The new year often comes with a resolution to find a new job. As such, many companies put off their hunt for new talent until after the holidays.
That makes January the perfect month to review resumes and make sure they’re up to date on the skills employers are looking for.
And for those looking for jobs in PPC[1], paid search, and SEM[2], employers could be looking for surprising skill sets this year.
A new study from SEMrush analyzed more than 4,500 PPC job listings on Monster and Indeed in countries around the world, from the US and the UK to India. The results showed quite a few region-specific needs for new hires.
At the same time, some skills remain universal.
Here are employer-identified top skills from around the world, along with experts’ advice for how to make sure your 2019 resume has the skills employers are seeking.
Content produced in collaboration with SEMrush.[3]
The top skills for PPC, Paid Search, and SEM by region
In the US, employers look for Excel skills
The US was the only country in the study that ranked Excel proficiency as its number one most desirable skill. A full 36% of employers prioritize a knowledge of Excel for new hires.
If you’re hoping for a new job as a PPC/SEM specialist or strategist in 2019, you really need to make sure you’re focusing on your knowledge about VLOOKUPs[4], advanced charting, and pivot tables.[5]
Joel Bondorowsky, PPC optimizer, online marketing expert, and founder at PPC Designs, said:
“Vlookups are a function of