Future-Proof Your Career

Times are uncertain, particularly when it comes to the world of work. You may be worried about your future and what your job will look like next year, in five years’ time or even a decade or so down the line. You might be worrying that what you do will become obsolete. It’s only natural, but instead of worrying, wouldn’t it be better to take action and dow what you can to future-proof your career?

If you want to ensure that your skills and experience are still required in years to come, here are a few things you can do to future-proof your career starting now…

Work for academy organizations

Academy organizations are companies that invest in the development of their employees. When you work for them, you will be given lots of opportunities to learn new skills and reach your full potential. Because they take your development seriously, you are far less likely to be redundant in the future, Companies that are known to be academy organizations include Randstad and AT&T, but there are many more and you would do well to find some in your industry.

Stay Tech Savvy

There’s no turning back the clock when it comes to technology — it is in all our futures and that includes the future of our work as much as anything else. That is why if you want to future-proof your career, you really do need to keep up with technology and keep improving your digital skills whether that means learning how to code or studying for your agile product owner certification. The better you understand, and are able to use, technology, the more likely you are to remain employed now and in the future.

Focus on Transferable Skills

The business you are working for now might not still be in business 10 years down the line, so if you want to remain employable, it’s a really good idea to focus on transferable skills — the kind of skills that any employer in any sector will be looking for. This includes things like communication, leadership, creativity and management skills. If you keep these at the core of what you do, you will always be in demand.

Build a Global Network

The more people you know, the more opportunities are going to come your way. So, if you want to protect your career in the future, you need to build lasting connections now in the present, and you should ideally do so on a global level if you want to maximize your opportunities. So, connect with people on social media, attend trade events and conferences, write a blog, and do anything you can that will enable you to form bonds with others in your industry and adjacent industries that could use your talent.

Review Your Options

You may love your career now, but it pays to keep your options open, review the current climate and identify potential new opportunities, on a regular basis. By doing this, you will always know how you’re doing now and what else you could be doing if things start to change and you need to protect yourself.

The world might be changing, but you can maintain your success by being careful, staying up to date and building your network. I wish you luck!