Professional Development in Times of Change

Professionally, adaptation means being up on the latest trends, mastering them instead of letting them master you, and making yourself valuable. In times of change, upskilling and networking can help mobility professionals take that next step to move their career forward.  

Experts have weighed in on the job market for 2024, and conclusions are mixed. Some still believe employees hold the keys to the castle, others that it’s become an employer’s market. What no one doubts, however, is the need for a well-trained, well-connected workforce. 

Upskilling is never a bad idea, in good times and bad. In a world of rapidly changing technologies, getting employees up to date on the latest requires adaptable learning and development (L&D) programs that meet their and their organization’s needs. Building a strong professional network can also help in one’s current job and any future sought-after roles.

A Labor Cup Half Full and Half Empty

The United Nations’ International Labor Organization warns that global unemployment is set to rise this year. Its World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2024 report forecasts that global unemployment will rise to 5.2% in 2024 from 5.1% in 2023. While the report finds labor markets in 2023 showed “surprising resilience despite deteriorating economic conditions,” it stated that a deeper analysis of economic trends finds worrying signs of growing fragility and imbalances in labor markets.

In an article written for the World Economic Forum, Svenja Gudell, chief economist at Indeed, says, “After a searing run-up in 2021 and 2022 that saw employer demand and competition for workers soar, wage growth surge, and unemployment sink worldwide, 2023 was set up for a comedown. But while markets did cool, they largely did so from a position of strength, correcting without cratering.” 

While well below 2022 peaks, total job postings at the end of November were above pre-pandemic norms in seven nations tracked by the Indeed Job Postings Index. 

Many employers are reluctant to let go of their current employees. Layoffs, discharges, and redundancy notifications in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., for example, all remain historically low, Gudell says. “If employer demand for workers levels off at or around current levels, 2024 could look much like 2023,” he writes. “But further reductions in demand may be more troubling. Next year’s outlook will depend not only on the direction of worker demand but also on whether any future declines come primarily through less hiring or more layoffs.”

Upskilling: Learning, Development, and Beyond

According to new research from TalentLMS and Vyond, two-thirds of U.S. employees say they need to acquire new skills to be successful in their jobs. The report also found 41% of employees will look for another job in 2024 if their company doesn’t provide them with training opportunities.

Eighty-four percent of employees expect their employer to provide the training and education they need to stay up-to-date with changing skill sets in their industry, according to a recent survey of more than 800 C-suite executives and 800 employees from online learning platform edX. 

“Employees value their career development and want to utilize L&D programs for it,” edX executive Andy Morgan says. “And they’re willing to look elsewhere if their current bosses fail to provide.”

Talent Development and the Mobility Industry

Employers that see the value of professional development provide the tools necessary for employees of all levels to attain the skills needed to ascend the ladder of success. Mickey Calantropio, vice president of client services at Altair Global, says that when joining Altair, after having gained experience at several other relocation management companies, she found her new employer was very different from its predecessors, in a good way. “This was due to the unique culture, extensive documented processes, and helpful training guides available to me at Altair,” she says. She applied her mantra “Observe, Learn, Apply” to the new role. In her own words:

• Observe: I sat with team members of all levels to understand their role in the organization, how they complete their day-to-day activities, and what they feel is working and not working.
• Learn: I utilized any learning platform they had. Some organizations are better than others with this. Altair Global University training was a great way for me to learn not only about all the functions within the company but also how each person’s role complemented one another. Altair loaded position, client, and company training [into the system] that I could view, in addition to my in-person training, to really help me understand the organization.
• Apply: Once I observed and learned, I applied this to my day-to-day and jumped in. Of course, along the way I went back to observe and learn, but applying and doing tasks is the best way for me to retain knowledge.

Knowledge is gold, both professionally and personally, and it can help those seeking to grow within their current organization as well as those seeking change. “Education is the best way to assist in any career change,” says Lisa Meinczinger, owner of Advance Appraiser Service. “If you are the smartest person in the room, change rooms. We can only grow with the thirst for knowledge.”

Networking Done Right

In times of layoffs and technological changes, employees can still advance by upskilling and networking. If you’re not sold on the importance of networking to career building, take note that LinkedIn now has upwards of 1 billion members worldwide. A recent academic study mapping LinkedIn connections among firms also found that companies whose real-world employee connections put them at the center of their professional communities performed better than their counterparts whose workforces were less well-connected.

Rob Fletcher, co-founder of Heart Relocation, knows the platform’s value for networking within the mobility industry. “One thing I have learned about building a network is that it does not happen by itself; it takes work and time to build it effectively,” he says. “LinkedIn is an amazing platform, but it works at lightning speed, and it is easy to miss things unless you have shown an interest, followed, or commented on posts. If you see something, don’t wait and come back, you will probably never find it again!”

Then there’s the interplay of technology with real-world events, like industry conferences. Calantropio at Altair Global says she quickly learned after entering the mobility field in 2002 that “it was a who-you-know business.” She says, “The conferences we attend, whether they be regional, WERC, or global, are full of key players in our industry. When you are at the conference, connect with people by sharing your LinkedIn profile.”

At the end of the day, it’s those in-person events that could make the biggest difference. Meinczinger says that the key to her success with a strong network has been attending conferences and other events, as well as being active in organizations. “The networking aspect of attending these events assists in helping with advancing my instruction opportunities, work opportunities, and is a great way to market yourself,” she says. “You never know who you will meet at these events that may be hiring. Right place at the right time.”

Another tried-and-true method of building a strong professional network is simply being nice to your fellow industry professionals. “I’ve built a strong professional network by the old-fashioned concepts like ‘treat others how you want to be treated,’” says Erin Venable, marketing manager at Cartwright. “I feel like being authentic with people, really caring about them, and remembering that behind every working professional is a person, in spite of whatever role either of us occupy at the moment, helps me look beyond any titles … to see the individual. Sure, we have our jobs, but that’s not all there is in life. Nor is it all there is to us. Trying to remember that with each person I work with helps me sincerely relate to those in my professional network.”

The Interplay of Networking and Learning

Life is a journey, and every step an opportunity to learn, including professionally. “We are on a journey of continual learning. When you are faced with something you are not good at or don’t understand, your network will probably have someone who knows the answers,” Fletcher says. “It can be a relatively safe place to ask those ‘stupid’ questions. I have been surprised just how giving, helpful, and encouraging my network has been. When we started Heart Relocation, as a new business owner, it was surprising just how much we did not know. Through reaching out to my network, I found answers with people often volunteering help, support, and guidance with no expectations.”

Things change. There’s little we can do about that. From the quickly evolving use of technological tools within the workplace to the state of economies riddled by unknowable factors, we adjust ourselves to our surroundings daily. Adaptation is the key to survival, in life and at work. 

Professionally, adaptation means being up on the latest trends, mastering them instead of letting them master you, and making yourself valuable. In tough times, you’ll be the one that an organization will count on to move forward. Upskilling and networking can help mobility professionals take that next step within their organization or give them freedom to roam, should they want to spread their wings.