Future-Proof Jobs

Mastering High-Value Skills and Automation-Proof Functions

No one can see the future, but we can make educated guesses about which jobs will remain in demand.

The internet is flooded with speculation about future-proof careers, but much of it is misleading. Let’s cut through the noise and focus on what really matters: the skills and functions that will keep you relevant and highly paid.

Speculative Lists and Their Shortcomings

The internet speculates heavily on future-proof jobs. For instance, Indeed recommends the following as future proof jobs:

• Teacher
• Chef
• Digital marketing manager
• Designer
• Human resources manager
• Video game developer
• Nurse
• Mechanical engineer
• Cybersecurity analyst
• Mobile application developer
• Data scientist
• Doctor

Similarly, Nasdaq offers a slightly different list (we’re using them as an example, since they are one of the better sources, and they reflect what everyone else is saying on the internet):

• Accountant
• Editor
• Healthcare Professional
• Creative Professional
• Social Worker
• Trade Worker
• Human Resources
• Teacher
• Cybersecurity Professional
• Project Manager

As you can see, not a lot of agreement between the two lists. Let’s explore further…

On Reddit, to our surprise, a more clear opinion provided: “The most future-proof careers are those that involve personality, problem-solving skills, and manual labor” (source).

Of course, it’s merely anecdotal, but it’s a popular – albeit inaccurate – perspective shared by many.

All these lists have some valid points, but at their core, they are fundamentally flawed. They are missing the forest for the trees.

Most importantly: they focus on job titles rather than the skills and functions that keep these roles employed.

The Real Focus: Skills and Functions

In today’s fast-paced job market, focusing on skills and functions is far more important than clinging to job titles. This is because job titles can be misleading, and they often fail to reflect the unique mix of responsibilities a role actually requires.

Job Titles Are Important And Not Important At The Same Time

Take titles like “designer,” “manager,” or “developer” for instance. These can relate to a wide range of responsibilities and skills that vary drastically between industries and even within companies.

In other words, as far as doing the job is concerned, job titles don’t mean much.

That being said, as far as getting hired is concerned, job titles matter a lot. Perhaps they matter more than anything else on your resume. In fact, 42% percent of employers from a CareerBuilder study of 2000 companies, stated that they only consider candidates if they have the prerequisite title.

This is not surprising, as we’ve also observed similar trends through the years, and it’s pretty much an open secret that controlling your title allows you to control your career.

In short: job titles matter for gatekeeping, but do not reflect the work being done.

Why This Is A Problem

Automation is about reducing labor costs, while job titles primarily serve as gatekeeping mechanisms.

Therefore, relying on titles to predict which jobs will persist and which will become obsolete is highly error-prone.

For instance, take the title “designer”. It might refer to:

• A high-end interior designer who charges $2000 per hour to create “very feng shui” environments.
• A video game designer who builds complex levels in immersive game worlds.
• A social media ad campaign designer who cranks out dozens of ad campaigns every day.

In each of these examples, the work of the designer is radically different. They use different skills. The corporate structure they work inside is different. Compensation is different…

Literally everything about the jobs outside of the title is different! (And in fact, even the title is different when you read the full title, or read it with the company name.)

Why does this matter? Well, it matters, because automation is going to impact the three “designers” above completely differently.

Same Title, Different Outcomes

In the example above: one of the designers will keep their job. One will experience significantly more competition and have to deal with workforce reductions. And one will disappear:

• The high-end interior designer will keep their job, because their job is about subjective experiences that can only be accessed through the designer’s personal brand. The value is not about the work, but the fact that this specific designer is doing the work. Nothing about that value can be automated.
• Parts of the game designer’s job can be automated. In fact, some members of their team can be completely replaced by AI. But there are aspects of that job that require the human touch. This will create a reduction in the number of jobs, greater competition for fewer roles.
• The ad campaign designer cannot compete with AI as every element of the work output can be automated at a miniscule fraction of their cost. GG. It’s over.

In other words, to future proof your career, you need to identify what functions are going to get automated away, and stay far away from them.

What Functions Will Get Automated Away

Certain roles are more vulnerable to automation than others:

• Repetitive, Rule-Based Tasks: Functions that rely heavily on repetitive and rule-based processes (also known as algorithmic tasks), such as data entry or basic calculations, are prime candidates for automation.
• Manual Labor and Predictable Tasks: Roles involving manual labor or predictable tasks, especially in industries like manufacturing, logistics, and certain customer service sectors, are already witnessing significant automation. (Note: trades is NOT manual labor because it’s not predictable, but may have manual labor components that will get automated away.)
• Data Analysis and Pattern Recognition: Roles that involve data analysis, pattern recognition, especially dealing with large volumes of data or text. (This is very bad for lawyers in the lower rungs of the ladder.)
• Labor Intensive Knowledge Work: Labor intensive aspects of knowledge work or even creative work, such as content generation or design. Over the last decade, much of this work was outsourced. Now, it will get automated.

What Functions Will Not Get Automated Away

Other roles are currently immune to automation and will likely remain that way for the next two decades:

• Life and Death Roles: Take law enforcement, for example. When it comes to critical decisions that involve life and death, such as those made by police officers or military personnel, the human element remains irreplaceable. No one will trust machines to make life and death decisions anytime soon.
• Branded Experiences: When it comes to professions centered around personal branding, such as political commentators or celebrity influencers, the value lies not just in the work itself but in the persona behind it. People aren’t tuning in for the content alone; they’re drawn to the individual’s unique personality, perspective, and charisma. No amount of automation can replicate personal branding.
• Subjective Experiences: In industries like high-end interior design, art and fashion, where the value lies in subjective experiences rather than purely functional outcomes, automation faces significant challenges. It’s not that a machine cannot generate a canvas painted in blue (see “Onement VI,” a 1953 abstraction by Barnett Newman). It’s that a machine can’t get it sold for $43.8 million.
• Human Touch: Certain tasks require a human touch that cannot be replicated by machines. For example, roles that involve empathy, intuition, and emotional intelligence, such as counseling or caregiving, are much less susceptible to automation. This also extends into the literal physical touch: yes, a robot can give you a massage, but how many people want one from a robot?
• Complex Problem-Solving: Anything that deals with ambiguous situations and adapting to changing circumstances, are challenging for machines to replicate. This means, functions that require complex problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and strategic decision-making are much less likely to be automated. This is partly because AI is not good at these types of problems, and partially because the people who make automation decisions have a vested interest in preserving their roles.
• Creativity and Innovation: Roles that involve creativity, innovation, and the ability to think outside the box much are less likely to be automated. While artificial intelligence can assist in generating ideas or providing insights, the creative process is very difficult to automate.

What To Expect In The Near Future

The lower end of the value chain is going to get automated away. The higher end of the value chain will remain lucrative, because at that price level, people will want human attention.

For example: Let’s take accounting…

Key Warning 1: Automation at the Lower End

Small businesses already use accounting software, and AI advancements will further erode the need for human accountants – those few problems they “had to hire an accountant for”.. Well… They are going to be easily managed by AI going forward.

In contrast, large corporations already hire other corporations or keep their in house accounting teams. They will continue to need high-level accountants for complex financial work, even as they reduce headcount by leveraging automation.

In other words: It’s OK to be an “accountant” for a company like Google or Microsoft. Not so much for “Bob’s Plumbing” or the “Main Street Pub”.

That being said, it’s not all sunshine and roses for the accountants for the big guys either…

Key Warning 2: Reduced Workforce Sizes

Prepare for significant reduction in headcount.

Consider our accounting scenario: the big accounting departments of big firms will see downsizing, transitioning to smaller, more efficient units. (Just watch for new buzzwords like “lean” gain popularity among executives, and you’ll see where this is going.)

Make no mistake: The advent of AI means that routine tasks once handled by numerous employees are going to be automated, leaving only a “select few” to manage and oversee all the work being done by automation.

This means: It’s OK to be an “accountant” for a company like Google or Microsoft, as long as you are one of the “select few”. (Hint: credentialism, contacts, soft skill and career skills will gain much greater import)

Strategic Actions for Future-Proofing Your Career

Based on these predictions, here’s what you can do to future proof your income:

1. Escalate Your Value

Move up the value chain to provide high-ticket services. In the corporate world, this basically means getting title promotions and rising up the hierarchy.

2. Build Your Personal Brand

Establishing a compelling personal brand can set you apart in a crowded job market. Define what makes you unique – your values, expertise, and professional identity – and communicate it consistently across your online presence, resume, and interactions with others.

Remember: in the emerging world, what you are known for is less important than the fact that you are “known”.

2. Develop In-Demand, Automation-Proof Skills

Based on insights from the World Economic Forum and McKinsey, we compiled a list of high-value skills and disciplines.

A skill is a specific ability or proficiency that can be applied to any problem. A discipline is a domain of expertise, where a variety of skills are applied. You need to build your brand around a specific discipline, using the automation proof skills we’ve identified.

(Pro Tip: We train our students to signal their competence in these in-demand skills even before they have “on the job experience”. This ability and the Language of Value is going to gain greater importance over the coming years due to the increase in competition.)

3. Embrace Lifelong Learning

In today’s dog-eat-dog world, what you know today will likely become obsolete tomorrow.

Commit to ongoing education and skill enhancement to adapt to changing industry trends and technological advancements. Whether it’s through formal education, online courses, or self-directed study; continuously invest in your intellectual capital.

4. Build a Robust Professional Network

Establish meaningful connections with peers, mentors, and industry leaders to expand your professional network. Networking isn’t just about exchanging business cards or linking to someone on LinkedIn – it’s about cultivating relationships built on mutual trust and support.

A strong network can open doors to new career prospects, mentorship opportunities, and valuable insights that can propel your career forward.

Conclusion

Remember that while titles matter in getting jobs and getting promotions, they are irrelevant when it comes to automation and job security.

If you want a stable career, recognize “job titles” are extremely limited descriptors of the work being done.

A job title isn’t going to give you job security. The skills you have, the functions you perform, and the specific domains (disciplines) of expertise you are known for – that’s what gives you job security.

That, and your relationships…

PS – Remember: Beneath the corporate veneer, power is still the name of the game, and power stems from relationships and value.