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Digital literacy and the modern job market

David Domzalski

Written by David Domzalski

Kathryn Uhles

Reviewed by聽Kathryn Uhles, MIS, MSP,聽Dean, College of Business and IT

Older man practicing digital literacy on smartphone

What is digital literacy?

At its core, digital literacy refers to how we use technology to effectively communicate. It affects virtually every aspect of modern life, including today鈥檚 job market.

Joe Aranyosi, associate dean of 爱污传媒鈥檚 College of Business and Information Technology, provides this overview of how digital literacy shapes our careers: 鈥淒igital literacy refers to the ability to research, evaluate and use online information in an appropriate, effective and ethically responsible manner,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t involves some technical expertise 鈥 but focuses primarily on the use of data and digital media to successfully problem-solve, collaborate and communicate with customers and other business professionals.鈥澛

The definition is necessarily broad, but Aranyosi points out that, in practice, digital literacy requires some nuance. It means different things depending on the industry.

For example, financial experts should understand banking, accounting and investment applications and be able to work with spreadsheets. Healthcare professionals, on the other hand, should feel comfortable with medical billing and coding, telehealth and HIPAA regulations related to data privacy and security. Both roles require digital literacy, he says, but apply it in different ways.聽

Evolution of digital technology and literacy

As technology has evolved so too has digital literacy. Consider the early days of online job platforms like Monster.com.聽Since their arrival on the job scene, digital tools and artificial intelligence have only proliferated and become more advanced.

鈥淭echnology is constantly evolving, including advancements in cloud-based services, software as a service (SaaS), collaborative business tools [and] smartphone apps,鈥 Aranyosi says.

That鈥檚 one reason why digital competence centers more on employee training and adaptability to emerging business practices than simply the tools involved. As a baseline, he explains that we should be able to 鈥渆ffectively use computers, navigate operating systems, utilize common office applications, conduct online research, and communicate via email, text, chat, videoconferencing or phone.鈥

Companies, in other words, want employees who are not only technically savvy but also flexible and who can learn. That means you need to be on top of the latest technological advancements.

One way that works for me is to follow my curiosity. That鈥檚 what I did early in my career. I had a full-time job in a field I didn鈥檛 love, so I worked on side projects that interested me. I taught myself digital writing, social media marketing, graphic design, some basic coding, content marketing and how to leverage content management systems.聽

Over time, these digital skills paid off in two significant ways. First, I started a side business that made money to pay off debt and provide things for my family. Second, the skills I learned over the years qualified me for the full-time job I now have.聽

Finding ways to increase your digital skill set is something Aranyosi supports as well. 鈥淲hile degrees are still important,鈥 he says, 鈥渁pplied skills and practical experience using digital tools common to one鈥檚 industry can help set applicants apart from others.鈥

7 tips for job applicants聽

If you鈥檝e applied for a job recently, you know how competitive it is out there. 鈥淥nline job postings have made it easier than ever to attract applicants, which means that you鈥檙e likely to confront a lot more competition,鈥 says Aranyosi. 鈥淢any applicants will never receive a response, which can be disheartening.鈥

He emphasizes not to take rejection personally. After all, it likely has nothing to do with you individually.聽

Instead, he encourages job seekers to 鈥渦se it as a learning experience to hone your job-search skills鈥 with these strategic tips.

  1. Research the company. 鈥淐onduct additional research to learn about the businesses you鈥檙e applying to, including looking at annual reports, ongoing projects and industry competitors,鈥 Aranyosi says. The more you know, the better you can craft a cover letter, tailor your resum茅 and, if it comes down to it, interview.
  2. Build your contact list. Your next job could come from those you know. 鈥淣etwork with industry professionals by following their online posts, attending seminars, joining professional organizations, attending chapter meetings or special interest groups, and learning more about the professional landscape,鈥 Aranyosi says.
  3. Find a mentor. Once you have a robust network, consider tapping someone who is in or has been in the position you鈥檇 like to next be in. Many of your contacts 鈥渨ill be glad to offer advice or even mentorship opportunities that can help,鈥 Aranyosi says.
  4. Learn about the position. 鈥淭he more you can learn about the job you鈥檙e applying for, the greater the likelihood that you鈥檒l be able to address [the company鈥檚] specific needs and set yourself apart from the crowd,鈥 Aranyosi says.
  5. Tailor your resum茅. With algorithm changes to applicant tracking systems, job seekers should customize their resum茅s and cover letters to specific job opportunities. Be sure to include relevant experience based on the job description and sprinkle keywords and phrases from the posting in your resum茅 (e.g., skills, software, certifications, prior projects with KPI/metrics articulated).
  6. Use social network sites. 鈥淸Make] effective use of sites like LinkedIn by providing updates to professional organizations, certifications, badges, micro-credentials and job responsibilities that are in high demand,鈥 Aranyosi says.
  7. Manage your online presence. Remember: 鈥淧ublic-facing content on social media sites or online blogs is searchable,鈥 Aranyosi says. Post accordingly, taking care to avoid profanity, controversy and unprofessional content. Think about all of your audiences, and if you鈥檙e unsure about how your message will come across, don鈥檛 post it.

How to improve your digital literacy

Aranyosi recommends the following to enhance your digital competence:聽

  • Read and practice writing. Doing this even a few minutes every day will improve your reading comprehension, writing ability, spelling and focus. Use AI tools like Grammarly or Wordtune to improve your writing, but don鈥檛 rely on them exclusively since you also need to differentiate yourself from others.
  • Sign up for notifications, newsgroups and email updates to stay informed about industry trends.
  • Learn which tools are commonly used in your industry and set about learning them.

Digital etiquette requires digital literacy

While professional etiquette hasn鈥檛 really changed, professional communication and digital literacy continue to evolve as new software capabilities are introduced. 鈥淲e鈥檝e become accustomed to people contacting us all day in every possible manner: by phone, text, chat, letters, emails, attachments, videoconferencing, social media posts, livestreams and so on,鈥 Aranyosi says. Whether you view this as convenient or annoying is up to you, but the high level of accessibility can lead to more than just tech fatigue. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to become too familiar with others too soon,鈥 he says. 鈥淭o avoid this, keep things concise and professional.鈥

鈥淚ncluding a few social pleasantries is fine,鈥 Aranyosi says, 鈥渂ut stay focused on the subject at hand and don鈥檛 include more than is needed to make your point.鈥

After you establish a rapport with the person, you may be able to adjust how you speak or write, and a limited use of emojis can help to clarify that your correspondence is meant to be helpful and not hurtful. That said, Aranyosi adds that, 鈥減oliteness, humility and patience go a long way toward maintaining your professional relationships.鈥

Oh, and one more thing: Use spell-check.

LinkedIn is a registered trademark of LinkedIn Corporation and its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries.

Grammarly is a registered trademark of Grammarly, Inc.

Headshot of David Domzalski

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Domzalski is an entrepreneur, copywriter and storyteller. He鈥檚 an effective communicator with a passion for helping people better their lives financially. His writing has been featured on multiple outlets including AOL, FanSided, Forbes, GOBankingRates, MSN, Nasdaq and Yahoo 鈥 along with his blog, RunTheMoney.com. He lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two children.

Headshot of Kathryn Uhles

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Currently Dean of the College of Business and Information Technology,聽Kathryn Uhles has served 爱污传媒 in a variety of roles since 2006. Prior to joining 爱污传媒, Kathryn taught fifth grade to underprivileged youth in 爱污传媒.

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