Professional network LinkedIn, in its latest Skills on the Rise 2025 list, spotlights 15 skills that professionals should invest in to stay ahead at work in the competitive job market in 2025. The top 5 fastest growing skills that companies in India are hiring for include creativity and innovation (#1), code review (#2), problem-solving (#3), pre-screening (#4), and strategic thinking (#5), says the report.
With 64% of the skills used in most jobs projected to change by 2030 in India, LinkedIn research shows that 25% of professionals worry about not having the skills needed for the future, 60% are open to switching industries, and 39% plan to learn new skills. On the other hand, 69% of recruiters in India report a skills mismatch between the skills professionals have and the skills companies need.
Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and India Senior Managing Editor says, “India Inc. is experiencing a fundamental skills reset. As AI changes the way we work, soft skills like creativity, problem-solving, and strategic thinking are no longer ‘nice to have’; they’re business-critical. At the same time, AI literacy is becoming a baseline expectation across all job functions. Employers are also doubling down on customer engagement and stakeholder management, making business acumen more valuable than ever. This year’s Skills on the Rise list is a must-have resource for professionals to identify and learn the skills that companies are hiring for in 2025.”
As AI automates tasks, the skills that set professionals apart are becoming deeply human. “Creativity and innovation (#1), problem-solving (#3) and strategic thinking (#5) are seeing increased demand, not just in traditionally creative fields like arts & design and marketing, but also in business development and education. Similarly, communication is now essential beyond people-centric roles like sales and HR, extending into IT, consulting, and finance,” the report adds.
The ability to work with AI is a mainstay in today’s work landscape, says the report, adding that 95% of C-Suite leaders in India prioritise AI skills over traditional experience, Large Language Models (LLM) (#8), AI literacy (#9), and prompt engineering (#13) skills are becoming key differentiators for job applicants.
As companies sharpen their focus on business growth, strong customer relationships remain a top priority. “Customer engagement (#11) is a critical skill—with an increasing emphasis on customer satisfaction—across sales, business development, and marketing functions. Professionals who can help businesses build enduring customer relations and loyalty will have an advantage,” the report adds.
As a solution, Banerjee advises professionals to identify skills that one would want to build in the future. “Show off your soft skills. While many jobs require technical skills, skills like communication and adaptability are in demand and are super transferable across roles and industries. These skills matter to employers, so don’t bury the lead…go skill surfing and get in growth mode. Identify the areas of growth – possibly around skills that you were missing for a specific job you want, as detailed in the job description.”
Top 15 Skills on The Rise in India:
1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Code Review
3. Problem Solving
4. Pre-screening
5. Strategic Thinking
6. Communication
7. Adaptability
8. Large Language Models (LLM)
9. AI Literacy
10. Debugging
11. Customer Engagement
12. Statistical Data Analysis
13. Prompt Engineering
14. Market Analysis
15. Stakeholder Management