I was invited to write on top trends that both employees and employers must know, however, this is a topic that I cannot do justice with just one article because the world we live in is constantly evolving, which means there is no one trend that will stay forever. Just do a quick flashback of what you thought was the ‘hottest’ trend 5 years ago, it may no longer be available now, and vice-versa, what was never the ‘coolest’ trend 3 years ago may become essential in our lives now, i.e. hybrid work arrangements.
Furthermore, we are seeing different trends in various sectors, affecting different roles to varying degrees. Hence, instead of the initial topic, I have decided to tweak it, which I believe will be crucial now and moving forward.
Most people would think that in my daily work, I focus on job search skills such as resume writing, interview techniques, salary negotiation, personal branding, and networking skills. That is only a fraction of my work.
For an individual to achieve good overall well-being, career wellness (vocational dimension) is one of the eight dimensions (Stoewen, 2017). Hence, as a career practitioner, my role goes beyond imparting job search skills.
Here’s a quick overview of what I do:
In order to facilitate my clients’ career journeys towards achieving happy fulfilled lives, they have to be able to engage in work that is both meaningful to them and sustainable. There is no clear definition of what it means by a sustainable career since it could mean something to everyone, but typically, it is one that aligns with an individual’s values and goals, allowing them to make a positive contribution to their community and be able to have a decent standard of living, with opportunities for growth and development.
One of the ways to achieve a sustainable career is to understand what are the trends that are taking place in the world outside of our own perspectives.
3 Career Trends Every Worker of Today Must Know:
#1 Reskilling is a Must-Have Skill
I am pretty sure by now we know why this is important! However, what most people may not know is, you do not upskill/ reskill just because you FOMO (fear of missing out), or just based on hearsay market trends, without a clear understanding of your own VIPS (values, interests, personality preferences or style, skills). This is part of career planning, hence if you are not sure how to proceed with clarity, partner with a certified and competent career practitioner.
#2 Everyone is an Entrepreneur
I am not talking about starting a company and being your own boss, at least not in the context that you need to be running a business. However, what is crucial here is the ability to innovate and the courage to take risks. The entrepreneurial spirit. The recent talk of the town about AI taking over our jobs will only happen if we decide to remain status quo. AI will not replace you, however, the people using AI will replace those who do not know how to utilise technology.
#3 The New Retirement Age is Never
Retirement, yay or nay? I’m pretty sure that you have heard of people saying that retirement only causes a person’s health to deteriorate because we are no longer kept active by work, whereas some people may beg to differ! Some studies indicate better general health after retirement, some indicate no effect/ unclear effect, and some indicate a decrease in general health after retirement (van der Heide et al., 2013). It is worth noting that those who had retired involuntarily were more likely to perceive a decline in their health after retirement than those who had retired voluntarily. It is also important to remember that retirement is not equivalent to doing nothing at all. Simply put, planning for your retirement is part of career management too.
An encouragement to all of us:
Your career is simply a tool that enables you to live a meaningful and purposeful life. Your job is not who you are, it is just what you are doing on the way to becoming who you will be. May you be on your way to becoming irreplaceable!
References
Stoewen, D. L. (2017, Aug). Dimensions of wellness: Change your habits, change your life. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 58(8), 861-862. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5508938/
van der Heide, I., van Rijn, R. M., Robroek, S. J., Burdorf, A., & Proper, K. I. (2013, 12 13). Is retirement good for your health? A systematic review of longitudinal studies. BMC Public Health, 13(1180). 10.1186/1471-2458-13-1180
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