Guest blog post written by: Stephanie Seibel
Have you ever noticed that your career looks nothing like Mom’s did? We’ve got a post-recession economy,technological advances resembling something from Gattaca, and a radically different generation of workers entering the labor force. It only takes one Google-second to realize that the entire world of work is changing.
If the evolving work-world gives you a headache, here are 4 outdated career myths you can safely forget.
1) Get a Job
“Jobs” are out but “gigs” are in. With the high costs of training and the short stay of workers, many employers now prefer independent contractors, consultants, and freelancers over full-time employees. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that solopreneurs will make up about 40% of the workforce by 2020. While the figures vary, reports will tell you that half to two-thirds of millennials are interested in entrepreneurship and a third already have their own side-businesses. It’s no wonder career blogger, Danny Rubin, recently suggested that the best networking conversation-starter today is, “worked on any cool projects lately?”
2) One Career at Once
Some money experts say that diversifying your income streams is wise in this economy, perhaps explaining the rise of what Marci Alboher coined as the “Slash-Career.” While most Boomers and Gen Xers will vouch that one career used to be more than enough to juggle, some workers today enjoy the variety that a multi-faceted career brings, with what business author Dan Pink is now calling the ever-shifting “Lego Career.” Many millennials in particular are drawn to a multi-income lifestyle rather than the single-track careers their parents knew so well. Just don’t be surprised when the next contact you meet has three job titles listed on her business card.
3) Stay For Life
It’s no secret that job security’s a myth. While there are many different estimates, most sources say we work somewhere between 7 to 15 jobs in a lifetime today. For millennials — soon to be a large portion of the workforce — 91% expect to stay at a job less than three years, according to surveys conducted by the Future Workplace. The old story of climbing a static ladder until retirement do you part simply isn’t true anymore. Your career will likely be an evolving journey.
4) Work at Work
Advances in video conferencing technology and an increasingly global workforce have spurred a new trend towards remote work. Fortune reported a 26% increase in remote job postings just in 2013 alone and 45% of the workforce now has jobs suitable for part- or full-time telecommuting. Droves of millennials are setting up shop in creative work environments — home offices, cafes, and the increasingly popular “co-work space” (which I write you from at the moment, perched at my laptop amongst a community of coffee-drinking solopreneurs). If business casual is sucking the life out of your closet, working in your pajamas is officially more possible than ever.
These changes may seem confusing, but 21st century workers are riding the currents and finding ways to thrive within the storm. By working together and sharing our talents in innovative ways, we’re redefining work as we know it.
So hold onto your hats! We’ve got some exciting careers ahead.
Stephanie Seibel, CPC, is a certified career coach for 20- and 30-somethings and founder of RedThreadCoaching.com, “Work With Every Fiber of Your Being.” She specializes in educating young adults about the alternative career options available today and helping them pursue work that is both meaningful and successful.
