*By Amanda Weston*
Good communicators, rejoice. You possess the top skill in demand in this year's LinkedIn U.S. [Emerging Jobs Report](https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/en-us/research/linkedin-2018-emerging-jobs-report).
"The single biggest one is in oral communications," Guy Berger, LinkedIn's chief economist, told Cheddar Thursday. "Nearly every major city in the United States has a shortage in this. In many of them, it's the biggest shortage. And the reason is that nearly every job requires that."
LinkedIn's study highlights the hottest and fastest growing jobs ー as well as the skills in short supply.
Artificial intelligence dominated the 2018 report. The findings show six out of 15 emerging jobs relate to A.I. But even as A.I. occupies a prominent spot, "soft skills" like communication shouldn't be neglected.
"We keep hearing about A.I. eating the future of work, and I think the reality is these are the skills that even if A.I. automates a lot of existing job functions and skills and capabilities, it's not going to be able to replace that need for human-to-human interaction, and that's why these skills are so important," Berger said.
Blockchain developer nabbed the top spot for emerging jobs, echoing the HTTP boom in the job market during the 1980s and 90s.
But as to whether blockchain careers will stick, it's too early to say, according to Berger.
"I think only time will tell," he said. "I think a lot of it involves finding new applications for blockchain that are more mass market than just cryptocurrency."
Some of the highest paying roles belong in cutting-edge A.I. and machine learning jobs. But soft skills can also prove to be lucrative.
"If you're thinking for the long run, I wouldn't be the kind of person that would just bet on tech skills," Berger advised.
"These soft skills are what allow for a foundation of adaptability and durability. And if it really is the case that A.I. in the next five, 10, 15 years revolutionizes the workplace and technology changes so much that these current tech skills become obsolete, it is nice to have a foundation that makes you a valuable worker in all sorts of different kinds of roles," he said. "That's what these soft skills do."
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from LinkedIn's report:
**Top Five Emerging Jobs**
1. Blockchain Developer (33x growth)
2. Machine Learning Engineer (12x growth)
3. Application Sales Executive (8x growth)
4. Machine Learning Specialist (6x growth)
5. Professional Medical Representative (6x growth)
**Top Five In Demand Skills (Biggest Skills Gap)**
1. Oral Communications
2. People Management
3. Social Media
4. Development Tools
5. Business Management
**Top Five Majors for Professionals in Emerging Jobs**
1. Business Administration and Management
2. Psychology
3. General Studies
4. Accounting
5. Marketing
**Top Five Fastest Growing Job Titles (by hire)**
1. Software Engineer - Current Job Openings: 80K+
2. Account Executive - Current Job Openings: 16K+
3. Realtor - Current Job Openings: 2K+
4. Account Manager - Current Job Openings: 17K+
5. Recruiter - Current Job Openings: 8K+
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/want-to-nail-that-job-interview-linkedin-says-the-most-important-skill-is-not-on-your-resume).
President Donald Trump has fired one of two Democratic members of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to break a 2-2 tie ahead of the board considering the largest railroad merger ever proposed.
Ford is recalling more than 355,000 of its pickup trucks across the U.S. because of an instrument panel display failure that’s resulted in critical information, like warning lights and vehicle speed, not showing up on the dashboard.
Nvidia reported a 56% increase in second-quarter revenue and a 59% rise in net income compared to a year ago.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos claims audiences don't want to watch Netflix movies in theaters, but that seems not to be the case recently.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
