When you think about your financial future, money management, pensions, savings and other investments most likely come to mind – but one of the biggest ways to secure a financially-stable future is by earning more. Getting a pay rise gives you room to grow, both professionally and financially, and you can start to put that in motion by asking for a promotion. However, that’s easier said than done.
It’s no secret that starting a new job with a higher salary is often an easier way to get a pay bump, and there’s even data to back that up. The investment platform Wealthify found that professionals who switched jobs at least four times in the past decade earn 31% more than those who stayed longer in their roles.
It’s no wonder people feel more comfortable “job-hopping” than they do asking for a promotion. In fact, research from recruitment agency Robert Walters shows that 74% of professionals in the UK say they feel more confident applying for an entirely new role with a larger salary than they do negotiating for a pay rise at their current employer.
As we near Financial Awareness Day, it’s important to think about the ways we can support our goals and future-proof our careers and finances. With reports that 39% of workers’ core skill sets will be transformed or become outdated by 2030, it’s worth considering how the skills we learn today could be the key to unlocking that next promotion, pay rise or new role. A boost in earning potential and your next career move could start with one skill. Keep reading to find out which it could be.
AI skills
From healthcare to logistics, every sector has quickly adopted the use of artificial intelligence. Microsoft even reported that 75% of the workers surveyed in their 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report now use AI at work.
As more and more businesses integrate AI tools into daily work, AI literacy has fast become one of the most in-demand skills, and being able to confidently use AI will help boost your salary. Research from HR platform HiBob shows that 67% of organisations now link AI proficiency to promotions, with 50% also linking AI skills to performance ratings. In the same report, employers said they were willing to pay at least a 10% premium for expertise in AI safety, ethics, governance and automation.
Similarly, the latest study from the Oxford Internet Institute shows that people in the UK with AI skills are being offered a salary that is 23% higher than their counterparts without AI skills. In the US, candidates with AI skills are twice as likely to be offered parental leave and three times as likely to be offered remote working or flexible working arrangements.
AWS Generative AI for Decision Makers
Leadership skills
Great teams often have two things. Great team members and a great manager. Being able to lead a team or take ownership of an important task as an individual contributor to get projects done is key to business success. So much so that evidence of strong leadership skills can support a request for higher salary (either as a pay rise or before starting a new role). Here’s why.
Leaders who can generate enthusiasm or energy in a team aren’t common, so those who can are extremely valuable to the businesses and organisations they work in.
A 2020 report from MIT Sloan Management Review found that leaders who were able to do this are four times as likely to be promoted when compared with leaders who can’t. They’re also two to three times as likely to successfully manage career changes, and on average, receive salaries and bonuses that are anywhere between 20% to 30% higher.
Leadership and Management
Project management skills
Project managers are among the largest-growing jobs at the moment and they will continue to grow over the next few years according to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2025.
Developing your project management skills will equip you with a set of tools and techniques you can use across any industry. As a key player in your company’s organisational success, having these skills will also set you up for success in the workplace and job market.
Green skills
Green skills have never been more important. Over the past few years, green skills, which the UN defines as the ‘knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society’, have become more of a “must-have”, rather than a “nice-to-have” skill.
In LinkedIn’s Green Skills Report 2025, they showed that green talent (professionals who have green skills) are far more likely to secure a job, getting hired at a global rate that is 46.6% above the average hiring rate. So as we move to a greener digital economy and more companies look to work with experts who can help them meet their ESG goals, these skills can improve your earning potential and career progression.
Drive Success with Project Management Essentials
Digital skills
In an increasingly digital world, digital skills mean everything and those who are digitally literate have the knowledge and skills to grow in their careers.
Not having these skills can have the opposite effect, with 58% of professionals surveyed by business and tech consultancy FDM Group believing that they’ve been denied a promotion due to lack of digital skills. Aside from AI, being able to access and use digital tools, explore opportunities and make the most of emerging technologies will help you reach your full potential.
