Conversations That Matter: What to do when you grow up?

“Long gone are the days of working for the firm and retiring with a watch as a parting gift” says Diana MacKay.

“The world is careening forward at breakneck speed,” says MacKay, a for executive director of Carleton University’s global academy. “Sometimes we are lucky enough to be holding the harness firmly and riding along — even steering things. But more likely, we’re hanging on.”

In the 1970s Alvin Toffler and Adelaide Farrel wrote, “Future Shock,” a book that stated there is ‘too much change in too short a period of time’ and that rate of change would accelerate.

“Accelerate it has”, says MacKay. “Information overload, social media and a sense of instability due to rapid change has left young people feeling disconnected and disoriented, especially when it comes to their careers.”

A professional antidote to the speed of change may be to avoid specialization and embrace a generalist approach.

“Specialists remain essential, but generalists are vital translators, interpreters, and connectors in times of turbulence. And being a generalist can be a lot of fun too. As we collectively plow forward, this may be the norm for a lot of young people moving through an unpredictable future.”

MacKay joined a conversation about navigating wild career swings, and how that diversity of experience enables valuable insights that organizations can also embrace and leverage change and uncertainty. See the video at vancouversun.com/tag/conversations-that-matter.

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Join us Jan. 20 for a Conversations Live on immigration.