Surviving the "new" normal – Upskilling and transferable skills
Are you reactive or proactive? Reactive people spend their time worrying about things they have little or no control over: weather, government policies, market sentiment.
On the other hand, proactive people focus their efforts on things they can influence, things they can do something about: practice delivering a presentation, learn a new design software.
A recent survey by JobsDB showed that 75% of the 4,000 interviewees are not optimistic about the future of their careers. Furthermore, about 80% indicated that they are willing to switch industries.
refer to the list of Survey (links here)
As with most difficult times, opportunities are presented to those that are prepared. Reset your mindset from reactive to proactive. Control what you can control.
Here are a few ways to take back the rein of your career.
Upskilling – Change with changing times
The term upskilling, on an individual level, simply means picking up a new skill. On the macro level, it signifies a tectonic shift that demands the overall workforce to adapt through new competencies.
New technologies that caused businesses to move into the digital age is a prime example. To survive, professionals had to become computer literate and learn new software applications that rapidly advanced in functionality. Technology had also rendered many jobs and even entire professions obsolete.
So, what shifts have we seen in 2020? For one, companies understand better than ever that brick and mortar offices and business travels may not be as crucial as previously thought.
An upskilling opportunity might be attaining proficiency in software for remote office and collaboration over the cloud. You can even go a step further and learn how to assist organizations with adopting the mentioned applications. The new software technology is not merely for pandemic safety; it can also improve productivity and cost in the long run, which will definitely be valuable for companies looking to gain an edge.
refer to below video-get to know how to upskill and reskill your workforce for the Digital Age
Transferrable skills: Business is business
Business broken down to its most basic form is about fostering great interactions between different people. Find a way for multiple stakeholders to work well together or persuade clients and consumers to choose your product.
It's the same whether you're in retail or work for an advertising agency. Some skillsets never go out of style. Unlike technical or hard skills, soft skills are useful "behavioral know-hows," and they are applicable across different jobs and regardless of sectors.
Take courses that can strengthen the following soft skills, and you will always remain competitive in the job market.
Problem-solving and execution - Approach problems strategically. Willingness to take on challenging responsibilities and delegate and prioritize via logical thinking.
Employers value people who can resolve issues quickly and effectively. That may involve calling on knowledge to fix problems immediately as it occurs, or taking time to research to create long-term solutions.
Communication - Whether it's the written form or public speaking, the ability to communicate clearly and concisely is fundamental for business. Communication soft skills are useful throughout the interview process and in your career. The ability to communicate requires an understanding of how to speak to others in different settings.
For example, when working in a group, there will come a time when you need to express your reservation about an idea. Tactfully disagreeing without creating conflict and chaos is a valuable soft skill.
Collaboration - Empathy, open-mindedness, curiosity, flexibility, humility are all traits in team cohesion.
Teamwork skills are the ability to work well with others. They are dependent on effective communication, willingness to listen and be honest and responsible.
Leadership - What separates you from being stuck doing low-level grunt work and finding a fulfilling career is the ability to lead.
Guide those that need assistance and provide the freedom and resource for those that do well independently. Inspire different people to work together and strive for the same goal.
Don't simultaneously hate the status quo and change
You simply can't hate these two things at the same time. 1) Change. 2) Status quo.
That's how you become stuck. I have mentored many "corporate Joes," and one reoccurring theme that has prevented growth is that the person is not satisfied with their current situations but is afraid to self improve.
Finding meaningful career opportunities in the next normal doesn't have to be so daunting. Switch to a proactive mindset. Develop transferable soft skills as well as upskilling to stay in step with the changing times.
