Looking forward to 2021
Dear Friends, Clients, Readers, and Followers:
At the end of each year, we look forward to the new one with anticipation, hope, and excitement. Those feelings have never been more apparent than this year when we close out 2020. I think I speak for everyone when I say that I am looking forward to putting 2020 in the archive and moving on, whatever “moving on” from 2020 may mean.
Here’s what I’m looking forward to in 2021:
A return to a “new normal.” If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that what we believe is normal and standard can be upended by completely unexpected factors. Do I think that the world will look the same as it did on December 30, 2019, any time soon? No. I do not. I think some things have been forever changed, most notably the very idea of the workplace. Companies that have learned that they can be productive with a remote workforce are unlikely to bring people back into a physical office and bear the costs associated with that. Masks? According to scientists, they’re probably going to be here for the foreseeable future. Business travel? Not unless it’s critical, and 2020 showed us that a lot of business can be conducted virtually.
An open-mindedness among hiring managers. As a career coach and a counselor to job seekers, one of my pet peeves is the myopic perspective of hiring managers. You know what I mean—those who will only look at candidates who have been doing the same job at a direct competitor. No one else could possibly perform well. This last year has imparted upon us the importance of being flexible and adaptable, and those qualities are going to be ever more important in the future.
Candidates focusing on themselves first. I always say to the people with whom I work that they should regard themselves as the CEO of their career and advise them that they are marketing a unique product—themselves. I don’t think this truth has ever been more apparent than it has been in 2020. The idea of employee loyalty—a quaint notion that has been outdated since the late 1980s—has been completely upended. The employee/employer contract is not one based on mutual benefit. When such a relationship no longer benefits one or both parties, either party may end it. It is a business decision on the part of all involved.
Enjoying the simple things. I doubt many of us will be taking for granted the simple pleasures in life. Hugging a loved one, celebrating with friends and family, or sharing a meal with a large group. In 2020, we learned that the everyday things that are truly important and that the seemingly mundane adds incalculable value to our lives.
Best wishes for a safe and uneventful New Year. May 2021 be infinitely better than 2020!