When it comes to the adoption of AI in the workplace, people are usually divided into very distinct groups: Those who overestimate its impact, and those who underestimate it. Some people see AI as a tool they can leverage to be more productive. Others see it as a weapon of mass destruction that will make millions of jobs obsolete, sort of like what happened to typists when computers arrived.
Regardless of which group you fall into, we can all agree that AI will have a significant impact on the way we work. Since, as a technology, AI is still being tried and tested, there is room for you to get out ahead of everyone else who views it with suspicion. You can give your career the first-mover advantage by leveraging AI.
The continued use and acceptance of AI in the workplace is inevitable. Instead of fighting against it, why not use it to your advantage?
Ways to Use AI in Your Career
If you have limited knowledge or exposure to AI, you might not know how rapidly it is expanding and growing. In the short time since AI started disrupting the workforce, it has evolved. I’ve been using it in my coaching and leadership work since November 2023 and the systems, options, and use cases have multiplied immensely!
With all that growth and change, it’s noted that 31% of the C-Suite surveyed in this report have created (or are planning to) a Chief AI Officer role in their organization. On top of that, in the space of one year, the number of job postings related to generative AI and having that skill set has increased by more than 450%!
AI is the way of the future when it comes to work. You can either lean into it or risk becoming another casualty lost in the evolution of work.
So, how can you get in front of this fast-moving technological tool and leverage it for your career?
1. Reskill, Upskill and Be In-demand
87% of the C-Suite said in the survey that they struggle to find talent with AI skills. Now, let's do a little math.
If job postings related to generative AI have increased by 450% and 87% of the C-Suite are struggling to find talent with AI skills, how many jobs are available to people with these skills?
The short answer is a lot.
With the job market currently in disarray, would you even feel its impact with numbers like that? Or would you be in such high demand you'd have recruiters in your DMs with increasingly enticing offers?
Imagine the possibilities.
Notice that these numbers are not tied to a specific industry, like IT. They apply to all industries. I'd even guess that the most unlikely roles to use AI are probably the ones who either need it the most or would pay more for someone with AI skills.
Upskilling for AI and automation, then applying it to your role and industry, is a great way to separate yourself from the masses in the workforce. If you acquire this knowledge and experience and leverage it properly, it's also a great way to set yourself apart as a thought leader in a fast-growing field.
2. Get Your Dollars Up
With the economy going the way it is, increasing your earning potential this year would take a miracle. But what if there was an easier way? What if you didn't have to wait for the stars to align to increase your income this year?
83% of executives say employees who know how to use AI should be paid more. 74% said employees who know how to use AI should be promoted more often.
By learning how to use AI and leveraging it for your role and/or your industry, not only do you have greater employment opportunities, but you're also likely to be paid more and promoted faster.
Remember when companies were scrambling for IT professionals during the pandemic shutdowns to implement Zoom from our livings rooms? Recruiters were on a desperate hunt for anyone knowledgeable in the field. If you worked in IT during this period, you will likely remember it fondly. The rest of us...not so much.
But by acquiring skills in AI, you now have a golden opportunity to also experience the same. You'll have access to more job opportunities with companies that are eager to increase your earning potential.
3. Get the Promotion You Deserve
What better time to skill up and move up than a time like this, when your co-workers – or even friends and family - may be eyeing new technology with suspicion? If you invest in your own continuous learning to acquire AI skills and leverage those skills to increase your productivity and efficiency, what do you think will happen to the higher-ups who refuse to evolve and grow? Or who don’t do so quickly enough?
Eventually, people who refuse to embrace the wave of the future will be phased out. Leaving room for those who quickly adjusted and positioned themselves to take advantage.
As mentioned before, many companies have created (or are planning to) Chief AI Officer roles in their organizations. However, there are so many other ways AI can help various departments within an organization.
Having and utilizing the requisite skills well before a vacancy emerges helps showcase you as someone who is innovative and forward-thinking. For many organizations, that's exactly the type of people they want in their C-Suite.
4. Get to a Leadership Role Faster
It might surprise you to know that the category of employees in an organization who feel AI will completely or partially replace their roles is the C-Suite.
49% of the over 500 CEOs surveyed think "most" or "all" of their role should be completely automated by AI. Meanwhile, 56% of the C-Suite believe executive leadership or C-Suite roles at their organization will be "completely" or "partially" replaced by AI.
Does this mean many people in these roles are bogged down by repetitive tasks that a machine could do? Yes!
However, by removing these menial tasks, members of the C-Suite will have more time to focus on more strategic endeavors that, while AI can assist with, still need a human touch.
Luckily, these benefits don't just apply to people in the C-Suite. We all have tasks that are time-consuming and drain our mental and physical energies. Being able to leverage AI technology to complete them gives us more room for the more strategic functions of our role that can't be outsourced to artificial intelligence.
Having the necessary AI skills that enable you to be more productive and efficient in your role gives you room to really shine in the areas where AI falls short. As powerful as AI is or will be, it cannot replace actual human interaction/intervention in certain areas.
5. Supercharge Your Job Search
Of course, we've already witnessed the impact of AI on recruitment. By leveraging AI skills, you can ensure your resume is strategically designed to get you in front of human beings. With the right prompts, you can personalize your applications faster and even conduct research to get a good idea of the type of person the company is looking for.
You don't have to spend hours tweaking your resume or cover letter for each application you send out. Use AI to do that work for you.
Just plug in the job post and ask for advice on the strategic keywords to target for that role in that specific organization. Make sure the results you use align with and are true to the experience you already have.
You can even use AI to help you prepare for an interview by requesting the common questions you're likely to be asked for that particular role, or in that industry. Then, you can either come up with answers yourself or get AI to assist you.
There are so many ways you can use AI in your career. You just have to be open to the possibilities.
If you see AI as a tool, it has many advantages. But fighting against it would be as futile as fighting against the advent of the personal computer. Eventually, you will be phased out, only to start struggling to catch up. Instead, get a head start on this innovative path and position your career at the forefront of this new development.
Want more expertise as an Executive Leader?
Looking to ramp up your team for 2025?
Let's chat about how I can assist you in Career & Leadership Development.
Resources:
Navigating the workplace in the age of AI. (2023)
Comentários