I’m Worried about Becoming Obsolete

Welcome back to the Stay Relevant advice column, where we answer readers’ burning questions about their careers and how thrive in a fast-changing workplace. I offer insight into what’s bothering you and what might be keeping you stuck.

Send your questions to candace@candacemoody.com

Dear Stay Relevant:

If I want to stay employable in the age of AI, is it better to reinvent myself or double down on my niche? I’ve been in my field for 15 years and have gained some deep experience in a specific area. I worry, though, as so many of my peers do, that AI will soon replace what we know and be able to deliver what leadership needs without employing experts.

So should I expand my expertise (becoming a semi-novice in the new area) or go deeper in my expertise by adding credentials or more training? Or should I just hedge my bets and get a side gig so I don’t become unemployed altogether?

Go Wide or Go Deep?

Dear Go Wide: If you’re worried about AI eating your job, you’re not alone. AI itself predicts that up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs are at risk of elimination within the next one to five years.  High-risk fields include finance, law, consulting, and technology, with 93% of jobs vulnerable to some form of AI disruption.

It’s important to note that disruption is not synonymous with replacement. We’ve all heard how AI is prone to generating information that sounds detailed and accurate but is completely fabricated. Case law that doesn’t exist. Data from studies that the AI made up. There will always be a need for human discernment and fact checking, no matter what field you’re in.

It might help to think of it the same way you did the addition of GPS on your phone. You no longer have to spend 10 minutes getting directions to your appointment’s address from a human; that frees you and the other person up to do more important things. GPS routes you and tells you when to turn, checks traffic ahead of you, and tells you when you’ve arrived.

But it can’t tell you whether your appointment is worth attending. Or if you’ve picked the right provider. Or if the meeting will be a waste of time once you get there. You have to do the research, strategic planning, preparation for the meeting, and make sure you leave on time. 

If you want to expand your skill set and your value to future employers, I’d consider adding complementary skills to your deep expertise. This is always a good strategy, even if you’re not worried about imminent disruption.

If you’re in a very technical field, you might consider adding sales, training, or recruiting experience and credentials. You might decide that a side gig teaching in your field at the college level adds to your  resume and helps shape the next generation of your profession.

Here’s a rule of thumb that has worked through several iterations of technical disruption: those who are the highest risk of replacement are not those bringing in the business, generating revenue, or actually producing the end product. It’s the middle that collapses first: project managers, middle management, analysis and office support.

Every worker should be thinking about how to become so unique, so different, that only you could do the job. No one else could get the same results without your input or guidance. What tasks do you perform today that anyone (with some training) could do? Change your focus to the things only you can do and put your energy there.

Best Wishes – Candace