Abstract:

Recent trends seem to conclude that computerization leads to the transformation of already skilled employees into characters that possess certain criteria such as flexibility, team spirit, communication, motivation, critical thinking, adaptive, multi-tasking and innovative responses, well-being, social and collaborative problem-solving abilities, etc. The prementioned skills are usually referred to as non-cognitive skills or soft skills or socio-emotional skills and in general they are considered to be major predictors of adult professional life. In fact, it is widely accepted that part of these skills is usually acquired in early childhood as well as in primary and secondary schooling, yet it appears to be a major factor of employment dynamics and future income throughout life. On the other hand, there is lack of clarity and measurement in the process of studying, defining and classifying soft skills. As a result, at the moment there are no sufficient customized tools that specifically measure the procedures of possessing or gradually developing behavioral and attitudinal skills so consequently there is absence of proportionate skills development policies. At the same time, as internet tends to shape pedagogy and overall education and training, soft skills continue to reform constantly adding up to the present yet unsolved matter of soft skills tools measurement modeling. Meanwhile, as online markets are rapidly growing, many e-communities worldwide are promoting specific sets of soft skills, usually by posting impressive job applications or by using digital matching tools that make online recruitment more attractive, interesting and promising to both employers and jobseekers, finally augmenting the already long list of soft skills. As this has been the case during the recent years, many new non-taught personal skills have been arising. Consequently, questions and thoughts regarding their methodology development tend to be crucial. In the present paper, the above issues are thoroughly discussed and analyzed. In addition, a classification of the new skills in demand is attempted in terms of recent real labor and on line market, mainly by researching through social media platforms and focusing on the recent changes in skills demand as well the ways some of these skills are often cultivated subconsciously mainly through frequent use of social media, according to social media marketers that participated in the present research. Finally, the current paper hopes to add up to the ways new skills taxonomy may be incorporated in education and training sectors, business sectors, private sectors and policy makers by proposing ways that upgrade job skills in response to worldwide labor market’s signals in order to best prepare in terms of human resource development.

Keywords:

Smart skills, soft skills, social media, big data, labor demand, labor markets.