You’ve seen it all over the headlines. AI is axing entry-level jobs. Computer science graduates who’ve been sold the dream of completing university and walking straight into their dream role at a Big Tech employer, are seeing their dreams shattered right before their very eyes.
The job market is relentless, and AI is making it more difficult than ever for the class of 2025 to begin their careers.
Unfortunately, it takes more than entry-level skill or merely a degree to survive the market right now. You need to know what skill sets employers are specifically needing the most in the talent market right now, so you can meet their demand, become irreplaceable by AI, and make yourself indispensable.
Employers are reporting significant skills shortages and skills gaps within different markets and industries, from software development to data analytics to design, product management, marketing, and even customer success.
For example, the most critical gap within the software development field is cloud platforms, with only 0.07% of developer resumes mentioning this skill, despite 3.98% of job posts requiring it, according to Huntr’s recent Job Search Trends report of Q2 2025.
Similarly, within data analytics, cloud platforms again emerged as the most significant skills shortage, hindering employers from tapping into high-skilled talent and reducing innovation.
In this article, you’ll learn the top skills gaps that Huntr’s report highlights, and armed with these insights, you’ll also discover how to upskill in these core areas for free, so you can gain a competitive edge and do what at least 90% of job search candidates are not doing right now.
These small tweaks could make all the difference between you landing on a thick “rejected” resume pile, or securing an interview and final offer, and even being chased down by employers because of your rare expertise.
The Biggest Skills Gaps Right Now
According to Huntr’s report, these are the competencies with the most significant skills shortages in the labor market right now And they’re high-income skills too, with most paying lucratively in roles with average salaries of $100,000 or more (like in UX design and product management). Employers are scrambling to fill these and related roles, but aren’t able to adequately fill them due to lack of access or availability of talent skilled in these very areas:
- Software development–cloud platform skills
- Data and analytics–cloud platform skills
- Design–portfolio skills
- Product management–core product management expertise
- Administrative–Microsoft Office (employers are looking for advanced-level proficiency, especially with Copilot on the scene, not just basic email typing and PowerPoint templates)
- Customer success–customer success expertise
What’s worrying about this skills gap (and you should be alarmed too) is that all of these skills can be acquired easily and inexpensively…meaning you don’t even need a degree to acquire them.
You can undertake intense technical training, or learn via a specialised course or bootcamp, and gain the necessary expertise which will put you way ahead of the rest who haven’t had such training. (More on that below.)
One thing that strikes me the most about this list of in-demand skills, is portfolio skills, which is essentially revealing that employers acknowledge that job search candidates within the design industry, i.e. fashion, graphic design, etc., are failing to create or design portfolios in a way that truly sells them.
This is a very simple error that can easily be solved, but something that many job seekers in this field unfortunately miss. Simply not having a portfolio, or one that clearly articulates your greatest strengths and the results that you’ve delivered, can stand in the way of you landing your dream job, even if you match every skill on the job description to the “T” and already have the necessary skills and experience they require.
Another thing that’s concerning is that many job seekers I’ve spoken to in my coaching experience actually have the necessary skills, but fail to show it on their resumes.
There’s no point having specific technical skills and power skills, but not demonstrating them on your LinkedIn profile and in your resume. Your skills are your greatest asset, so failing to include them puts you at the back of the queue, while those who’ve worked hard to specialise and acquire the very skills you have will win the role you wanted, not because they are skilled more than you are, but simply because they know how to show it.
15 Free Courses/Certifications To Learn In-Demand Skills In 2025
Now, to help you stand out from the crowd and impress employers and even prospective clients if you’re a freelancer, here are some free courses and certifications you can take to upskill in the areas listed above, whether you’re a software developer, UX designer, data analyst, or other professional in the industries included in Huntr’s report.
Cloud Skills Free Courses: IBM SkillsBuild
- Cloud Computing Fundamentals, IBM SkillsBuild
- IBM Cloud Essentials, IBM SkillsBuild
Cloud Skills: Oracle University Free Certifications
Oracle’s Oracle University is currently holding a “Race to Certification” which is a challenge anyone can participate in for free to upskill, gain badges and certificates, and have a chance to win some prizes and be featured on a leaderboard. Their free courses range from AI to cloud to data. Cloud courses and certificates include:
- OCI (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure) Foundations
- OCI Multicloud Architect
- OCI Developer
- OCI DevOps
- and so much more.
Portfolio Skills
Build and display your portfolio for free on platforms like:
- Canva
- Dribble
- Notion
- You can also learn on LinkedIn Learning’s courses (free with a trial or free to Premium members) such as Building a Portfolio With Adobe Portfolio
Product Management Skills Free Courses: Product School
Product School has a range of free micro-certifications such as:
- Product Prioritization Micro-Certification (PPC)
- Product Analytics Micro-Certification
- Product Launches Micro-Certification
Microsoft Office Skills Free Courses: Microsoft Learn
Microsoft has tons of hands-on training videos and step-by-step tutorials across all its apps, suitable for different roles including developers, start-up founders, consultants, and AI engineers. A few include:
- Introduction to Prompt Engineering With GitHub Copilot
- Explore Microsoft Teams (because to be honest, you’re still stuck using the same familiar features every day at work)
- Get Started With OneNote For Education (more niche, nuanced application)
- Create Business Value From AI
Customer Success Skills: HubSpot Academy
- Inbound Service Fundamentals
- Service Hub Software
How To Include These Skills/Certifications In Your Resume
- Build a portfolio of projects you’ve created while learning/past projects with results including any case studies, and include this link in your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- List only the relevant certifications, in reverse chronological order on your resume in a dedicated section near the education section.
- Where it makes sense and enables you to stand out due to your niche, include your certification by briefly mentioning it near the top of your resume, in the skills or professional summary sections.
- Don’t wait until you’ve finished; if you’re still working on completing your course, include it but write a note like “currently studying” or “due to complete by XYZ”.
It’s time to add some “oomph” to your resume and show employers exactly what your skills are worth.
Hungry for more?
Check out my recent article, 20 Courses & Certificates To Learn High-Income Skills In 2 Hours, for ways to learn and upskill even when you’re short on time.