All the headlines surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) may lead many job seekers to think advanced AI skills are at the top of employer demands this year, but a new report from Indeed Hiring Lab shows that when it comes to tech, employers still place significant value on applicants with basic computer skills.ย ย
The analysis found one out of every 10 skills mentioned in U.S. job postings are basic or โelementaryโ technical skills. In fact, researchers at Indeed reveal that nearly 20% of the job postings analyzed specifically cited basic โcomputer literacy.โย ย
These skills are very important for many sectors โ particularly in accounting, administrative assistance, logistic support, and human resources, according to the data. Employersโ emphasis on basic technical skills as a prerequisite in job descriptions highlights their foundational role in the global workplace, even as newer, more advanced technologies like AI begin to gain traction around the world.ย
AI-related skills currently represent only a small portion of labor market demands. This trend is reflected in job postings across four countries analyzed โ the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and France โ where elementary computer skills remain prominently listed.ย
The study found only about 2-3% of job postings contain AI-related terms. Notably, this percentage has remained relatively stable since 2020. The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) jobs โ fueled by the widespread acceptance of generative AI tools like ChatGPT โ remains modest, but experts note the job posting trends show a sharp upward trajectory in mentions, which hints at the technologyโs anticipate influence in guiding the future of work.ย
