Work is changing. We have seen it in rapidly accelerating technology. We have read about it with more and more statistics showing a decrease in job stability and the rise of the gig economy. We have experienced it with social distancing in response to COVID-19. As the pace of change picks up, you owe it to your future to explore non-traditional careers that look vastly different than the career paths of your parents. The use of technology and idea generating can lead to a plethora of unique career and life paths.

The very notion of a career has been redefined. Many students can no longer expect to choose a narrow career path and follow that trajectory for decades. It is increasingly common to see a career be a mixture of part-time jobs, to have paths changing every couple of years, and for people to be constantly training and retraining to pick up new skills. Creativity is key. Flexibility is very much required.

As traditional jobs become less viable and less desirable, individuals are assembling their own careers through “solopreneurship,” a mixture of freelance and part-time work. Technology allows them to create online articles, do copywriting for advertisements, and other forms of idea generation all under the umbrella of a sole-proprietor. They are utilizing co-working spaces to network and find different ways to provide their creative services across various industries.

According to the World Economic Forum, major investments in robotics increased from 23% to 37% by 2022, depending on the industry. It was also determined that 71% of all tasks in multiple industries were done by humans in 2018, but this decreased to 58% in 2022. With robots and artificial intelligence taking on more mundane tasks, idea generation will be in demand in non-traditional career roles. Social media specialists and digital marketing experts can focus more on content and let the computer automatically upload posts at certain times. Life coaches, therapists, and career counsellors can focus on solutions for their clients and let programs organize their schedules and other administrative tasks.

Technology is transforming traditions for us to generate ideas in brand new ways. Media creators are no longer bound to television, but can write scripts and entertainment for YouTube, augmented and virtual reality, and more. Artists can utilize 3D printers for meticulous three-dimensional pieces. Trainers and educators can create lessons for webinars and mobile devices, freeing them from the confines of a traditional classroom. With the instability and uncertainty of the modern workforce also comes unprecedented levels of freedom and opportunities to create and share ideas.

None of this is easy. Gone is the security of the past and the assuredness of a full-time career. If you love generating and creating original content, then there are plenty of ways to capitalize on technology to build your own non-traditional career path. Start thinking about what you want your career to look like, whether it be more focused or a mixture of roles. Consider your own ideas and the fields where they may be best suited. Forge your path.

Sources:

Bersin, John. “Catch the wave: The 21^st-century career.” Deloitte. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/deloitte-review/issue-21/changing-nature-of-careers-in-21st-century.html

Lane, Carrie M. “Gig Work Doesn’t Have to Be Isolating and Unstable.” Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/05/gig-work-doesnt-have-to-be-isolating-and-unstable

World Economic Forum. “The Future of Jobs Report.” http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2018.pdf