{"id":31250,"date":"2021-05-25T12:12:20","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T19:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/?p=31250"},"modified":"2021-10-16T01:30:17","modified_gmt":"2021-10-16T08:30:17","slug":"getsmarter-career-guide-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/getsmarter-career-guide-review\/","title":{"rendered":"GetSmarter Career Guide Review: How COVID-19 Led to the Rise of Nonlinear Careers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If the career ladder was only near extinction before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, it\u2019s certainly a thing of the past now. At least that\u2019s what the recent Career Guide report of GetSmarter, a 2U, Inc brand, reveals.

Titled The Great Career Reset<\/em><\/a>, the report details how both the pandemic-induced economic crisis and accelerated automation have broken the proverbial career ladder, eventually giving way to the modern career trajectory where the way to success is no longer just up, but also across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GetSmarter 2021 Career Guide: What You Need to Know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The onset of the pandemic in 2020 painted a grim landscape of unemployment and insecurity for millions of people worldwide. This uncertainty has given rise to different expectations and perceptions on career planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To gauge the full extent of its ramifications, GetSmarter surveyed 648 business leaders and working professionals from around the world. The goal of the research was simple: to provide a snapshot of how the pandemic has impacted current and long-term career prospects and professional development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what the research reveals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Career Trajectory Is Nonlinear<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The path to success is a squiggly, not a straight, line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the pandemic upending the lives of many, others have taken it as an opportunity to go beyond the traditional notion of career movement. In place of straight and vertical movements, workers have begun following lateral or even zigzag paths. Put simply, climbing career ladders are out; job-hopping across roles and fields is in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the Workforce Has Changed<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The rise of nonlinear careers isn\u2019t surprising. Newton\u2019s first law of motion states that an object will remain at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion at constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the context of today\u2019s workforce, the pandemic has served as the outside force, disrupting workers who were once idle or locked in rigid paths and propelling them to experiment and take control of their careers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital disruptions have acted as another outside force. With the simultaneous destruction and creation of jobs, switching to more relevant careers has become imperative to stay in the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, nearly three-quarters of GetSmarter\u2019s respondents are no longer mapping out lifelong career paths\u2014a drastic shift from the \u201c30-years-and-a-gold-watch\u201d mentality. Instead, they\u2019re opting for more agile and nimble career paths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be precise, 64 percent of the respondents said their career plans are less predictable or only mapped out for no longer than three years. Nine percent don\u2019t even have any career plans at all. What\u2019s even more noteworthy is that 57 percent of the respondents are very likely to change jobs in the next 12 months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To successfully do so, they will have to rely on careful skills planning. This is where the second trend comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skills Auditing Leads to Skillful Transitions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Above anything, skills are key to career progression and successful career pivots. Taking inventory of your current skill set is, therefore, a good step for two reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, it allows you to understand which of your existing skills are transferable to your next career. Transferable skills are the new currency in the world of work, and were even recently described as \u201cthe life raft in terms of transition<\/a>.\u201d

Second, a skills audit gives you a visual map of the new capabilities you\u2019ll need to move your career forward. To accelerate both points, GetSmarter created the Skills Hierarchy. Similar to Maslow\u2019s Hierarchy of Needs, the model consists of five levels. With each level you unlock, you get one step closer to fulfilling your full career potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are the three key takeaways from the GetSmarter Skills Hierarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Capabilities Are an Assumed Skill<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Most jobs require digital literacy. These include roles that are generally not considered tech jobs. Admittedly, the digitization of jobs has been in the works for years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graphic design, while traditionally focused on print, has expanded to include more digital assets. Project management, previously characterized by central offices and scheduled status meetings, now involve remote teams and virtual real-time communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the sudden and massive shift to remote work, the \u201cdigital refashioning\u201d of jobs sped up and the need for digital skills became more pressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile previously this may have just meant being able to use Microsoft Office, the increased need for collaborative online work means that you could be expected to use tools like Google\u2019s G Suite, Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams,\u201d 2020 GetSmarter research<\/a> reveals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can you do?<\/strong> Explore these university short courses delivered in collaboration with GetSmarter to develop your digital capabilities: <\/p>\n\n\n\n