The Most Valuable Ability In Today’s Job Market

As children, there is a question that we constantly get, and we usually answer it with hope and optimism. The question comes in many forms, but the most popular is the simplest:  What do you want to be when you grow up? Today we will talk about abilities and today’s labor market.

Those who asked you this question probably did not believe the answer they received. A few days later, after all, they received a different answer to the same question.

Kids want to be writers one day and astronauts the next. They range from radio talkers to film directors to clowns to receptionists. Many of us have gone to bed as lawyers and woken up as doctors. We did not care what others thought.

When we start asking ourselves: what do I want to be?

But there will come a time when the question becomes one that we ask ourselves… and the answer is not always easy. This may be because the  goal may be clear, but the road is difficult. Or it could be because the road is not really built yet. Maybe we just have not found a profession that our intuition identifies as our true calling.

Of course, there are those who have their path marked out even before they decide on a career. In reality, however, these are not a majority.

When we as young people changed our views about our profession, the elderly often thought it was fun; now that we are adults, however, the pressure is higher. They may seem to say: “You are no longer in the schoolyard, stop playing! You have already experienced enough to choose; at least you should. Now it’s up to you to make a clear choice and turn your skills into a career. ”

When this final decision does not come, our parents begin to believe that they have been affected by the accident of having a child “lost in life”. This can be hurtful, especially when it comes from people who mean a lot to us.

It is not uncommon for us to sooner or later embrace this thought ourselves and accept it as our own, no matter what abilities we have. Others may judge us for changing our ways. If you are striving from the goal you shared with others, you may have questions like, “Why do you want to restore furniture when you put so much work into studying medicine?”

And therein lies the paradox:  as we get older, those around us will expect and value stability. But when death reminds us that our lives have an end, we long to be an adventurous person again.

Skill jumpers in today’s job market

People who jump from one project to another,  who really cave in one by one, are often misunderstood, and society generally looks down on them. After all, many see specialization in a single area as important. Many of these people have a clear job based on a single ability. Just as many have probably given up on who they really are.

They give up things: a wish, a hope, a dream. Then they become critical of those who do not go through this process. For example, those who criticize others for cheating on tests are usually not those who did not get the chance to cheat; instead, it is they who had the chance but chose not to do so.

This is also why people who succeed in leaving poverty are the ones who are often most critical of those who remain in it.

People with many skills and opportunities (the “restless” or “lost” people) therefore begin to hate their way of being. They feel like failures  when they do not meet social norms. This can lead to low self-esteem and sadness.

It’s okay to go from project to project

But why? Why is it not okay to quit a project when you feel you have got everything you want out of it? Do we ask a bee to stop at the same flower when it has already drunk enough nectar?

Fortunately, this scenario is changing. Now society begins to value people who have participated in many projects, changed jobs from time to time and who have many hobbies. This is true thanks to three characteristics:

• They benefit from crossroads:  being knowledgeable in several fields helps them develop projects and make contributions that specialists would never have been able to. We are talking about people who are passionate about mathematics and football, and who create innovative statistics about what is happening on the pitch. Or people who love both biology and literature, and find a way to convey science to the world through books. We are talking about people who specialize in robot technology, but who also have a tender love for others, and thanks to this synergy, they can create technology that serves those who need it most.

• They are able to learn very quickly:  because they have changed careers many times, they have also experienced many new starts. They have good experience of immersing themselves in the unknown and breaking the surface tension that exists when making big changes.
• They can adapt very quickly: the  magazine  Fast Company  defines adaptability as the most important ability to survive and thrive in the 21st century labor market. People with a lot of iron in the fire have a great capacity for adaptation and are constantly entering new fields in search of what suits them best. Many changes have taught them how to minimize the impact of uncertainty. Situations that can stress others are actually completely natural for them.

Adaptability is very important

Regardless of whether the ability to adapt is the most important ability in the 21st century labor market, it is clear that it is very valuable. Companies are looking for people who  know how to adapt and are willing to learn.

It is true that specialization still has some weight; but it is also true that experience in several fields is beginning to become more important. People with diverse experience have a lot to offer in today’s job market.