Versatility is imperative in today’s world
My goal has always been to be versatile and have flexibility in my career. In today’s economy it’s the only way I know how to prepare for the future.
Many jobs that people have today didn’t exist ten years ago. My last three jobs didn’t exist before I had the role. The workplace is changing — fast.
So instead of having a strategy where I aim for a specific role or company I focus on building skills.
At work I volunteer for things that are outside of my current skills. In multiple roles I have volunteered to teach trainings or develop training material. When I first did this I didn’t know what I was doing. Over time it became a strength.
Outside of work I’ll volunteer to speak and present so that I can become a strong public speaker.
Throughout my career I’ve also taken a deliberate strategy to work in different areas. I’ve worked in finance, manufacturing, strategy, research and talent roles.
I don’t have a clear goal for where I expect these skills to take me — I just hope to have more options and flexibility later in my career.