3 ways to take control of your career and find success (in an AI world)

So let’s start with the article — because naturally, I had thoughts…

First, I think it was a real positive that the author put aside regular time to reflect on her career. She mentioned feeling overwhelmed when faced with a long list of big picture questions — and I’m not surprised!

That’s the beauty of breaking the career planning process into smaller steps. It helps you gain clarity on what you want and how to get there.

But here’s why I’m not worried about robots taking over my role…

Because she spent hundreds of hours each month training the GPT to give advice based on its programming and her own inputs. Yet coaching isn’t about giving advice. It’s about helping you uncover your roadblocks, see new perspectives and intuitively ask the right questions, so you can dive deeper and find your own answers.

And that’s something AI can’t do!

Also, while the writer mentioned feeling free to share without judgement, adapt her style and ask her AI ‘coach’ for what she needed — I’d argue that’s the foundation of any effective coaching relationship. It’s exactly what a great coach should be doing!

Frankly, being coached by my GPT would drive me nuts. No matter how clear and direct my instructions are, it’s always cutting me off!

What this article did highlight for me is that we’re only at the very beginning of the digital age.

It’s much like the industrial revolution, a time of significant technological and societal transformation, which saw our workforce shift from agriculture to manufacturing. The age of AI is completely rewriting how we work.

For knowledge workers, generative AI is already disrupting professions where people sell their knowledge and expertise. This includes professional advisory and white collar roles like accountants, financial advisers and lawyers.

Many repetitive admin tasks are already being performed by AI. And a lot of the knowledge people monetise is now freely available — and fast.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the pace of change. But the good news? With the right skills and mindset, you can adapt faster than you think — and even uncover new opportunities you hadn’t considered!

So what steps can you take to futureproof your career in the age of AI? Here are my top 3 tips:

#1 — TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR CAREER

The first tip is to take ownership of your career and drive your own development. This is the ultimate goal of my private coaching work with leaders — and something I talk about all the time in my keynotes, workshops and work with organisations.

The biggest challenge for employers is the pace of change and how to address future workforce planning, talent management and upskilling existing employees. As a result, they’re no longer solely responsible for your career — because it’s impossible to keep on top of every employee’s individual needs.

This is why it’s now critical for YOU to take ownership of your career too.

Gone are the days of climbing one ladder, staying in one job for life and collecting your gold watch at retirement. According to the World Economic Forum, 39% of the global workforce will need to reskill by 2030. And most of us will need to change careers multiple times in coming years too.

Here’s the bottom line. You can’t rely on putting your head down, working hard and waiting for your manager to tap you on the shoulder for promotion anymore.

When you take responsibility for your career planning and development, you will keep your skills relevant and futureproof your career!

#2 — CONTINUALLY UPSKILL & RESKILL

As generative AI disrupts knowledge work, what specific skills do you need to stay competitive? Some of the fastest declining jobs in professional services include accountants, accounting support staff, legal secretaries and admin assistants. This doesn’t mean robots will replace these roles — but they will evolve significantly, requiring new skills.

I think the best investment you can make is developing the human skills AI can’t (yet) replicate. Skills like leadership, effective communication and emotional intelligence. These will help futureproof your career and ensure your skills remain transferrable to any role in future.

Your unique thought leadership and critical thinking are also going to become even more important. The World Economic Forum’s ‘Top 10 Skills of 2025’ include analytical and creative thinking, resilience and self-awareness. And looking ahead to 2030, the fastest growing skills (in addition to digital literacy) remain consistent.

This is the difference between sharing generic information anyone can find online — and high level advice personalised to each client. And what sets your thought leadership apart is your unique stories, client results, beliefs and ideas.

When it comes to upskilling, think beyond formal education. You don’t always need a full MBA or another certification. The most effective way to learn and upskill is through small steps in your current role or organisation.

For example, you could shadow someone, lead a new internal project or mentor someone to take on more of your responsibilities. When you focus on building the right skills, you’ll stay competitive — no matter how work evolves.

#3 — EMBRACE ‘SQUIGGLY’ CAREERS

Traditional careers are already evolving, with more people freelancing, taking on gig work or building portfolio careers. And I only expect this trend to continue. To succeed in the changing world of work, you need to be flexible, adaptable and open to new ways of working.

I’m seeing a clear shift towards ‘squiggly careers’ — non-linear career paths where people move across roles, departments and industries. With flatter organisational structures and the pace of change, companies need workers who are adaptable. They’re more open than ever to supporting internal moves and even career changes.

I also expect to see more portfolio careers, as organisations seek specialist skills on a freelance and contract basis for specific projects.

As AI automates lower level tasks, it’ll free up more time to pursue interests outside your day job — whether it’s a passion project, side hustle or freelance work. And not only will employers be more open to portfolio careers and flexible working arrangements, I believe they’ll increasingly embrace them — along with the new skills and value you bring back to the workplace.

The takeaway? Don’t be afraid to follow your curiosity and explore new career paths or projects of interest.

If there’s an existing skill you want to strengthen or a new one to develop, look beyond your current workplace. Side projects, board roles or volunteering can help you build new skills, apply them in your current role — or unlock opportunities you hadn’t even imagined!

For example, I know senior leaders who started a podcast, which led to paid speaking opportunities. Some have left careers as lawyers, HR professionals or corporate executives to build coaching or consulting businesses.

When you follow your curiosity and explore non-linear paths, you’ll take ownership of your career in a changing world of work.

So there you have it — 3 practical tips you can start implementing now to stay ahead in the age of AI. These are the same steps I’m sharing with clients to help them navigate change and take charge of their careers. I hope they support you too!

Want to find clarity, build confidence and create a strategy to take ownership of your career​ in the age of AI? Let’s chat!

Click HERE to book a free initial 30 minute consult.

Stacey Back is The Career Planning Specialist, an executive career coach and speaker. She helps high-achievers at a career crossroads find the work that lights them up, increase their income, impact and create a career + life on their terms. Stacey works virtually with individuals and organisations based across the globe.