Did you all read that sobering report from Tom’s Hardware about the tech industry laying off nearly 80,000 employees in the first quarter of 20...? It said that almost 50% of those positions were eliminated due to AI and automation.
It’s a stark reminder that the pace of change isn’t slowing down.
But here’s what I keep telling myself: this is not the time to panic. It’s time to prepare. Here are a few simple, high-impact actions all of us can take right now:
Document your skills
You need to do a skills assessment on yourself. Be honest about the technical and soft skills you use every day. This inventory does two things.
- It becomes your personal North Star when opportunities arise or when you need to pivot quickly.
- It helps you identify gaps in your skill set.
Fill in your AI skills gaps
Once you know where you stand, pick one high-value skill that complements AI and commit to learning it this quarter. (We all know our world is headed that way, so you might as well make peace with it.) Work on a skill like prompt engineering, data storytelling, AI ethics, or domain expertise. The goal isn’t to become an AI expert overnight; it’s to become the person who knows how to use AI to deliver results.
Enroll in a ServiceNow career journey
ServiceNow career journeys do the heavy lifting of connecting your current skills to your next role or certification. They tell you what to learn, in what order, and why it matters. We already have career journeys that cover many roles in the ServiceNow ecosystem. In fact, we created some AI-focused courses specifically for the Platform Owner journey. (You knew I’d have to plug it! It’s my latest accomplishment.) There’s probably a journey that is perfect for you, so read through all the descriptions and give one a try. The best part is that most of the courses are free!
Another shameless plug, but it's a new instructor-led course!
Take my new Strategic Implementation for Platform Owners instructor-led course! The fake company I created for it is a zoo, so there are lots of cute animal pics. 😁 🐒 🦁 🐯
The jobs of the future won't go to the most talented. They’ll go to the most adaptable and the ones who can clearly prove their value. If you’re feeling the uncertainty right now, you’re not alone. But every one of us still has time to shape our own trajectory.
What’s one skill you’re planning to hone or a career journey you plan to begin in the next 90 days? Drop it in the comments. I’d love to cheer you on and swap recommendations. Let’s turn this moment of disruption into a moment of intentional growth.
Here are those links again, in case you didn't notice them above:
- Lena
