Got skills? I mean those that might transform a hobby into a business, or a sideline into a job? Pardon me, I may have harped on this before, but making a living in a changing job market may rely, not just on your current resume, but on the odd skill that you can pull out of a rear pocket. This is not just some claptrap that Lou is spouting. It’s serious stuff. Many are exciting college these days with one marketable skill, only one. Older workers find that what worked for twenty years is now done by a machine named HAL.
I can do a competent job of a number of commonplace and less commonplace skills. They are particular to my aptitudes and interests, but I am not a one-note sort of guy. Starting with folksinger, Surgical Technician, practicing anthropologist, program director, executive director, videographer, and woodcarver, I have used a small bevy of abilities to keep me from being in the poorhouse -which isn’t some summer bungalow on the coast of Maine, for those of you unfamiliar with the term! I didn’t particularly desire all the occupational gymnastics, but sometimes making a living called for a lot of flexibility.
There is a lot of career advice today – get a degree in finance, get an MBA, law is the way to go, or maybe nursing. Not a single one of these is bad advice- just incomplete. What if your primary career choice is flooded with new grads? After all, schools are trying to make a buck too, and they may not be looking out for your best interests, even if that seems to be the naive characterization. I’d like to put a bit of emphasis on that point: schools and training programs may not be looking out for your interests. They are trying to make money too, and you are the source of their income.
Other factors for you to consider are what if you come to abhor the exclusive niche environment of your specialty truly? Worse of all, AI or something else makes you obsolete? Your answer to this should be the plan B that you are developing for a just-in-case scenario.
I picked this philosophy up from my father, Nick Carreras. He was the original “I can do that” kid. Technical and instructional manuals littered the living room and his workshop. In a day before YouTube and the learning doodads we have today, he spent time with manuals, taking things apart and putting them back together ( with no spare parts) and shadowing other artisans to learn how they did things.
Yes, a very basic skill that many people these days truly need to learn? It’s learning multiple skills and trades.
Want to be secure, independent? Get multiple skills.
Discover more from Louis N. Carreras, Woodcarver
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Good advice!
If I did that prompt I’d answer, “The ability to listen to others.” Most people listen with their mouths open ready to tell others what to do, what they’re doing or did in a similar situation, or change the subject completely. People seldom ask, you know like, “Oh, how are you dealing with that?” I experienced that recently. It’s a strange conversational style but it seems to be everywhere. Otherwise? Yeah. Flexibility and more than one skill. Yep.
That’s a great answer. And to be honest, I am one of those who might frequently leap to what to do, rather than ” how are you dealing with that?”
We all do that when we should maybe ask. The tea party of song and story was full of that. I got a little annoyed, actually, but I hid it well. I hope I learned a lesson from it. Time will tell.
I decided to write the post on this for Monday. We’ll see!!
I could not agree more; the need to immediately reply and give an opinion than actually listening.
Agree with all you said! I teach my grands as much as I can when I have their attention. I had the 15 year old cleaning my a-c and filter today.
it’s good for them to do practical things.