Leslie Stevens-Huffman

With more employers selecting candidates for tech positions based on their skills and growth potential rather than degrees, transferrable skills are fast becoming the new currency of work.

The benefits of networking include access to career opportunities, professional support and connections, exposure to new technologies and more.

According to a recent report by PwC, some 73 percent of U.S. companies already use Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) in some aspect of their business. However, adoption by industry, and the resulting demand for technical talent, has been far from uniform. A handful of sectors are leading the way in terms of investments, implementation and the growth of startups that support specific vertical needs.

Data shows that tech professionals are eager to learn artificial intelligence (A.I.) skills on the job, but over half of employer-led training programs are falling short of meeting their needs. In fact, only 64 percent of workers think they’re receiving the training they need, and 57 percent find their training to be inadequate

Research suggests that technology professionals should focus on developing foundational, transferable skills, especially around ethics, critical thinking and communication, to make themselves more marketable to employers in the age of A.I. But here's the thing, claiming to have these skills isn’t enough.

In an era of uncertainty, with some employers still slashing jobs while others offer remote-work flexibility in exchange for lower pay, knowing what salary to ask for has become more complicated.

Evaluating a job offer for a technology job can be challenging. Today, most offers include several multifaceted components, including cash, equity and benefits that must be valued, clarified and even negotiated to reach an overall agreement that is fair and mutually acceptable to both parties.

Gone are the days when professional networking was limited to occasional tech conferences or job-hunting activities. The role, purpose and structure of professional networks has evolved to a higher level, thanks to the growth of online professional networking sites and changes in the way we connect, communicate and conduct business.

The evolution of technology has flattened the communication hierarchy and completely transformed the networking process, including the way we access and interact with each other. The advent of online networking platforms, podcasts, blogs, social media as well as online and hybrid events has made it possible to meet people you might not otherwise meet.

In today's competitive job market, landing (and acing) a series of tough interviews isn't enough to get hired. If you want to outperform the competition and win an offer, you need to be able to close the deal.