#career-development

#career-development

"Certifications are shifting from a checkbox to a compass. They're less about proving you memorized syntax and more about proving you can architect systems, instruct AI coding assistants, and solve problems end-to-end," says Faizel Khan, lead AI engineer at Landing Point, an executive search and recruiting firm. "In the AI era, fewer students will get trained on the job, which means they have to train themselves," Khan says. "Certifications-especially architectural ones like AWS, Kubernetes, Terraform-are still the clearest path to do that."

When Vanna Krantz reflects on her career-from the early grind of New York's financial sector to helping take Grindr public-she's quick to credit a series of "lucky breaks." But luck, in her telling, isn't passive. It's what happens when preparation meets conviction-and when leaders are willing to bet on themselves. "I think having a few breaks is important," says Krantz, who stepped down from her CFO role this month but is still serving in an advisory role at Grindr.

In today's job market, employers want more than enthusiasm. They want professionals who can analyse data, manage teams, and deliver results. Postgraduate study can build those career-ready skills, preparing individuals for leadership and specialist roles in industries ranging from healthcare to technology. Institutions like the Walbrook Institute London reflect this change. Their postgraduate pathways go beyond classroom knowledge. They are designed to help individuals build the practical skills needed for today's professional environments, where careers demand more than enthusiasm.

Before overseeing products at the tech giant, which has a market cap of about $270 billion, he spent his early 20s waiting tables at Sizzler, a steak house chain, making just $4 an hour. Far from something to hide, he says the experience shaped his work ethic and people skills-and ultimately helped him climb Silicon Valley's corporate ladder. "I think everyone in the early part of their career should work in the service industry somewhere," Patel tells Fortune.

For students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, alumni mentors are becoming embedded in their experience. A recently launched mentorship program pairs each rising junior with a graduate from the college to provide advice and encouragement as they finish their last two years of college. The initiative, part of Gettysburg's reimagining of career development, helps students build a professional network before they leave college and hopefully eases the transition into life after graduation, said Billy Ferrell, director of external relations in Gettysburg's Center for Career Engagement.

One of my favourite career theories, because it very much fits how I have experienced my worklife, is planned happenstance. It flips the what I call "This is what everyone thinks of career planning" idea on its head. As we've heard in previous episodes in this series, conventional career planning theory suggests doing some self reflection, setting a goal, making a plan and marching towards it. But the truth is careers rarely play out in straight lines these days. Planned happenstance theory says stop treating luck as random. Instead, build the skills to take advantage of it.

While these are certainly high-income skills worth developing, if you don't have this one underrated skill, you will literally get nowhere in your career or in your business. Regardless of how hard you try, how many certifications and tools you add to your skill stack, how good your resume is or how exceptional your portfolio may be, lacking this one skill can leave you far behind in the job market and result in you losing out to competitors in your industry and niche.

We won the city championships and another team tried to kick me out of the league,

This article won't start out well, because I'm sort of at rock bottom in my career and it seems that I'm projecting my frustrations of the industry out in the open. But I promise you, my rants are merely neutral observations and opinions. I love talking to people, and over the last 2 months of unemployment (I am now employed), I called upon designer friends all in Asia and Europe to get their opinion

The pace of change in the business world is relentless, and accountants are continually challenged to adapt. Evolving risks, shifting business models, emerging technologies-especially the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)-and increasing regulatory complexity require professionals in this field to be agile lifelong learners and critical thinkers. The demands on accountants continue to evolve, but this is also what drives opportunity. Today, accountants are often expected to go beyond understanding the numbers by providing insights and interpretation within a rapidly changing environment.

When the economy feels volatile and companies are navigating change, many of us instinctively wait before initiating a raise conversation. But the truth is, uncertainty isn't a signal to stay quiet-it's a call to lead. Asking for a raise during times of flux doesn't mean you're tone-deaf. It means you understand your impact and are choosing to advocate for it with clarity and courage. You deserve that raise.

Getting into the Disney College Program doesn't require a wish upon a star. Four past participants in Disney's internship for college students and recent grads say that energy, enthusiasm, and curiosity are the keys to getting accepted into the Magic Kingdom. The Disney College Program alumni said applicants should be ready to gush about their favorite Disney character or park ride in an interview - and share whether they can handle the heat.

In short, they want generalists. Just be enough. You don't need to be everything. You just need to be enough of many things.

In the summer of 1999, I was a 19-year-old with an interest in astronomy, but no real idea of what I wanted to do with my life - then I saw my first total solar eclipse.

Quiet cracking refers to dissatisfied workers who struggle in silence, feeling that they can't leave their current role.

Micro-learning gave me the growth mindset to pursue career and learning pathways that would have been traditionally closed to me.

Scientific American tells us that "inspiration, creativity [and] discovery all come from a place of uncertainty. When we admit 'I don't know,' we open ourselves to explore possibilities."