Today, the market is shifting in an ever increasing pace. It is easy to feel lost while navigating a career, looking for the best path to climb the ladder. We are essentially trying to be good enough to be relevant and even vital in 20-30 years. However, most of the buzz-worthy careers today were not even around 10 years ago, and so how can I be preparing for something 20 years down the line?
Here I found a framework of thinking very helpful. We can call it "Be at the Core or be at the Edge" framework of thinking about your job.
Every company has some core functions that are time tested and relatively stable - maybe for some it is manufacturing, for some it is the sales, for others it is field operations. These functions have well defined roles, hierarchy, and history to go alongside it. If you are good at this core work, your job is more secure with little probability of unpredictable troubles. A clear hierarchy means you will also progress in the job, although at a predictable pace, with only seniors' moving out or up making new spaces.
On the other hand you have the functions at the edge of the company. These are new things, maybe a new data section, maybe a digital marketing wing, or a small research team that is yet to make an impact on the work. At the edge you have people who are often keeping a low profile, but being flexible to take initiatives in creative and new directions. They are introducing new programs, exploring sudden new flow of value or revenue. They can often be deemed unnecessary by more of the core people in the organization.
However, since this is a time with the maximum pace of change in market landscape, the people at the edge have the best chance of adapting to a new reality and introduce the necessary function that take the company to the next level. This can suddenly make the edge people, become the core people - or at least become a vital support function for the core to survive and thrive. Think of the way that Adobe stopped regular software sales in favour of subscription services, or how newspapers more and more emphasize on web version over print, how all the TV shows now work over time on YouTube clips.
The people who are overstretched into their core function and their way of doing things, can become stiff and slow to look into the new avenues, as looking into anything outside - can understandably feel like a waste of time. Why do I need to stop doing what makes the most money and instead dabble into stuff that has no proven market? This thinking binds them away from dynamic learning possibilities. And then sudden changes are brought about by one company, suddenly the whole market begins to adapt, and the changes quickly changes the old core people's position in the market hierarchy.
Very often though, there is no harm in digging deep into the core of the company. It can be a very safe bet, as most businesses may not change so dramatically.
But, to reduce the risk of suddenly being left irrelevant at the market, I think that everyone needs to invest a portion of their time working on projects at the edge of their organization, or at the edge of their skill set - all throughout their career. This flexibility will keep you in touch with the changing tides, and make sure that you can ride the wave, or at least not taken by surprise when it finally comes.
This works at any stage of life, when I was a student, I did digital art for just fun, but ultimately it helped me land my first 3 part time jobs, having those skills was a bonus on top of my studies. I know a friend of mine whose outside interest into videography while studying computer science ended up shaping his whole career - and took him into the world of film-making. In my office I have seen someones occasional contribution to a new initiative becoming 50% of her duty in a year's time - leading to a promotion and recognition.
So, think again, at your office, are you at the core or at the edge? Why not both? Keep learning. Keep creating.
Radi
January 12, 2020
Dhaka