Top 10 In-demand Skills for Job Seekers in 2024

March 28, 2024

If you’re searching for a job, you want to have the skills that employers are looking for. This will mean the difference between being at the top of the resume pile and not even being considered. 


As you continue your job search, here’s a look at the ten of the top in-demand job skills of 2024.


In-Demand Job Skills in 2024

1. Communication

Being able to communicate with co-workers and supervisors is key in any type of job. This is especially true in the ever-growing hybrid workplace where people are not always sharing a workspace. Written and verbal communication skills are extremely important to get the job done correctly and efficiently.


2. Leadership & Management

Leadership skills are critical to many different types of jobs. Leadership shows initiative, motivation, and trustworthiness…all skills that employers find valuable. It also demonstrates the ability to manage conflict and mentor others. It also inspires and helps to create connections between personal motivations and professional results.


Management skills are very important because they help you get more work done, balance priorities and deadlines, and work with others. Employers want to find workers they can trust with tasks and don’t have to constantly watch over them. Those who embody management skills fill this requirement.

3. Emotional Intelligence

More employers are looking for emotional intelligence in the people they hire because it results in higher job performance. Employees with high levels of emotional intelligence can handle stress better and implement coping mechanisms before chaos ensues. They are also better active listeners and can read the room and adjust their behavior or work as needed without being obvious.


4. Teamwork

Collaborating with others, respecting others’ opinions, and being able to share ideas are important to any workplace setting. People who can work together and adapt to situations help to drive results. This is what employers want to see.


5. Problem-Solving

Can you think on your feet and solve problems quickly? Employers look for people who can meet challenges and solve problems. Using critical thinking skills is important to getting around problems and seeing the big picture.


6. Creative-Thinking


Equally as important, if not more important, than problem-solving skills, are creative-thinking skills. According to the World Economic Forum, the demand for creative thinking is expected to grow faster than the demand for analytic thinking in the next five years.


Employers like creative thinking because it leads to solutions that others may have not considered. It also allows people to be open-minded about others’ ideas which can spur innovation.


7. Relationship Building

Building relationships and bringing in customers is extremely important in many different sectors. Businesses need sales-minded employers in this challenging economy. Those who have sales skills and can use AI tools to help in the sales cycle prove to stand out even more.


8. Customer Service

People enjoy doing business with companies that make customer service a priority. Candidates who have people skills and know how to handle those from all types of backgrounds and with different viewpoints are priceless. Excellent customer service leads to trust building which helps any company’s bottom line.


9. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skills 

Many different sectors are relying on AI skills which is why it has become an in-demand skill for job seekers. Healthcare, education, data security, and finance are just some of the areas that use AI to be more productive.


10. Marketing

Marketing skills are versatile. They can include research, strategic thinking, creativity, customer relationship management, and much more. Whether you’re marketing yourself or a product, you want to have the skills that make you stand out. Marketing skills are especially helpful in sales, project management, and operations jobs.


As you consider these in-demand skills, Summit Careers is here to help match you with the right employer. Contact us today to learn more about how we connect job seekers with employers in many different sectors.

The Great Manufacturing Debate: Hiring for Attitude vs. Experience

April 29, 2026
Hiring managers in the manufacturing field are facing a dilemma they may never have faced before. Many are wondering, do you hire for experience or for attitude? Consider this scenario: Do you hire the veteran operator with twenty years of experience but a "this is how we’ve always done it" mindset? Or do you hire the eager newcomer who doesn’t know a CNC machine from a drill press but shows up ten minutes early with a notebook in hand? While many would have quickly answered the experience, these days the tide is turning. More companies are looking beyond what a person knows. They want to look at how they learn and act. The Experience Paradox: When Knowledge Becomes a Liability Experience is extremely valuable. People need to know how to get the job done. But experience can sometimes work against some people. Someone with decades of experience may be resistant to new software, lean manufacturing pivots, or updated safety standards. They may think that they know it all, so what more do they need to learn? This attitude can hurt both the worker and the company. If someone’s experience comes with an ego and they refuse to collaborate and learn, their net value to the company often decreases. Why Attitude is Becoming More Important In manufacturing, attitude isn't just about being friendly at the water cooler. It also includes traits such as adaptability and reliability. You can teach someone how to use a new piece of equipment. You can’t teach someone how to take initiative, care about their work, or show up on time. This is all about the attitude. When you hire for attitude, you are working to maintain the retention rate. Many people are fired for their poor teamwork, refusal to follow instructions, and attendance issues. Find the Right Balance Between Attitude & Experience If you hire only for attitude and have zero experienced leads, your production will stall. The most successful manufacturing firms strive to find the right balance. Here are some ways to do this: Rewrite the Job Description: Instead of listing “5 years of experience”, emphasize a “proven track record of reliability”. This shifts the focus from experience to include attitude as well. Look to Find Out More During the Interview: Instead of asking specific questions about machinery that has been used, ask how they learn new processes. The answer to this question will tell you more about them than whether they can operate a piece of machinery. You may also want to consider a job mentorship program where new hires shadow an experienced worker. This can help those with fewer skills, but a great attitude, get more on-the-job experience. While everyone may be able to gain experience, not everyone can always maintain the right attitude. How do companies make it work? Companies need to consider stopping hiring for what people did and start hiring for what they are capable of doing. If you need help finding the right manufacturing candidates to fill your roles, Summit Careers is here to help. We have a growing list of resumes from people who want to work for you today. Contact us today to learn more!

Manufacturing Shift Work: How Scheduling Impacts Hiring and Retention

April 20, 2026
When it comes to manufacturing work, there is much emphasis these days on the shift schedule. For plant managers and HR directors, the "standard" shift is no longer just a logistical necessity; it is a primary marketing tool for recruitment and a major way to retain employees. Let’s take a closer look at how scheduling impacts hiring and retention. The Great Debate: 8-Hour vs. 12-Hour Shifts The choice between 8-hour and 12-hour rotations is the first major decision at any facility. Both have profound impacts on who applies and who stays. The 8-Hour Traditionalist Shift Pros: Easier for workers with childcare needs or those who find 12 hours of physical labor unsustainable. It fits the traditional "three-shift" (Morning, Afternoon, Graveyard) model. Cons: Frequent handovers increase the risk of communication gaps and "passing the buck" on equipment issues. The 12-Hour Modernist Schedule Pros: Employees work roughly 182 days a year instead of 273. This "built-in" time off is a massive recruitment draw for people seeking more free time for hobbies or family. Cons: Fatigue is a real risk. By hour ten, safety incidents can spike if not managed with proper breaks and ergonomic support. Hiring in 2026: While Flexibility Matters Scheduling flexibility has jumped to a top-three priority for manufacturing applicants, trailing only wages and benefits. This has manufacturers taking a different approach. Companies are implementing shift bidding and self-scheduling. Modern workforce management (WFM) software now allows employees to: Swap shifts via mobile apps without supervisor intervention. Volunteer for overtime during peak production. Set availability to protect specific days for education or family commitments. By treating the schedule as a dynamic menu rather than something set in stone, companies are attracting a younger, more tech-savvy demographic that values autonomy. Retention: Solving the Mid-Shift Burnout Retention isn't just about the hours worked; it’s about the predictability and recovery those hours allow. High turnover often stems from the physiological and social strain of rotating schedules. Moreover, the handoff between shifts can be a silent retention killer. When a night shift feels like they are being set up for failure by the day shift, morale crumbles. 12-hour schedules mitigate this by reducing the number of handovers, fostering a "two-crew" culture of mutual accountability. The Role of "Temp-to-Hire" in Scheduling These days, many manufacturers are using temp-to-hire models as a way to test scheduling. Before a worker commits to a permanent 12-hour night rotation, a 90-day trial period lets them see whether their lifestyle truly meshes with the demands of the floor. This realistic job preview significantly reduces turnover within the first 30 days. The Bottom Line As we move further into 2026, the manufacturers that thrive will be those that view scheduling not as a math problem to be solved, but as a human-centric strategy. Whether you opt for the stability of 8-hour shifts or the lifestyle benefits of 12-hour shifts, the goal is to maintain high productivity while reducing the revolving door. If you need help finding manufacturing workers , Summit Careers is here to help. We receive resumes daily from people looking to find their next career. Reach out to us today to learn more.

The Real Cost of Unfilled Manufacturing Positions and How to Reduce It

March 31, 2026
When it comes to filling manufacturing positions, companies are feeling the pinch of vacant positions. Data shows unfilled manufacturing roles could cost the U.S. economy $1 trillion by 2030. For an individual plant, the hidden costs of a vacancy often outweigh the salary of the person who should be there. What Vacancies are Really Costing Companies Vacancies are costing companies more than you would think when you break down the dollars and cents of it all. Experienced Workers With 26% of the manufacturing workforce aged 55 or older, every unfilled role next to a veteran worker is a missed opportunity for mentorship. When those veterans retire without a successor who has shadowed them and learned the ropes, decades of expertise are lost. Overtime Costs To meet production quotas, existing staffers must pick up the slack. This can lead to massive overtime costs and employee burnout. This can be extremely dangerous. Fatigued workers are statistically more likely to make errors or suffer injuries, driving up insurance and rework costs. Operational Costs If a maintenance job goes unfilled and machines stop working, it can lead to longer downtime, costing the company money. If a line is down for four hours instead of one because you’re short a technician, the loss can exceed thousands of dollars. Competitive Disadvantage Production delays can give competitors an advantage. While you’re taking longer to complete tasks, they’re surging ahead and taking your customers. How to Close the Gap Reducing the cost of unfilled positions requires moving from reactive hiring to proactive employee retention. 1. Data-Driven Training Instead of searching for the perfect candidate, start building them in-house. Many high-performing plants are using skill matrices to identify their gaps. By training current employees to do other tasks, you can create a more resilient, cross-trained floor. 2. Invest in Labor-Augmenting Technology In 2026, automation isn't about replacing people; it's about making the people you do have more effective. AI Resources: New AI systems can now help less experienced operators by providing real-time, natural-language troubleshooting guides based on the plant’s own historical data. This can help employees get the information they need when they need it. Collaborative Robots: These handle the more mundane tasks, allowing your human talent to focus on quality control and complex assembly. 3. Structured Onboarding Program Data shows that 30% of manufacturing departures happen within the first 90 days. To reduce this at your company, implement a structured onboarding process: Day 1: Safety-first orientation. Day 30: A "stay review" to identify friction points before the worker looks elsewhere if they are unhappy. Day 90: A clear path to the next skill level or pay grade. By showing you are taking time and effort to retain employees, they will feel valuable and will not look for a quick out. Let Summit Careers Fill Your Manufacturing Roles If you’re feeling the cost of unfilled manufacturing positions, let Summit Careers help. We work with qualified individuals seeking their next career move. Reach out to us today so we can help!