Why you need to change the way you think about your career

People used to work for money, to save for a nest egg, and for retirement. But today, many people in the Western world no longer work as a necessity for survival. There are other ways that people can generate an income outside of a permanent job or career. I’d argue that what a large proportion of today’s society really wants in their career is fulfilment. The problem is that we’ve been conditioned to class money and job status as the way to gain this.Businesses no longer require a permanent workforce for task-oriented roles (the type of role geared towards people who just need to pick up a salary). The need for task-oriented roles will continue to be addressed by off-shoring services, automation or outsourcing/contractors.

What companies need today (and in the future) are leaders, people committed to a cause, who bring a broad range of skills and can drive achieve specific business goals and outcomes.

Whilst all this is happening, businesses are continually reducing head count and cutting costs - despite record profits! No one is guaranteed career progression, no matter how well you perform.

What your career will look like

Most roles have a life span of 18 months to 3 years. This is far removed from the last millennium when you had a job for life and spent 20 years with the same company.

The corporate ecosystem has been massively disrupted by the digital age, yet the approach to career management is stuck in the industrial age.

Studies have shown that 30% of millennials will become entrepreneurs. Most will have 5 or 6 different careers NOT jobs.

So if the relationship between employee and employer has changed forever, why do we still go about managing our careers the same way we did last in the last millennium?

The time to define your career is now

Let me suggest what your career won’t look like:

20 years with the same company, doing the same job and being rewarded with an annual pay rise, just enough to keep you mildly happy.

What your career will look like:

• Outcome/performance based (with big incentives)
• Project based, related to business objectives (expect to change roles every 18 months)
• Executive roles with a change or new mandate every 2-3 years
• Short term contracts and consulting engagements

You can also expect at least 5 different careers including:

• Consulting/coaching
• Entrepreneur/business owner
• Executive/leadership position
• Writer/blogger/marketer
• Investor

I am witnessing this now: many people in my network have moved out of a corporate career and begun to turn their passion into an income stream or profitable business.

This guest blog was written by Dexter Cousins. Dexter is Managing Director of search consultancy, Tier One People. During his 17 years in the recruitment industry, Dexter has advised over 25,000 people on successful career management strategies. It is his passion for helping people that has earned Dexter his reputation as the ethical recruiter.