Five business skills employers are looking for in 2025

Five business skills employers are looking for in 2025

Prepare your résumé for the future with the top business skills for leadership and management roles in 2025.

Innovations like blockchain and AI continue to shake up the business landscape. The key to weathering the next shift is staying in the know.  

Breaking into the world of business or landing your next promotion is a matter of having the right skillset. No matter what your career goals or ambitions are, gaining the most in-demand business skills is a surefire way to prepare for the roles of tomorrow. 

Developing sought after skills isn’t just about career progression, you’ll never regret being prepared for what’s next. Here are the top five management and business skills that employers are looking for in leaders, and how you can gain them at RMIT. 

RMIT Business students stand about a computer discussing report results

#1: Enterprising and intiative

Enterprising is a business skill that combines teamwork, communication and leadership. Meanwhile, initiative helps you spot and act on opportunities when they arise. Together they are the recipe for a good leader. 

Developing enterprising and initiative isn’t just about gaining the proficiency needed to excel – they are traits that business professionals expect to see in their leaders and managers. A recent survey found one of the most important skills industry members hope to see their leaders are problem-solving and enterprising skills.1 

How to add this to your skillset 

Whether you’re an aspiring professional with limited management experience or looking to deepen your skills, RMIT has the means to help you develop your enterprising and initiative. The Master of Business Administration and Executive Master of Business Administration nurture these skills with industry-engaged experiences that will help you lead the way through any challenge. 

#2: Cloud computing for business operations

While some sectors have de-emphasised ‘work-from-home’ models, 36% of all employed Australians regularly worked from home in 20242. This is just one of the current workplace dynamics that is driving employers and executives to integrate more cloud-based solutions and keep their businesses at the cutting-edge of digital infrastructure. As a result, literacy in cloud systems is becoming even more valued by employers and executives.  

How to add this to your skillset 

RMIT’s Graduate Certificate in Cloud Applications in Business is perfect for you if you’re looking to enhance your CV with cloud expertise. In this course, you’ll learn the risks and opportunities associated with cloud systems and become equipped to make informed decisions that align with organisational goals and technological needs. 

RMIT Business students stand about a table comparing notes

#3: Financial risk management

New and upcoming AI-integrated finance technology is set to change the future of risk management. In their 2025 report, PwC Australia remarks that “the question is not if risk management will evolve within financial institutions, it’s a matter of when”.3

However, these changes do not mean the end of the human element – a strong understanding of risk management will always be valued by employers. The tools and dynamics of the financial sector may be changing, but professionals with the skills to manage risk within an ethical framework remain highly valued. 

How to add this to your skillset 

The Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Finance and Investment helps you develop two future-focused business skills at once - financial risk management and sustainable investment. The course gives you the means to conduct market research and advise financial institutions on the sustainability of their processes and strategies. 

#4: Operational Strategy

Operational strategy is the backbone of many roles in the business sector – after all, you can’t have a company that runs itself. Even with the rise of automated practices, professionals with the skills and confidence to develop and guide effective strategies are highly sought after. 

In an increasingly digital world, resource management is one of the key pillars for organisational strategy. The ability to effectively manage assets in various contexts will set you apart from the crowd. 

How to add this to your skillset 

Businesses aren’t just brands; they are made up of people and cultures that benefit from empathic management. One of the quickest ways to gain resource management and strategy skills is to study a Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management. After only six months of full-time study, you’ll complete this course with an in-demand skillset and a qualification fit for any number of industries. 

RMIT Business students consult graphs and discuss trends

#5: Digital and automation skills

Many industry professionals see the emergence of AI as a way to create greater efficiency through automation. Salesforce’s Chief Adoption Officer Polly Sumner says businesses shouldn’t just blindly embrace AI, but rather they should “[start] with automation and free up people to do what they do best, more quickly and in more interesting ways.”4 

As mantras like this become increasingly common, employers will be on the lookout for digitally literate professionals who know their way around the latest tech-integrated innovations. 

How to add this to your skillset 

Combining business skills and tech expertise may seem like a challenge, but with RMIT’s Master of Business Information Technology, digital and automation can be the backbone of your skillset. With this course, you’ll be an invaluable asset to any global organisation that value your dynamic and diverse abilities. 

Story: Jacob Johnston

 

Reference

1AI Group, Centre for Education and Training. ‘Listening to Australian businesses on workforce and skills 2024’. June 2024. 

2Australian Bureau of Statistics. ‘Working arrangements’. August 2024. 

3Amrita Jebamoney, PwC Australia. ‘Risk Management 2025 and beyond: Priorities and transformation agenda for financial services’. Accessed February 2025. 

4KPMG. ‘Cyber Security considerations 2024: Technology innovations demand strategic pragmatism’. Accessed February 2025. 

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