Skill building as a career strategy

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 streaker. Throughout my career I’ve also taken a deliberate strategy to work in different area. 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.