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Changing Your Mind


 

Changing Your Mind 

Being young means not having it all figured out. Want to change your major or your career? That’s perfectly in line with today’s shifting needs in the workforce  

 

You found the perfect career for you. Until you changed your mind.    

 

That’s OK. Staying in the same job for your whole career is no longer the norm. Changing your major, your role or even your industry is becoming more common in today’s transforming economy. Today’s young workforce needs to know it’s fine to change your mind.   

 

We won’t always know what the future workforce will bring. But we do know that soft skills, adapting to change and Learnability will be the building blocks of skills for filling tomorrow’s workforce.  

 

For young people, exploring a variety of skills and paths now can help in the long term. There are also ways to strategically change your mind and build on your journey.  Here’s how to change your mind and grow diverse skills to be ready and able to work in the future.  

 

Focus on soft skills  

ManpowerGroup's report — Robots Need Not Apply: Human Solutions in the Skills Revolution — surveyed 20,000 employers across 42 countries on the impact of automation, and found that soft skills that are of greatest value are hardest to find. Developing soft skill abilities can have an immediate and long-term impact on any career. The soft skills employers want most are communication, collaboration and problem-solving. This means focusing on creativity, leadership and Learnability will pay off no matter what field you ultimately find yourself.  

 

Get frequent feedback  

As much as we dread performance reviews, human feedback and communication helps us become resilient and improve. Others can see our blind spots that we don’t see, and also equip us with coping strategies and teachable skills. Don’t know if you’re on the right track? Unsure if you should change? Seek out help and feedback.  

 

Ask more questions 

“I don’t know” are the three hardest words to say in the English language. It can be hard to admit when you need help. But being young is a time when you’re not expected to know it all. Use this to your advantage by asking questions on any topic where you may be unsure. This is a learning opportunity.  

  

Changing your mind doesn’t have to be a setback, especially when you are young and can make mistakes, learn and grow from them. Change your mind, and you may change the world.