Tips for Future-Proofing Your Professional Career

Want to future-proof your career and start leveraging AI? Here's how I did it, ranked from easiest to most ambitious: 1️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 • 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗: https://lnkd.in/eT-nzYP9 I recommend Heather Murray 's AI for Non-Techies Newsletter. It's a fun treasure trove of useful information. • 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗨𝗦𝗘: AI (Generative AI especially) is not infallible. Learn about the mistakes it can make, the issues it can cause, and how to navigate them. • 𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 (𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸): For $15/mo, Canva is an amazing option because you can test alot of current capabilities. For $20/mo, Microsoft Copilot Pro can be added to your Office 365 account. Also for $20/mo, Google offers AI premium for your workspace (GMail, Docs, Sheets, etc). 2️⃣ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗜-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀. If your company offers access to AI tools, get access and use them according to their use policy. If not, create sample scenarios at home and practice. 3️⃣ 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Share that you're interested in learning more in your field. Ask if coworkers or your LinkedIn network if anyone incorporated AI into their work. Offer to continue to learn together. 4️⃣ 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. There's no shortage of free webinars, conferences, etc. talking about AI. Get involved. 5️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱. Professional organizations and technology vendors offer lots of free training for specific use cases. 6️⃣ 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁. Talk to your manager about opportunities. Make it one of your professional goals to stand out. If they aren't there, contact your professional or volunteer organizations. 7️⃣ 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. Use what you've learned to pitch an opportunity to create value at your company, your professional, or your volunteer organizations. Do these make sense for you? How are you going about it? #artificialintelligence #innovation #changemanagement #technology #digitaltransformation

Avoiding the Peter Principle: Elevating Your Career Smartly Have you ever witnessed someone's career skyrocket only for them to falter when they reach a certain level of responsibility? You may have experienced the Peter Principle in action. In this post, we'll explore the Peter Principle and share valuable tips on how to steer clear of it to ensure a more fulfilling and successful career. Understanding the Peter Principle The Peter Principle was first introduced by Dr. Laurence J. Peter in 1969 and highlights a common organizational challenge. It suggests that individuals are often promoted until they reach a position where they are no longer competent. This occurs because promotions are frequently based on past performance rather than the skills required for the new role. Tips to Avoid the Peter Principle: 1. Continual Self-Assessment Always be self-aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Regularly assess your skills and knowledge to determine if they align with your current role. Take proactive steps to identify and redress gaps. 2. Set Clear Career Goals Define your career goals and the skills you need to achieve them. This will help you maintain focus on personal development and ensure that your promotions are in line with your long-term objectives. 3. Seek Feedback Welcome constructive feedback from colleagues, supervisors, and mentors. Act on their advice to address areas that require improvement. This proactive approach can enhance your competence and suitability for future roles. 4. Invest in Learning and Development Don't wait for your organization to provide training. Take charge of your own professional development by seeking out courses, certifications, and workshops that will expand your skillset and knowledge. 5. Mentoring and Coaching A mentor can provide invaluable guidance and offer insight into the skills and experiences necessary for your career growth. Additionally, a coach can help you refine your abilities and navigate the complexities of higher-level positions. 6. Prioritize Adaptability Adaptability is key. Stay current with industry trends, technology, and best practices to remain effective in your role and maintain upward momentum. 7. Communicate Your Aspirations Open and honest communication with your superiors about your career aspirations can help ensure that promotions are aligned with your skills and interests. In conclusion, the Peter Principle is instructive as it reminds us that career progression should be a thoughtful and strategic process. By continually assessing our skills, setting clear goals, seeking feedback, investing in learning, and being adaptable, we can steer clear of the Peter Principle and enjoy a fulfilling and successful career. Don't just climb the corporate ladder; ensure each step is a meaningful and well-considered one. #careercoach #careerdevelopment #careerdevelopment #leadershipdevelopment

Job security in IT? It's a myth. Many people think if they become experts in a specific role, they'll be indispensable and can't be replaced. But here's the hard truth—every role is replaceable. Every. Single. One. Been at the same company for years using the same tech stack? That's not loyalty; that's a comfort zone. And comfort zones are career quicksand. Watch for these red flags that suggest you should start working in the right direction: • Stuck on a single, outdated technology. • Comfortable in a job that doesn’t push you to grow. • Your skills can’t be transferred to another role or industry. • Reluctance to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. So how do you future-proof your career in these turbulent times? 1. Continuously learn in-demand skills. AWS, Python, Kubernetes, GenAI are examples. 2. Pursue transferable strengths like communication, leadership and collaboration. 3. Contribute to open source projects to showcase your abilities. 4. Build a personal brand on sites like LinkedIn to expand your network. 5. Explore adjacent roles to broaden your experience and skillset. 6. Obtain certifications in new, cutting-edge technologies. 7. Attend conferences and training workshops to stay inspired. 8. Experiment with side-projects to showcase versatility. The takeaway - rather than hoping for job security, take charge of your career. Keep your skills fresh, versatile and relevant. Tech keeps changing quickly - make sure you change along with it. What other tips do you have for building career resilience as a tech professional?

🚀 Career Acceleration Insights By age 35, I had climbed the corporate ladder and doubled my salary in less than 5 years. The journey was filled with invaluable lessons, but there's one piece of advice that outshines the rest, crucial for anyone looking to advance their career, especially in the dynamic field of technology and marketing. ✅ Here's the golden nugget of advice: Identify and Focus on Key Business Metrics: The secret lies in pinpointing the metric that is most valuable to the business. Once identified, channel your efforts to move this metric significantly. This approach transcends beyond mere numbers; it's about aligning your contributions with the company's core objectives. ✅ What to Avoid: - Don't let workplace politics distract you. - The size of your team or the scope of your responsibilities should not be your primary concern. - Steer clear from getting entangled in unnecessary workplace drama. ✅ What to Embrace: Be relentless in your focus on the crucial business metric, whether it's related to revenue, growth, or any other key area. 💡Demonstrate how your work directly contributes to moving this metric forward. Make it the centerpiece of your discussions and reports. This strategy is particularly potent for those early in their careers or operating within growth-oriented roles. It's not just about working hard but working smart—targeting your efforts where they'll make the most tangible impact. Leverage this approach, and watch as doors open and opportunities unfold in ways you might never have imagined. #CareerAdvice #BusinessGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #TechIndustry #thejessemercado

With nearly half of workers planning to look for a new job in the year ahead, now is the time to prepare — not just react. A new Bankrate survey finds that nearly half of those in the workforce expect to be on the job hunt over the next 12 months. About 44% say they’re likely to ask for a raise, with younger workers leading the way. Some 27% say their concern about job security has increased since the start of the year. 18% of those working or looking for work say they’re likely to relocate for a job. Whether you're actively exploring new opportunities or just working to stay ahead of the curve, here are some actionable tips: Align Your Skills with Market Demand: Take stock of what you bring to the table and how it aligns with industries in need and the possible shape of the job market in the future. Investing in skills like data analysis, project management, artificial intelligence or digital communications can widen your career runway. Don’t forget about trades given the ongoing need for all kinds of workers requiring less than a four-year college education, many of which pay well. Build and Maintain Your Network: Opportunities often arise through relationships. Stay in touch with colleagues, mentors, and peers. If college educated, connect with your school’s alumni office or placement professionals. Don’t hesitate to offer help, too. Paying it forward is a great investment that builds on your brand and earns goodwill. Stay Ready: Even if you're not actively searching, keep your resume fresh, your portfolio current, and your goals top of mind. That way, you're ready when the next door opens, if one behind you closes unexpectedly. The labor market has been cooling from the “red hot” days of a couple of years ago. Preparation, skills attainment, and engagement are akin to having a career insurance policy.