Survival of the Most Adaptable in the Workplace
Guest post by Kim Celentano, CEO of Strivven Media, creators of VirtualJobShadow.com and VJSJunior.com
Our career-ready platforms serve as bridges between employers and students. Because we have a direct line into K-12 schools, we have the responsibility to introduce workforce realities into the classroom.
Here’s one of them: The Digital Age has shattered whatever norms previously existed between the worlds of work and academia. The bridge that graduates used to walk across while transforming into working professionals is not nearly as stable as it once was.
While strong academic credentials and a solid resume may help land a coveted job interview, they aren’t indicative of future success. They won’t even guarantee the job. Today’s managers expect their employees to report to work not only career-ready, but life-ready. If you fail to show up on time, communicate clearly or perform basic tasks without constant supervision, you can kiss the stairway to advancement goodbye. Simply put, without soft skills, even college grads will find themselves unemployed.
Let’s be sure we don’t mistake “soft” for being soft. An individual’s ability to quickly master new tasks will impact their advancement more than their degree. Their analytical skills, creativity, and collaboration across teams will take them far. If they act respectfully, demonstrate leadership, and embrace constructive feedback, they will be fast-tracked for promotion.
Life skills are so essential to survival in today’s job market that Virtual Job Shadow launched an entirely new video series for learners. Professionals from around the country provide critically-needed advice across a wide range of topics impacting workforce needs. We were thrilled that Motus Recruiting’s Orlando Williams recently shared his insights for our audience on many important subjects, including:
- Personal Accountability
- Leadership
- When to Listen and When to Talk
- Equity in the Workplace
- Diversity in the Workforce
Williams’s expertise on Diversity and Inclusion in the workforce is especially relevant to this conversation. Students have a lot to learn, yes, but from where we sit, so do employers. Today’s youth are more conscious about working for companies whose C-Suite mirrors the old boys’ club. We live in a multi-cultural society and representation in the workplace matters. Note to employers: make the shift and become more inclusive.
Corporations reluctant to acknowledge these new realities would be wise to remember Charles Darwin:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.”
Something here for everyone to think about—either adapt to the changing world around us or risk losing out to those who will. Our ability to pivot quickly to market demand, for employers and job seekers alike could become the dominant driver of our own professional survival.
About Strivven Media
Founded in 2012, Strivven Media is an education technology company quickly becoming regarded as a thought-leader in the fields of education, career exploration, and workforce preparation. Their suite of products includes VirtualJobShadow.com, VJSJunior.com, and the LifePath Career Exploration Course. These comprehensive platforms serve over a million users in schools and workforce centers around the nation and feature hundreds of “day-in-the-life” videos that showcase a diverse range of career options.
