The New World of Work

Apparently the world of work has changed and is continuing to change all around me. I have been doing some reading in order to try and become enlightened on the subject.

To back up a bit I came across this phenomenon quite by accident. I receive an informative e-newsletter from Opportunity Knocks, which is a resource for non-profit organizations, job seekers and employers. In a recent installment there was a link to a column by Penelope Trunk called the Brazen Careerist. After reading the column which dealt mainly with the importance of a great cover letter I elected to order the author’s’ book, also called The Brazen Careerist (The New Rules for Success) to further broaden my mind.

The book was an easy read and very informative and up-to-date without being too text book. I liked the way the chapters were broken up into common sense components. The author did a great job of explaining the new career path without being condescending and her advice made sense especially to a recent college grad.

The new world of work is all about having a better work-life balance and a less is more attitude. As a mother of three I totally get this and after reading up on the importance of a personal brand and becoming a specialist in order to increase leverage at the negotiating table I was hooked. These days everyone can be a consultant, in fact as years spent with a company decreases (the average is now only three years), it is increasingly important to spend more time marketing your self rather than your organization.

Here is one lesson that really sunk in: It is not enough to work in Public Relations. According to Trunk, you need to have a unique niche, something to call your own. In my case, as a green advocate, I am leaning towards environmental advocacy and sustainable development, especially in developing countries. Becoming highly educated and having hands on experience in these areas is now a requirement in order to become and remain marketable. For me it means a return to school, to get a masters degree as well as continued advocacy work, even if it is mostly volunteer.

As I continue to learn more about becoming a professional in a career that I can be passionate about I will continue to write updates, so that others can join and maybe learn a little from my journey.