If you’re of a certain age (like me) the likelihood is that your grandparents had a ‘job for life’. It’s also quite likely that this applied to your grandpa but your grandma didn’t work (not in the paid sense, at least). Work provided certainty and security in a ‘steady as you go’ kind of way.
Your parents might have had a couple of jobs? They probably both worked and the chances are they had a career change along the way. It was a bit less steady.
You’ve probably had several jobs with a career trajectory that has been slightly upwards but often (in recent times) sideways or downwards? And, right now, the ship’s not feeling very steady at all. In fact, it’s all a bit wobbly.
Your kids are born into a world where there is no career path. To stretch the sailing metaphor just a little too far, they will be white water rafting! Success will depend on constant investment in themselves and re-invention of what they do. It’s likely they’ll experience temporary contracts and/or periods of unemployment. Their career path will be haphazard at best.
So what’s this got to do with The Art of Being Brilliant? The short answer is ‘everything’. In a world of manic upheaval, everything’s changed, including the ‘rules’.
While ‘experience’ and ‘qualifications’ are still important, the modern world means that you are your own brand. In simple terms, you need to add more value than other candidates. ‘Fitting in’ is no longer the game. You absolutely have to stand out.
This is the age of the 2%er. Welcome to your world.