(TNND) — LinkedIn crunched data from both job seekers and companies looking to hire to come up with a new list of 15 "Skills on the Rise."

The list is a good reflection of what employers are looking for in an evolving jobs market, said Andrew Seaman, the editor at large for jobs and career development at LinkedIn News.

The list, he said, can help job seekers figure out their strengths and weaknesses and how to attack the skills gap for the job they want.

Literacy in artificial intelligence is the top job skill on the new list.

But with AI’s emergence in the workforce, Seaman said so-called “soft skills” that only people can offer will remain in high demand.

And he said a skills-based approach to employment can help people weather disruptions caused by AI.

Over half of Americans began the new year with hopes of landing a new job, but many feel stuck and frustrated by the search process.

Previous LinkedIn research showed 54% of American workers planned to look for a new job in 2025.

The labor market is still strong, but it’s trending weaker, labor economist Aaron Sojourner previously told The National News Desk.

It’s been harder for folks out of work to land a job, with the hiring rate generally the lowest that it has been in over a decade, Sojourner said.

Seaman said the list of fastest-growing skills can help job seekers get ahead of the curve and stand out in a competitive labor market.

LinkedIn’s 15 fastest-growing skills in the U.S. are:

1. AI literacy
2. Conflict mitigation
3. Adaptability
4. Process optimization
5. Innovative thinking
6. Public speaking
7. Solution-based selling
8. Customer engagement and support
9. Stakeholder management
10. Large language model (LLM) development and application
11. Budget and resource management
12. Go-to-market strategy
13. Regulatory compliance
14. Growth strategy
15. Risk assessment

A lot of folks might think of hard, technical skills when assessing what they can and can’t do, but Seaman said soft skills, like communication and relating to other people, will be critical going forward.

He said their list is a mixture of hard and soft skills.

And particular skills don’t necessarily mean the same thing for everyone.

AI literacy will mean something different for an engineer than an accountant.

But Seaman said everyone will need to stay plugged into the programs their industry uses to deliver on the in-demand skills.

What should job seekers do with the information on this list?

“The first thing I would suggest is doing a skills audit,” Seaman said.

That’s as simple as sitting down with a pen and a piece of paper and listing things you’re good at on the job.

“Am I the problem solver? Am I an innovative thinker? And it's good to bring in other voices, too,” he said, “because we tend to be a really bad judge of our own work.”

That list might evolve over time.

Identifying your strengths and weaknesses will help you find the skills gap you need to address to give yourself the best shot at landing your desired job, Seaman said.

Job seekers can take online courses to upskill. Or workers might seek out opportunities at their current jobs to get exposure to new skills.

Highlight your skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile, Seaman said.

And illustrate your proficiency in those skills, especially during an interview.

“Don't just say what you do, but show them how well you do it,” he said.