I Don't Have a Crystal Ball, but I Do Have these Resources
Remember when app developer wasn't a job title? It's unlikely that any of us remember when elevator operators and milkmen had steady work, but our grandparents saw those jobs as secure.
Whether we look forward or back, there's instability in the job market. In my outplacement work, I often heard people who were experiencing an involuntary layoff say some variation of, "I don't care what I do next, I just want it to be insulated from market forces." I wish I could have delivered guarantees for those folks, but the truth is, all we're ever doing is wagering.
Instead of betting on the market, I suggest that people bet on themselves. What does it mean to bet on yourself? Three things:
Invest in your professional development
Stay connected to your existing network and intentionally grow it
Keep your finger of the pulse of market disruptions
Since professional development is so specific to each person and #networking is written about quite a bit already (including by moi), let's hone in on the final item.
I tap into emerging trends through some key websites and podcasts that I regularly monitor. These aren't affiliate links, and I don't have any investments in these organizations. I simply find them useful for myself, so I'm sharing them with you.
Websites
Ozy: News site with the tagline See Beyond. Focused not just on "where the world is, but, more importantly, where the world is going."
Big Think: News site with another great tagline: Your Daily Microdose of Genius. They claim to "share the world's biggest ideas from the world's greatest thinkers." There's also a podcast produced by these folks called Think Again.
Creative Mornings: Lectures in locations throughout the world specifically for the creative community. A bit like TED but focused on creative work. If there isn't a group near you, sign up for the newsletter and watch some of the recorded lectures.
Springwise: Focus on disruptive innovation with a global reach.
LifeHacker How I Work Series: The How I Work series asks heroes, experts, and flat-out productive people to share their shortcuts, workspaces, routines, and more.
Podcasts
WorkLife with Adam Grant: A production with TED focused on extraordinary workplaces and what makes them stand out. Even the commercials are insightful. Perhaps my favorite podcast of all time. Well...that sounds too inflated since I'm such a podcast junkie. I'll give it at least a top 5 ranking.
Women Killing It: I'll just quote from the website copy: "Career rockstars share what has worked for them, how they got where they are today, and what they wish they knew sooner." Favorite episode = Nilofer Merchant - she's an amazing thought leader.
Pivot: Produced by Jenny Blake who wrote a book by the same name, all about career and business trends. Her newsletter is always full of great ideas, too.
Akimbo: Produced by Seth Godin. Mostly about entrepreneurs, but also covers cultural change.
Specific Articles
I have a section on my Google news page that I've customized called "jobs of the future," and here are two hits that I've returned to a few times:
If you have resources that you recommend, I'd love to hear about them. Contact me and let me know.