We live in a digital age where most of the work is done on computers or depends entirely on software programs. This means modern workers should know how to work with these programs and have a set of different skills in order to do their job.

Browsing the internet and posting on social media doesn’t count. You need a more in-depth knowledge of these tools and programs to get hired in most modern companies. Luckily, with the help of online courses or through personal use, you can learn your way around most apps and software.

Here are 5 essential personal computer skills you should know in order to thrive in any working environment.

1. Microsoft Office

One of the most essential computer skills you need as a modern worker is the Microsoft office package. You’ve probably used MS Word for writing and Excel for making tables, but these programs offer so much more. They will make your daily tasks and operations more organized, so you can be more productive at work.

A full Microsoft office skill set includes:

• Microsoft Word (word processing and documents)
• Microsoft Excel (spreadsheets, pivot tables, data display)
• Microsoft PowerPoint (presentations)
• Microsoft SharePoint (collaboration server)

You should also learn to work with similar programs from other publishers and software companies. These include LibreOffice by Linux, Google Docs and Google Sheets, Apple iWork, and Dropbox Paper.

If you don’t know where to begin, you can always get professional training in Microsoft office by a licensed company.

2. Email and Digital Calendars

Email is one of the most popular and most preferred means of communication in the modern world. No matter your age and computer skills, you should know how to create clean emails, organize your inbox, import contacts, and automate emails.

Also, you should know how to work with digital calendars like G Suite, MS Outlook, Calendly, and other similar programs. The skills required include scheduling appointments, tasks, reminders, adding users, and sharing features.

3. Basic Computer Coding

Computer coding may seem intimidating, but it’s one of the basic IT skills you need to know. There are several computer programming languages and all of them have different purposes and applications.

Some of the most popular ones are:

• HTML
• CSS
• C++
• PHP
• JavaScript
• Python
• SQL
• Java
• Open-source Software (OSS)
• XML

If you don’t work in computer programming, it might take a while to learn the basics, so start with an easier one like HTML.

4. Digital Marketing and Social Media

To succeed in a digital world, brands, companies, and even government institutions need a social media presence. People learn, communicate, and shop online. This is why you should know how to manage social media networks, create pages, run paid ads, and build a fan base.

Digital marketing is a huge industry, but the main skills you need are CMS (Content Management Systems), Email Marketing, Automated Marketing Software, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Website Analytics, and KPI Software, to name a few.

5. Productivity and Project Management Apps

In any workplace, you’re likely to use some project management and productivity apps. These include Asana, Slack, Trello, Monday, Proofhub, and Scoro, all of which require some basic computer software skills.

You don’t have to know them all, but you should learn at least 2-3 of these apps. There are many online courses you can take to learn the basics so you can go to your interview well-equipped with new knowledge.

You Need These Personal Computer Skills on Your Resume!

Modern workers need to expand their knowledge to include personal computer skills required in most companies and job postings. These tips can help you start upgrading your knowledge and update your resume.

Need more tech tips and tricks? Check out some of the other articles on our website where we post the latest tech industry news and trends.