Not too long ago, the expectation of a working man or woman was to stay on the same career track for thirty, forty, even fifty years. You were expected to get a job with a great company and slowly advance through the ranks until you reached retirement age. It was vital that you found your niche while you were in school so that you could get off and running with a career and stick with it. If you went to medical school, you were expected to be a doctor until you retired. It was very rare for someone to change tracks, and it was difficult as well.
Today, the overall landscape of the working world has changed. The average tenure at a company is three years. That is far different from the old days where people spent decades working in the same office. Now you are expected to keep up with the fast paced changes of technology, communications, and marketing. If you try to stay in one place for too long, you may find that your skills are less marketable.
So the key to job security in many cases may be job variety. Having a diversified resume may be just as important as having a diversified financial portfolio. You need to have skills that are transferable so that as industries change, you can change with them. So expect to move from one position to another throughout your career.
If you start in one department as a worker, you may advance after a while to a managerial position. But a good move to get to that executive chair might include a lateral move to another department. This may seem like a change in your career track, but keep an open mind and try to envision what the experience could do for your potential advancement.
Another trend among today's workforce is changing fields altogether. Whereas it used to be unheard of to switch fields after the age of thirty, many people find today that they only realize later in life what it is they truly love to do. You may find yourself in a position where you need to go back to school and get another degree in order to pursue your dream. Again, this trend of older workers going back to college is growing.
So do not be afraid to change tracks in your career. Stay open minded and remember that only you know what will truly fulfill you.
Today, the overall landscape of the working world has changed. The average tenure at a company is three years. That is far different from the old days where people spent decades working in the same office. Now you are expected to keep up with the fast paced changes of technology, communications, and marketing. If you try to stay in one place for too long, you may find that your skills are less marketable.
So the key to job security in many cases may be job variety. Having a diversified resume may be just as important as having a diversified financial portfolio. You need to have skills that are transferable so that as industries change, you can change with them. So expect to move from one position to another throughout your career.
If you start in one department as a worker, you may advance after a while to a managerial position. But a good move to get to that executive chair might include a lateral move to another department. This may seem like a change in your career track, but keep an open mind and try to envision what the experience could do for your potential advancement.
Another trend among today's workforce is changing fields altogether. Whereas it used to be unheard of to switch fields after the age of thirty, many people find today that they only realize later in life what it is they truly love to do. You may find yourself in a position where you need to go back to school and get another degree in order to pursue your dream. Again, this trend of older workers going back to college is growing.
So do not be afraid to change tracks in your career. Stay open minded and remember that only you know what will truly fulfill you.
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