2019 MA Global Careers Report 2019 MA Global Careers Report | Page 5

How to future-
proof your career
By Katharine Boshkoff,
Global Vice President, Career
Advancement and Alumni Relations
About Katharine
A former strategy consultant
and professor, Katharine has
coached thousands of
students to find career
success in global markets.
After many years coaching executives and
students, I’ve learned that it is not just the
ability to get a job after graduation that
counts—it is the capability to adapt, to be
resilient, and to thrive in an environment of
constant change. Research tells us that
careers of the future will span more than
20 jobs and four or more career pivots.
With the availability of new technology
innovations—the internet of things,
artificial intelligence, and the proliferation
of big data—the world of work is changing
faster than ever before. And with this
revolution, new jobs are emerging, existing
jobs are changing, and talent is challenged
to continually stretch to learn new skills
and capabilities.
Successful job seekers are always working
to develop themselves. I have identified for
you here the three major ways in which you
can set yourself apart.
1. Learn how to learn
Play the long game and remember that
the winners in the employment race will
be those who bring a rich skillset to their
first job and become masters at acquiring
new skills. Develop a mindset of
continuous learning—formal learning
neither starts nor stops in the classroom.
2. Master the soft skills
Empathy, influence, authenticity,
collaboration, decision making, and
creativity—all of these skills will be
imperative for talent in the careers of
the future. Truly human skills will further
differentiate talent in a workplace
populated by increasing levels of
automation and technology.
3. Embrace tech savviness
You don’t need to be an IT guru,
but familiarity with technology relevant
to your job function is critical. All jobs
of the future will involve some level of
technology. Take the time to acquire the
knowledge and technology skills that can
help you better perform in your future job
or accelerate your career.
Unless otherwise noted, all data is based on Masters Class of 2018 reporting employment three
months post-graduation. The employment rate is calculated in compliance with the MBA Career
Services and Employer Alliance (MBA CSEA) reporting standards.