analytical skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving to make smart decisions, the demand suggests that companies are looking to optimise growth with their hires.

“To keep up with the technological curve, companies are also looking for modern marketers who can lean into analytical skills and creativity to problem-solve and leverage a results-driven digital marketing strategy to boost long-term growth and build their brand’s reputation,” said Matt Tindale, head of enterprise, APAC, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions.

“Strong communication is critical in building trusted customer and stakeholder relationships, being financially fluent and proving ROI, amplifying an executive’s voice, and building a memorable brand,” he explained.

Other in-demand skills in marketing in the APAC region include digital marketing, social media, marketing strategy, project management and sales in descending order of demand.

Skills wanted in all industries

Human-centric soft skills are evergreen places to invest in as communication, customer service and leadership top the list, taking first, second and third spots respectively.

Skills such as project management, teamwork and problem-solving were also part of the top 10 most in-demand skills.

One skill that grew in demand the most quickly during the same period from 2022 and compared to that in 2023, is adaptability.

Adaptability is mission-critical for both people and organisations and since the pace of change in the world of work is predicted to increase, adaptability will help you stay versatile and composed amid these changes, said LinkedIn in a blog post.

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