PART II: TIPS FOR MILLENNIALS: The Future of work and gearing up for success
In the first part of this series, I mentioned that restructuring and managing human resource is the biggest challenge when transitioning from an old to a new work model heavily backed by automation. Previous employees have to train and gain skills in the newly established industry, with little to no assistance, in a relatively short amount of time. Due to lack of foreseeing and preparation, numerous workers go unemployed. As a consequence, not only do the individuals struggle, but also do the newly formed industries, as the automated processes are yet to be matched with a competitive and knowledgeable workforce. But What if we could understand the shift before it happens? Could we prepare better? If yes, how should we prepare?
In this post I will be addressing the questions above while also providing a few tips that can help you stay valuable and employable in the future.
Understanding the Shift
What is causing this shift in the work model? To prepare in the best way possible, one must gain an understanding of how a few drivers, not all indicated below , along with automation are concurring to drive us towards this future of work. To mention a few, these drivers are:
- First, a need to create a more people friendly work system is rapidly giving rise to new dynamic work structures that allow for the workers’ well being, satisfaction and perspective to be considered as equally important as their organization’s well being.
- Second, the problem of income inequality, which is now a topic of major concern in political debates around the world, has pushed for a fundamental restructuring in employment structure. This increasing debate around income inequality is allowing for the rise of structures where employees with a proven track record can now bargain for their worth.
- Third and most importantly, the fundamental paradigm of a job and all it entitles are changing at an unprecedented rate and for good, which is now calling for new structures. For instance, job title and position are no longer fundamental to the functioning of companies. More and more organizations are hiring and contracting proven leaders, not to sit in offices and hold ‘important roles’, but to work on projects and get the work done!
Considered together, the factors above have been key shakers among corporations, and are playing a great role in shaping the future of the work ecosystem. As it can be observed, the main drivers of the shift share a fundamental principle: “a need to increase the overall well being of the worker, while retaining productivity and efficiency”. As such, the traditional work system is yielding and allowing for the development of a new system of specialized and highly skilled individual adepts that fosters the highest level of collaboration possible. With that in mind, we are going to take a look at what resources are available to help us best prepare for this future.
Leveraging the power of the internet: Adding more value to your brand
Unlike the traditional worker, who is usually skilled and perhaps even an expert in a unique area, the future worker will be expected to be versatile, and be able to perform a few specialized tasks in different fields on their own. For instance, in the future, a single worker might be expected to handle their marketing and accounting, handle multiple clients, and all this while learning to deal with other aspects of a project/business. This growing trend can already be observed today, as large organizations are achieving full functionality with relatively small versatile teams of workers. The trend is being further enhanced by the numerous strides in science and technology. Therefore a continuous need for workers to learn new skills and reinvent themselves in order to meet the demands of this evolving market. Thanks to the internet, it is now easier than ever to access all types of learning material on any topic, from anywhere. And if there is one thing that millennials benefit from, it is the fact that we were born with the internet, and can therefore have the greatest potential to explore, understand and exploit it in the future. Below are some of the best ways you can use this powerful tool to prepare for a career in the future:
1. Start learning now
There is a common misconception, among young people, that I myself only came to discover after graduating from college: “education doesn’t end with formal schooling”. During my first job hunt, the technical skills that I acquired through my Biochemistry degree were not impressive enough to land me a job in the field. It is the additional skills that I acquired either during my free time or as a student worker that landed me my first job. As part of the job, I had to learn and use some basic computer programming and advanced excel, skills that are usually learnt through computer science training. Fortunately, tanks to my curiosity, I was a little acquainted to computer programming, and found myself learning faster and easier. It wasn’t until I left this job that I realized how important learning out of the class is, and the numerous opportunities that this informal education had afforded me.
From my experience, here are two examples of valuable skills that I believe can be of a great help, why they will help and how you can get started:
- learning a new language. Language and cultural barriers are some of the biggest factors that hinder business and hold organizations back globally. In the future, people will want to do business and be able to collaborate more around the globe. Individuals who can bring a multicultural approach and help break such barriers will be very valuable. Speaking a few additional foreign languages wouldn’t be a bad skill to possess in the future. Platforms such as duolingo, babbel, mosalingua are a few of the multiple resources available on the internet to learn from.
- learning computer programming. computer programming is one of the fastest growing field. Online platforms such as codecademy, freecodecamp, lynda and many more can be used to learn programming. Not only are computer programmers very valuable for hire, but they can also follow the entrepreneurial route easier than any other occupation. In fact, software and computer entrepreneurs are one of the fastest growing group in the entrepreneurial ecosystem around the globe.
My point here is that you shouldn’t wait until you are unemployed or out of options to learn a new skill. What should you learn and who should teach you shouldn’t stop you; start now, spend a few hours daily, after work and learn a language, a computer skill, learn anything.
The key here is preparing to be a versatile and resourceful worker!
2. Use your social networks, and use them wisely!
How do you use social media? What do you post on your social media pages? Is it hurting or improving your brand?
If you are a millennial like me, then you are most likely to have a social media account, and have used it once or twice in some type of business dealings, or perhaps have had a few opportunities come your way through it. Correct? Well if so, you are already leveraging the power of the internet. With the evolution of social media, from a fun social space to a powerful business tool, it is becoming a career-suicide not to have a social media profile. A social media profile can be used to search for jobs, make connections with important stakeholders across different industries, and in some instances as a sales channel. As millennials, social media platforms could and have the potential to be our best allies in our fight against unemployment if exploited shrewdly. As more organizations and companies are resorting to social media and platforms on the internet to recruit, hire workers and do business, us millennials have a golden opportunity in the fact that we are already present in this space.
Since I moved to California, I have witnessed a few of my friends and acquaintances turn into marketing and sales guru by leveraging the power of their social media profiles on Instagram, twitter and/or Facebook. For the last few months, I personally had the opportunity to assist a friend grow her business through social media (for another post), and can further depone of its immense potential. If you don’t have one already, create one. However, be mindful of what you post and share on your social media as you never know who might be reading.
3. Do not be a hidden figure
How do employers know your worth? How do you set yourself apart from the competition?
A portfolio is an easy way to highlight all those interesting and outstanding projects that you have worked on at previous companies and/or as independent contracts. However, a majority of older workers either do not understand or do not see the need to have a personal portfolio. This is and will be the most career-deadly mistake in the near future.
As millennials, we understand and know the opportunities and potential that platforms such as linkedin, shapr and others hold. By providing proper exposure for skilled individuals, those platforms allow them to be easily hired by organizations, and remunerated fairly. After working on a project, ask your manager or supervisor if it is fine to mention a few technical details under your online portfolio. It is not only an advantage to have an online portfolio, but also a necessity in the modern business world.
Highlighting projects that you have worked on allows you to gain more exposure in a growing world of numerous skilled practitioners. It is now becoming increasingly important to distinguish yourself from the mass, highlight your qualifications-skills and prove that you can deliver in order to be hired for a job/project. A simple online portfolio goes a long way!
I have nothing against the movie hidden figures by the way!lol
4. Start Freelancing
When one of my friends, a college junior software engineering major, told me that he was very interested in making apps for a living, while working up to 60 hours/week as a server at Clara’s tacos during the past summer, I was very confused! Why? Not to undermine his or anybody else’s efforts, but how did he expect to earn from a skill that he never had time to practice?
It wasn’t till I was first introduced to the 10,000 hours rule that the saying “time is money” started to resonate. The principle is closely associated to writer Malcolm Gladwell, and suggests that you can achieve expert level proficiency in any field by dedicating 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to it. In my experience, I found this to be true. The more time you spend practicing something, the better you get at it. So what is the best way to learn, make an income while gaining a uniquely valuable experience at the same time? The answer: freelancing!
Like the popular swahili saying “kula kulipa”, you have to spend some time to earn a skill. Time is truly the only equalizing currency in all uneven dealings and unfair fields. As an aspiring engineer or technician, with neither the certification nor the experience to get a job in your field yet, cutting some time from the 60 hrs/week at McDonald’s to look for a startup or contractors in your field to volunteer, work and learn from would be more rewarding in the long run. Do not count the gains in terms of money; count your first earnings in terms of valuable experience, gaining credibility and building connections that will be invested later, and allow you to either get your first clients when you decide to venture on your own, or even get you that dream gig at a great company! Freelancing is truly the best way to learn and make an income while gaining a uniquely valuable experience at the same time. Start freelancing: start small, and only commit to what you can handle, and the rewards will be massive.
The conversation on this topic is long and requires a deep cogitation. However, to snip it all into a simpler thought, I will conclude by saying that “the future of work is here”. Spend some time to learn a new tool, create a portfolio, network and leverage the powerful tool of the internet to get some baby steps in your industry, and I can promise you that the future of work will no longer be such an eerie conversation topic!
Originally published at http://www.codycstevens.com/blog
