When it comes to hunting for a job, perhaps the nerdiest skill you can put in your resume may be the one that sends you over the top.
High proficiency in software like Microsoft Excel is increasingly helping people land jobs, the Wall Street Journal reports based on data from career analysis firm Burning Glass Technologies.
The focus here is on middle-skill jobs that require a high school degree but not necessarily a college education. The study found that 78% of these jobs require digital skills like Excel and word processing.
The study also found that middle-skill jobs in which digital capabilities are important pay more than other positions.
Of course, Excel wizardry isn’t just helpful for landing middle-skill gigs. In his 2014 book Young Money writer Kevin Roose described young Wall Street analysts having races to see who could complete Excel spreadsheets the fastest.