3 things you need to know about careers in 2020

If you have a son, daughter or other mentee in your family, here’s the advice I’ve been giving to anyone who asks me “what should my son/daughter be studying to be relevant in the job market of the future?”

1.There’ll be no such thing as a career

Actually, of course there will, people (like me) who started their career and will be determined to finish it well! Those just starting out aren’t likely to be motivated to have a “career” in the usual sense – study a relevant degree, find their first role in their chosen profession, look for progression etc. It just isn’t the way things will work anymore. Recent studies including our own worldwide look at Gen Y show that 64% want interesting work – at the top of the list. So how do you support them?

2. Tap into the passion

How many of us reached our 30s and suddenly realised we’d made a really boring career choice? Talking to an ill-informed careers adviser (in my case) who took little or no notice of my personality led to a contrived and poorly suited career path for me, until I made what seemed like a risk-laden change and found the right one! I’m sure the professionals out there today who are advising students are far better informed, but there’s a lot to be said for following your gut instinct in terms of what sort of work will suit your personality, passions, skills and interests.

3. Get the sector right

Rather than a career track, choose a sector that has a bright and long term future. This decision will lead to many more opportunities than might seem obvious now. Anything to do with caring for people – aged, allied, specialist medical or the honourable profession of nursing are all sure to be in rising demand for the foreseeable future. Similarly,  professions focused on attracting, serving, understanding and analysing customers will continue to be critical in helping companies grow.

The key to success

Most people who are successful in having the lifestyle they want, the rewards they want, and the capability and confidence to choose their own career path are – fundamentally – hard working. If there is one quality I am grateful to have inherited from my parents, it is a strong work ethic.

Ultimately,  seeing how the world of work operates at an early age and getting as much experience as possible by communicating with all sorts of people, are the best experiences a new entrant to the working world can have.

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Author

Jacky Carter

Customer Experience Director, Hays

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With more than 30 years of experience in the staffing industry, Jacky’s expertise spans many aspects of Hays’ business including operations, marketing, RPO and technology.  In her current role Jacky spearheads a number of strategically significant partnerships for Hays including LinkedIn, Xing, Google, GO1, Mya and StackOverflow. Her unique and invaluable remit is to make sense of emerging trends and technology in the HR and broader world, identifying, evaluating and implementing the tools that enable Hays to power the future world of work. Jacky is a well-respected and generous thought leader within the industry, regularly authoring articles and sharing her knowledge and expertise through multiple channels.