The job seekers report by Zapier

A lot of people are looking for a job right now. Most of them—70 percent—think automation skills will help them find one.

That's according to a new survey by The Harris Poll commissioned by Zapier. The survey shows that the pandemic is having a profound effect: roughly 41 percent of unemployed Americans say they were recently let go from their former employer due to COVID-related reasons. With so many Americans seeking new employment, this could explain the desire for people to find new, marketable skills that make their applications stand out.

Most job seekers think automation skills will help them land a job

More than two-thirds of job seekers (70 percent) believe knowing how to use automation tools will help them land their next job. The number is even higher (86 percent) among groups with a college degree or higher.

Most job seekers will put "automation" as a skill on their resume

Almost one-third of job seekers—30 percent—currently list "automation" as a skill on their resume. An additional 31 percent say they plan to add it.

That means folks who don't plan on having automation on their resume will be in the minority—is it possible employers will notice the omission?

Efficiency and time savings are top reasons for interest in automation skills

These days, maximizing available time is crucial. With kids at home and many businesses feeling the effect of the global pandemic, people know they need to be efficient during work hours.

That could explain why more than four in five job seekers—83 percent—are interested in learning or have learned automation skills. They say the biggest benefits of automation are as follows:

• Makes you more efficient—42 percent

• Helps you save time—42 percent

• Allows you to get more done in a day—37 percent

• Helps you be a better employee—35 percent

• Saves you frustration on tedious tasks—29 percent

• Helps you concentrate on important tasks—26 percent

• Saves you from having to learn technical skills—24 percent