Four career trends that are changing the way we work in 2024

Let us tell you a story about Mariko (not her real name), a Japanese woman who, at the age of 18, decided to take the road less travelled. In the 1980s, when such things were almost unimaginable, she chose to pursue her college education in Vienna. She was shy, rarely talked. Her introversion, however, masked an extraordinarily powerful, determined, and courageous force. Our paths first crossed as students, and we became life-long friends. 

Mariko recently left her corporate job at a major global investment bank. A few days ago, we reunited over dinner. Her shyness is still apparent. However, her vitality, energy, and ambition remain undiminished. We reflected on how her career had unfolded, and the obstacles she had to overcome. 35 years ago, she entered a chauvinistic world, filled with unhelpful and inaccurate stereotypes about women and Asians. She had to work twice as hard, deliver twice the results, and bust through countless glass ceilings to succeed. But she beat the odds. As our dinner concluded, we were left to ponder a question… will it always be this hard for talented Asian women to succeed?

The past is not your future.

In 2024, we face a world still recovering from a pandemic, wars rage, geopolitical uncertainty once again is to the fore. At the same time, this year marks an inflection point. AI and the energy transition present two megatrends about to accelerate and redefine many aspects of work. The next economic super cycle is about to begin. The nature of work, jobs, and careers is being disrupted. The ivory towers of large corporate hierarchies are being replaced by digital platforms, and real-time global accessibility. 

Careers are no longer linear or one dimensional. Corporations may still offer a conventional career ladder with many of the same obstacles Mariko overcame. But they are no longer the only game in town. The diversity of new career paths, from virtual outsourcing, remote working, no-lag global collaboration, gigging, to social media is unprecedented. The ability for people previously prevented by geography or connectivity to compete is evaporating. Even language has become less of a barrier… when we talk in HTML there is no need for translation. 

This new dynamic provides opportunities for a more level playing field. The glass ceilings of corporate career constructs are being replaced by meritocratic alternatives. Our prediction is that careers will follow the democratisation trend. And this is good reason to feel optimist that the barriers for the next generational of Asian talent will be much reduced from those Mariko experienced.

Keys to winning in a democratising career era.

So, what are the keys to winning in a democratised career world? Our research points to four main success factors:  

1 – Fight for a cause 

Be very clear what you really want to fight for. Holding a deep conviction that you know your purpose, your objective, is critical.  If you are inspired to fight for consequential change or for solving a global problem, you will inspire others to join you. You will find allies, supporters, and backers.  Solving problems requires new and innovative thinking. Passion is as important as expertise.

However, your cause may be fighting for your family or yourself to improve your lives. If you know what you want to fight for you will have the necessary fortitude and determination to succeed.

2 - Be opportunity led and embrace the ambiguity.

Corporate work creates silo thinking and is filled with mundane tasks. You can be far more successful by thinking of jobs like a portfolio… not as a single destination. Don’t be dogmatic about what a career means. Jobs will increasingly be a kaleidoscope. You should think of them as colourful tiles that will eventually create a beautiful mosaic. 

Those people most comfortable with uncertainty, who can see across and between professions, will be the greatest beneficiaries. Consequently, avoid being labeled as just one thing. Constantly challenge yourself to learn something new about an adjacent expertise.

3 - Be a first adopter… particular of AI

Learning how to write code takes 12 weeks online. Contributing to AI themes can be self-taught in a week. Today, some ‘experts’ have just 12-18 months experience. It’s all new and that’s an opportunity.

Rather than be fearful of what AI may replace, think about the 97 million new jobs it will create.

4 - Build breadth not just depth

In 2024 and beyond, you are far better spending four years learning 20 different things than focusing on just one subject. The careers of the future will require much greater breadth of knowledge. Of how to manage AI, people, finances, accounting, and most importantly, get results.

This is why traditional corporate career paths will increasingly be a handicap. Protect your relevance by challenging yourself to constantly be reinventing and renewing your knowledge. You are far more likely to remain relevant and in demand by changing your perspective on work every 2-3 years. 

Asian Gen Z stand to be first movers in this changed career landscape. Our friend Mariko agrees. She sees the intuitive power of how the next generation embrace technology, naturally multi-task, and are entirely comfortable setting themselves new challenges every two or three years. And this is a good thing. The world needs solutions to some very difficult challenges.

We will not solve the climate emergency, while fuelling the worlds need for affordable energy, while battling the dark clouds of geo-political conflict without new ideas. In fact, they require a perspective that has for too long be marginalised. The next decade needs more people like our friend Mariko. We hope that this article inspires you to be among them.

Dr David Oxley and Dr Helmut Schuster are co-authors of A Career Carol: A Tale of Professional Nightmares and How to Navigate Them, published by Austin Macauley Publishers and available on Amazon.