Wisdom Of The Week

Three Laws Of Future Employment:

• Law #1: People will get jobs doing things that computers can’t do. 
• Law #2: A global market place will result in lower pay and fewer opportunities for many careers. (But also in cheaper and better products and a higher standard of living for American consumers.) 
• Law #3: Professional people will more likely be freelancers and less likely to have a steady job.

So here is my career advice to today’s students:

• If you passionately like something and are good at it, then do that. STEM, for example, will always have a place for smart, hardworking people. Likewise, good writing can’t be computerized, but you need both talent and passion to be successful.
• Start work on the 10,000 hours. Your education may help, but very little you do in school contributes to the total. Be it car detailing, truck driving, computer programming, drawing, writing – acquire an expert skill in something. Write a novel.
• Empathize if you can. Computers can’t do that. Jobs that involve empathy (along with other skills) will always be in demand.
• If you got it, flaunt it. That’s something else computers can’t do. Beauty has value, especially for women but also for men. This is wonderfully described in Catherine Hakim’s book, Erotic Capital. Even if you don’t got it, take advantage of youth. Acquire a fashion sense, take care of yourself, look as good as you can.

- Daniel Jelski (via the highest commented post this year on MR; I concur with Tyler on the excess supply on the psychology front)