Last year, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and analytical  led the global list of most sought-after hard skills at LinkedIn. This year, however, one skill stands out that was not in focus a year ago: Blockchain. According to the LinkedIn Talent Blog, in 2020 blockchain will play an important role in the hard skills that applicants should bring to convince recruiters. Thus Blockchain is at the top of the list of the most sought-after hard skills for 2020. Blockchain ahead of Cloud Computing, AI and analytical thinking In our digital world, the skills that are valued in the business world are changing rapidly. While the soft skills valued by businesses are gradually changing, the most sought-after hard skills are developing at lightning speed, driven primarily by the relentless pace of change in modern technology. Blockchain, for example, is the most sought-after skill in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia. Other technical skills – cloud computing, analytical thinking, AI, UX design, scientific computing – are also on blockchain’s list of hard skills in demand. In 2019, terms such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence or analytical thinking were still the most sought-after hard skills from the LinkedIn list. In the newly published ranking of the year 2020, these terms can be found again. However, for the first time blockchain also appears at the top of the most sought-after hard skills for 2020. (Source: Linkedin.com ) The block chain is perceived by companies as a transformative technology Blockchain has evolved from the once shadowy world of crypto-currency to a business solution intent upon solving existing problems. It is therefore fundamentally important for recruiters to familiarise themselves with blockchain and find out how it works and what advantages the technology could bring to their own company. The potential of blockchain – essentially a shared digital book – is enormous. Proponents see it as a secure, decentralized, cost-effective and time-efficient way to transparently track deliveries and transactions of all kinds. Skeptics, and there are many, express concerns about the lack of standardized protocols, scalability and excessive energy consumption Large companies rely on blockchain technology The business world sees potential in blockchain and has practically declared it a “Who’s Who”. IBM, Oracle, JPMorganChase and Microsoft are currently working on projects based on the blockchain. The blockchain can be used in many different ways:   for administration purposes, health care, agriculture or food safety. * First published in German at CVJ.ch