Do you love a challenge, enjoy being surrounded by people who are ambitious, and relish solving seemingly impossible puzzles? Working in a startup could offer the freedom and learning opportunities you’re after.
If you’re looking to land a job in a startup or scaleup, this is the perfect guide for you. Our Adzuna data gurus have sourced this year’s most attractive hard and soft skills for startups, by analysing what employers are looking for across over 13,212 job ads advertised in February 2023.
In this article, you’ll find the top 40 skills startup employers want their employees to have, as well as how startups’ wish list of skills is changing.
Most attractive soft skills
Management
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 53%
Startups tend to have a flat hierarchical structure. This can potentially blur the lines between leaders and employees and can cause problems when a manager has to deliver negative feedback or news. It’s also not uncommon that startup managers have only one subordinate or share their juniors with other managers.
Startups therefore need employees who can effectively delegate responsibilities and lead their team regardless of manpower or skills scarcity – Over half (53%) of the advertised startup job ads we analysed are looking for proven prowess in management. On top of supervising people, good management skills also mean keeping a tight rein on projects, resources, finances, and time.
Flexibility
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 41%
Things change swiftly when you work in a startup. Think about last week’s Silicon Valley Bank collapse – startups couldn’t get their money out all of a sudden, and panic ensued.
Startups therefore want flexible and resilient employees who can problem solve when there are unexpected challenges and opportunities. More than two in five (41%) advertised startup job ads contained “flexibility” on their skills wish list.
Communication
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 38%
Candidates highlighting top communication skills have a higher chance to pass the CV screening test, with more than one in three (38%) advertised startup job ads including this interpersonal skill.
Externally, communication is critical when dealing with customers, suppliers, and potential investors, as it helps establish strong relationships and prevent misunderstandings and conflicts. Internally, effective communication can help nurture trust, foster collaboration and cultivate a positive working environment. If you’re a leader, it also means being able to communicate your vision, goals and ideas clearly to your team.
Leadership
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 24%
The list of challenges startups face is seemingly endless. It could be running out of cash, failing to secure a supplier, fierce competition and so on. In such circumstances, employees could easily lose hope and motivation, and potentially even leave. For founders, however, employees are huge investments, and high turnover rates mean a company must reinvest in hiring and training a new person, as well as potentially compensating for the loss in revenue due to a loss in clientele base and wider staff demotivation.
Leadership skills are therefore in demand, with close to a quarter (24%) advertised startup job ads summoning leadership skills. Startups need top-notch leaders to constantly inspire and motivate their team even in tough times. They must be able to set a clear vision, provide guidance, and lead by example.
Innovation & creativity
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 23% (innovation), 17% (creativity)
Innovation is the lifeblood of most startups. They need innovative and creative employees who can think outside the box to solve problems and develop new products or services that set the company apart from their competitors.
Organisation
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 21%
It’s normal for small teams and employees in a startup to wear multiple hats, especially in the beginning. For example, a marketer’s core duties might be managing paid advertising initiatives and driving ROIs, but they could be asked to take charge of all the web designs, SEO and branding projects and even help out in trade shows and events. Startups look for candidates with excellent organisational skills who are good at managing their time, staying on top of every project and meeting deadlines.
Collaboration
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 14%
Startups employers look for collaboration skills in candidates because of the deafening power of collaboration. It can maximise productivity, foster trust and creativity across the organisation.
Fast-paced
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 12%
There’s a reason why hustle culture has become synonymous with startups. Startups operate in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. Employees must be able to work at a breakneck speed to stay ahead of the competition. Showcasing your experience thriving in a fast-paced environment can give you a huge advantage. Too many candidates don’t know what they’re signing up for when they apply for a job in startups.
Friendly
Proportion of job ads asking for skill: 11%
If you work in a startup, very often, you will be working closely with the founders. Your prospective employers are human too, and they want to work with friendly and nice people knowing they’re going to spend a lot of time with you. Start adding personality adjectives like friendly and approachable in your CVs.
Top 20 soft skills of 2023 in startups
| Rank | Soft skill | Proportion of job ads with this skill, Feb 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management | 54% |
| 2 | Flexibility | 41% |
| 3 | Communication | 38% |
| 4 | Leadership | 24% |
| 5 | Innovative | 23% |
| 6 | Organisation | 21% |
| 7 | Creativity | 17% |
| 8 | Collaborative | 14% |
| 9 | Fast-paced | 12% |
| 10 | Friendly | 11% |
| 11 | Confident | 10% |
| 12 | Project management | 10% |
| 13 | Attention to detail | 10% |
| 14 | Teamwork | 9% |
| 15 | Customer service | 7% |
| 16 | Coaching | 7% |
| 17 | Problem solving | 7% |
| 18 | Reliable | 6% |
| 19 | Presentation | 6% |
| 20 | Mentoring | 6% |
When you’re drafting your CV, think like a startup. Consider the nature and daily operations of startups and your role and add the corresponding soft skills to your CVs to increase your chances of passing the screening test.
Check more tips for crafting CVs and cover letters on our blog.
Most attractive hard skills
Now we’ve looked at the most in-demand soft skills for startups, it’s time to see how things are changing. This is most noticeable in our data for sought-after hard skills – the particular competences required to fulfil your daily duties, rather than personal attributes.
It’s an understatement to say that the current market conditions are tough and unpredictable. Even big corporations and enterprises are struggling to navigate the macro-economic challenges: Inflation, FTX bankruptcy, and the latest Silicon Valley Bank collapse.
Startup employers have a lot on their plate and yet their manpower and budgets are usually constrained. When it comes to hiring, employers have therefore been favouring all-rounder candidates over the last two years. The top five hard skills startups are looking for this year are sales skills, engineering knowledge, marketing knowledge, reporting skills, and financial knowledge.
Compared to 2022, employers are spotlighting departments that most affect the bottom line, such as sales, finance and business development skills. Meanwhile, demand for skills such as marketing knowledge has fallen over the past year. Sad to say, the marketing department is often the first victim when times get tough.
Top 20 hard skills of 2023 in startups
| Rank | Hard skill | Proportion of job ads with this skill, Feb 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales | 28% |
| 2 | Engineering knowledge | 27% |
| 3 | Marketing knowledge | 22% |
| 4 | Reporting | 21% |
| 5 | Finance knowledge | 15% |
| 6 | Business development | 13% |
| 7 | Compliance | 13% |
| 8 | Email writing | 10% |
| 9 | Project management | 10% |
| 10 | AWS | 9% |
| 11 | Writing | 9% |
| 12 | Python | 9% |
| 13 | Excel | 9% |
| 14 | Saas | 8% |
| 15 | Customer service | 7% |
| 16 | Programming | 7% |
| 17 | AI | 6% |
| 18 | Software development | 6% |
| 19 | Javascript | 6% |
| 20 | SQL | 5% |
Motivated to apply for a job at startups but unsure how? Start your job search on our sister site Work in Startups or explore these opportunities on Adzuna.
Read more about the hottest CV keywords (for all sizes of companies) in 2023: Top 40 skill-based keywords to pass the CV screening test