bryan
How do I know what my future job should be?
Our world is evolving at such a rapid pace with the way technology has been improving. However, our minds have not changed at the same rate as technology. We still think the same way we did 10,15,20 years ago and that mindset may or may not get us far in life. For example, my dad is a banker and provides for our family very well but because of technology, banks are closing down rapidly. With that, it would be foolish of me to get into the banking industry because of how risky and low employment rates are going to be in the future. How should I know what to do? #futureiskey
1 answer
Meggan (Daniel) Ayres
Meggan (Daniel)’s Answer
Hi Bryan! You ask a really great question and I think it's impressive that you have the foresight to question how you and your career will be impacted, not just now, but well into the future, by the rapidly changing technological landscape. At the risk of sounding too idealistic, I think the most important factor in deciding what your future job should be is to find something that you have a passion, interest or real proficiency in. I say this for a few reasons, first, it's your job, you're going to be doing it every day for many years, so you want to be sure it is something you enjoy. Second, if it is something you are passionate about, you will likely be more willing to adapt to inevitable changes in that industry that will come in the future - whether that is due to technology or other factors.
While none of us have a crystal ball to see how the future will play out, I do think it is helpful to look at how the industries you are interested in have evolved over the past 25 years so you can see the direction those industries are headed in. From there, read as much as you can about the current state of those industries - learn what is making them successful, what the challenges are, who are the leaders in those industries and why.
My final piece of advice to you would be to inventory your skills. Do you possess skills that might be able to transcend change, or that can be relevant in a number of industries? For example, if you are a great writer, it doesn't matter that newspapers are becoming obsolete because you could write for a magazine, or an online news outlet, or join a corporate communications team, PR organization, etc. The ability to communicate will transcend any of the mediums used to deliver the message.
I hope this was helpful! Good Luck!