Career Routines for the 21st Century

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

Current students in the world will likely have several different careers.This won’t be true for everyone, of course, but no matter what career (or careers!) you have, there are a couple of habits you can start forming now that won’t let you down. Integrating these habits and routines into your schedule will likely land you in an interesting place in the future. 

1. Become Culturally Aware. Companies around the globe work with people from around the globe. Cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity will increase your people skills. Explore (literally if you can) through travel. If you don’t travel much, you can still explore at home reading worldly literature, watching foreign films, attending local festivals, investigating new foods and music, and connecting in a safe way across the world through online classes.

2. Learn Multiple Languages. The top six languages in the world are Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, and Hindi. But don’t limit yourself to these (especially if you travel). Making an effort to learn multiple languages (including coding and sign language) increases your brain power and increases your foundation for systematic thinking.

3. Create Things - Anything! - and Learn From the Process. Creativity and innovation are incredibly necessary in our fast changing world. The creative process sends you deep into your mind where you can get to know yourself. It also assists with flexible thinking and seeing beyond right or wrong answers. 

4. Cultivate Flexible Thinking. I’ve never seen a single person lay out their life path and walk down it in a straight line. Surprises come up (sometimes good, sometimes bad) that necessitate flexible thinking and creative problem solving. Start by seeing if you can turn even small problems into new opportunities. While possibly devoted to and focused on one thing, cultivate a broad skill set to support it. 

5. Learn How to Market Your Skills. While most of us want to be humble and tactful people, it’s also necessary to know when and how to display your abilities. Collect valid accomplishments in a portfolio. Practice speaking in front of others (improv, theater, debate classes, etc.). Practice advertising what you have to offer others and how your skills can improve their lives. When we take the focus off ourselves, marketing becomes easier.

6. Follow STEAM Topics and Trends - Science. Technology. Engineering. Art. Math. Stay up to date in these areas using classes, books, magazines, blogs, documentaries, and talks with admired professionals. Keep in mind, even if you love language arts or marketing more than science or math, the businesses built around STEAM need writers, sales managers, and graphic designers with an insight into the core of their mission. 

7. Learn About Technology and Use it Frequently. Are you interested in a certain field of study? Consider looking into what software and apps they frequently use. Even though technology changes quickly, every technology gadget you learn about makes it easier to learn about the next one. Technology is an area where almost everyone feels like a beginner all of the time. 

(Pedagogical experts argue "the four C's" should be at the center of 21st century education.)

We also discussed what a “case study” is and how we can learn a lot from one while making abstract connections to our own lives. Sometimes lists and statistics are helpful as we keep our needs in mind; sometimes specific examples illustrate a thoughtful point. 

 Below you will find some optional follow up questions for students to journal about in order to explore this week’s topic further.

Optional Journal Questions: 

• Where do you see these routines/subjects/habits in your schedule? 
• Pick one that seems to be your strength. 
• Pick one that seems to be your weakness. How can you use your strength to work on your weakness (for example, turn your creative nature towards a technology project and give it a try). 

 Go Deeper (see attachment for a career case study from "The Gifted Teens Survival Guide").