Durable Skills: What They Are & Why There’s a Shortage

You may have heard terms thrown around like “soft skills” or “durable skills” in the past, but they’re more than just buzzwords now. In fact, while there are plenty of types of certifications and courses you can take to get an official qualification, durable skills are in higher demand than ever before.

But what are they exactly? Let’s explore and see how you can identify your durable skills and use them to find the perfect role in your career.

What Are Durable Skills?

Durable skills are types of professional skills that allow you to grow in the workforce and as a person. It’s easy to compare durable skills vs. soft skills because they’re similar in many ways, and they’re closely related. However, durable skills stand out because they can withstand changes in technology and make you a valuable asset to any company you join.

Given how prevalent AI and technology in general have become in industries of all types, possessing durable skills is more important than ever. After all, they’re the markers of a workforce that is adaptable, dependable, and most importantly—human.

Examples of Durable Skills in Action

Suppose you’re working at a company that’s getting ready to work with a new client in a different country. While they might speak the same language as almost everyone on your team, there may be certain things that your team isn’t aware of that could help your company build rapport with them.

For example, if your new client is Canadian and is taking off Canadian Thanksgiving, having this knowledge can help you avoid setting deadlines for their decisions or materials on the second Monday in October and wish them a happy holiday. This is one small example of a skill called cultural competence.

Other durable skill examples you can leverage in the workplace include:

• Personal management skills
• Critical thinking
• Creative problem solving
• Leadership
• Management skills
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Fast learning

Why Employers Want Durable Skills

Some of these skills are harder to find than you’d think. However, they can make it easier for your organization to operate and help you stand out when you’re on the hunt for a new job.

The most desirable employers don’t want just another warm body they can stick at a desk. They want someone who can help their organization improve and make a tangible difference for their workforce—someone who is capable of thinking, collaborating, and responsive to changing needs. In that sense, everyone in your organization can benefit from having durable skills, including the organization itself.

Durable Skills and Perishable Skills: A Comparison

What Perishable Skills Are

Perishable skills are job-specific skills that are relevant only within certain roles and are prone to becoming outdated or losing demand. Some common examples of perishable skills include:

• Mastery of specific types of software
• Knowledge of AI frameworks for specialized writing
• Coding language proficiency
• Training on specific types of manufacturing machinery
• Knowledge of current research and trends in your field.

Why We Still Need Them

Just because the nature of work is always changing doesn’t mean we’ll immediately stop needing perishable skills! Every company has different needs, and there will almost always be the need for a human touch, even among skills that are mostly automated.

For example, some people believe that there’s no reason to get a commercial driver’s license anymore because self-driving trucks may be developed in the near future. However, there’s still a huge demand for drivers with CDL training, and there likely will be for years to come because self-driving technology simply isn’t there yet.

Perishable skills like that make it easier to solve problems immediately in a world that isn’t slowing down.

Not to mention, many perishable skills have traits that can be used in other areas. For example, that Class A license you worked so hard to get can make it easier to learn how to safely operate a forklift or other types of heavy machinery.

How to Develop Durable Skills

While some types of durable skills are more instinctual than others, there are ways to develop and strengthen all of them. Some of the best ways to do this include:

• Real-world practice: No better way to learn than by doing! By actively practicing your skills and getting constructive feedback from your peers, supervisors, or mentors, you can use them in real-time and improve them.
• Networking: Building your professional network can help you get new opportunities, insights, and perspectives that change how you approach your soft skills.
• Self-reflection: To know your strengths and weaknesses is to know areas where you can improve. Set time aside regularly to reflect on your soft skills and how you can build them.
• Continuous learning: Taking courses, reading professional development books, and attending workshops related to the durable skills you want to develop can help you find even more effective ways to develop those skills. Our career coaching teams can also help you find the resources that will be most helpful for your continuous growth and learning.

How You Can Use the Shortage of Durable Skills to Find a Career

Both durable and perishable skills have their place in the job hunt, but employers are always hungry for durable skills—and they’re in shorter supply than ever. In fact, a report from America Succeeds indicates that seven of the 10 most requested skills in job openings are durable skills.

Throughout the job hunt, be prepared to emphasize your durable skills. That includes putting them on your resume, mentioning them in your cover letter, and having a few examples ready during interviews or questionnaires.