Lectures 3 and 4 Employability, Creativity, and Personal Development 9 october 2020

University of East Anglia
Norwich Business School
Employability, Creativity and
Personal Development
NBS-5915A
Self-Making Studio
Lectures 3-4
9 October, 2020
Dr. Fahri Karakas
F.Karakas@uea.ac.uk

2
 Hackathon: How to Deal With Disruption
 Disruption and Change
 Learning adventure: Your dream job
 Learning Adventure: Soft Skills Workshop
 Key message of today: Disrupt yourself or get disrupted
 Learning Adventure: Creative Gym 1
+
+CV and Cover Letter– study at home
+New Skills for a New Era – study at home

5
Analysis: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/oct/08/why-shredder-is-banksy-greatest-work

8
 Ralph Lauren,
 Perry Ellis and
 Calvin Klein
 Tommy Hilfiger is
next.

Exercise
Puzzles on the
Rate of Change

•I have 3 small puzzles
for you now.
•Please provide your
estimates.
10

Dynamic ‘Creative Destruction’
We do live in interesting times. Forget traditional jobs,
job security, upward mobility
•Fortune 500 companies
from 1955 vs. 2014.
•What % of them are still
on the list? Any
guesses?
11

•89% of Fortune 500
companies from 1955
are not on the list in
2014.
12

•Guess the average age
of a company listed on
the S&P 500
•During 1920s?
•Right now?
13

• The average age of a
company listed on the S&P
500 was:
• 67 years old in the 1920s
• Right, now this age is 15
years only and it keeps
dropping.
14

• In 2028, what % of S&P
500 companies will stay on
the current list?
• Any guesses? Estimates?
15

• In 2028, 40% of all S&P
500 companies will
disappear from this list.
• 60% are expected to
survive the list – although
this figure might fall even
more radically.
16

17
 https://medium.com/@fahrikarakas/dance-improvise-adapt-and-fly-
15261eafb29e?source=friends_link&sk=3dd310c38a6cd46468ab06efb61f3
28c

or be disrupted
Disrupt Yourself

22
Your Career as a Wicked Problem
WHAT ARE THE
IMPLICATIONS OF
THIS MODEL?
HOW CAN YOU
COPE?

23
Your Career is a Wicked Problem
1. Do not settle with
easiest and most
convenient option
available to you.
2. Cultivate a lot of
diverse seeds,
experiment, and see
which options have more
potential (i.e. grow)
3. Be prepared for
uncertainty through
developing more
resilience,
resourcefulness,
entrepreneurship, and
creativity

26
“RICH DAD, POOR DAD” Kayasaki - Game: Cash Flow

32
CNBC Disruptor
companies

33
 These forward-thinking start-ups have not only identified unexploited
niches in the market that have the potential to become billion-dollar
businesses, a majority of them already are billion-dollar businesses.
◦ A startling 36 disruptors this year are unicorns that have
already reached or passed the billion-dollar mark.
 These 50 companies have raised nearly $74
billion in venture capital at an implied market
valuation of more than $277 billion.
◦ Many already are part of our daily lives, whether or not
we know it.
◦ Biotech and machine learning to transportation and retail and even exploring outer
space
◦ Drones and genes to the battles for control in the rapidly growing ridesharing, lodging
and cryptocurrency industries
— these innovations are changing the world.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/16/meet-the-2020-cnbc-disruptor-50-companies.html

34
https://medium.com/@fahrikarakas/welcome
-to-the-era-of-fonku-fear-of-not-keeping-
up-46d9ce8523dd (please read this article).

Learning Adventure
Your Dream Job

38
Innovation in organisations
Having fun
Being creative
Freedom &
flexibility

39
 Which job will you be applying for as part of
your coursework?
◦ Entry level job
◦ Which department/position?
◦ Find a job advertisement and attach it in your
coursework
◦ Customise your job application for this job.
 Come up with a list of Top 3 best companies that you
would like to work for. Why do you want them?
 Which department? Why?
 Which job title?
◦ A) Think about the job requirements
◦ B) Think about your own KSAs (Knowledge, Skills,
Abilities) and experience
◦ C) Think about Evidence of Fit between A and B
◦ D) How will you demonstrate this evidence of fit?
 Talk through these points with your team

Workshop@HOME
Job Application Package:
CV & Cover Letter
Please study at home

42
 https://medium.com/journal-of-curiosity-imagination-and-
inspiration/make-your-cv-outstanding-
7d480db2a09b?source=friends_link&sk=acb878a7bdedbbce4098bed94a0
7727d

43
 Nearly half (48.1%) of UK workers do not know how
to write a stand out CV that would boost their
chance of an interview, with a further 16.4%
admitting that they wouldn’t be able to write a
good CV at all.
 New research reveals that 98.5% of recruiters
believe that traditional CVs still hold an important
place in today’s recruitment process

44
 Actively manage your career at all times – not just when you need to.
It’s essential to keep on top of this and not let it fall by the wayside.
◦ Keep one eye on the market, company activity and emerging trends to ensure you are
always up to date.
◦ Spend some time regularly developing your network and keeping in touch. Tap into
networking groups or form your own.
 Follow other people’s careers, learn from their journeys and introduce
yourself to new contacts.
 Being seen to be proactive with your career will get you noticed.
◦ Motivation and support during a time of change is the key to not losing focus so meet
with others who are experiencing the same changes to swap tips, contacts and ideas.
 Have a clear and definite career vision.
◦ If you have a career goal, use a time of change to assess how realistic this is and what
your ‘plan b’ may be. If you don’t have a vision, try thinking about what you want from
your career and how you might achieve this.
 Always ensure that your ‘marketing toolkit’ is up to date.
◦ Keep your CV current and regularly review your LinkedIn profile to reflect your
experience. You never know when you may need these.
 Mel Barclay, Head of Career Transition at LHH Penna

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 I sent out CVs. I heard nothing. I sent out more CVs; still nothing. I
began to feel that the market was against me – this was before the EU
referendum and hiring managers were holding their breath. It became
obvious that finding a job was going to be a lot harder than I’d
expected.
 If your CV is ignored, the best thing you can do is to take a long hard
look at reality. Don’t blame recruiters for failing to respond; don’t
blame the market for not wanting your skills – repackage your
experience into something the market will want. Go with it, you never
know where it will take you.

46
 Do not give up even if you get multiple rejections.
Learn from rejections. If they do not kill you, they
will make you stronger.
 Do not worry if you do not get any response.
Follow up. Then move on.
 Revise, revise, revise your job application. Send for
friendly review to your colleague.
 The fit between your skills and the position
requirements: Hugely important.

47
 Thousands of British job applicants are
limiting their work prospects by failing to
mention volunteering experience on their CV,
research released today has discovered.
 More than half (54 per cent) of job applicants
in the UK have carried out some form of
voluntary work, yet only eight per cent
mention on their CV

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 Photos – 25.8%
 Jargon – 18.6%
 Generic Hobbies – 10.8%
 Outdated employment history – 9.9%
 Unnecessarily big words – 7%
 School grades – 5.3%
 Personal interests – 4.3%
 Acronyms – 3.1%
 Generic objectives and aims – 2.7%
 Social media links – 2.5%

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 "My interests include cooking dogs and interesting people"
 "I was responsible for dissatisfied customers"
 "I am a prooficient typist"
 "Socially I like to dine out with different backgrounds"
 "I was responsible for fraudulent claims"
 "While working in this role, I had intercourse with a variety of
people"
 "Experienced sheet mental worker"
 "Highly adept at multi-tasting"
 "I am a pubic relations officer"
 "Left last four jobs only because the managers were
completely unreasonable"

50
http://metro.co.uk/2016/10/06/this-guy-dressed-as-a-courier-to-hand-deliver-cv-disguised-as-a-box-of-doughnuts-6174378/
RESULT:
Landed about 10
interviews with creative
agencies

51
Read more at http://www.look.co.uk/list-for-life/work-life/cv-amazing-gq-intern-without-interview-33245#ZEcP6p8XZYfKMBUf.99
Instead of just
mirroring the style
of the magazine,
Sumukh turned his
CV into an actual
20-page magazine
complete with
features about his
accomplishments,
life and education.

55
http://print24.com/blog/2011/05/32-amazingly-creative-job-
applications/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jmaureenhenderson/2012/06/01/how-
a-creative-job-application-can-land-you-or-lose-you-your-dream-
job/
http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/06/30/6-wickedly-creative-
job-applications-for-the-digital-age/
http://jobmob.co.il/blog/most-creative-designer-resumes/
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/dream-job-with-innovative-resume-
ideas/

56
Apply design tools, concepts, and thinking to the world of careers and
employability.
As youth unemployment reaches unprecedented levels in the UK and especially in London;
you can effectively use the resources and perspectives of the design discipline to empower
yourself in preparation for the job market
 Rotman's business design courses
 Ayse Birsel’s "Design the Life You Love“ workshops
 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/forget-new-years-resoluti_b_798710
 Harvard's "Design Thinking and Innovation" course by
Professor Srikant M. Datar
 Open University's distance course on "Design thinking: creativity for the
21st century"

58
 https://medium.com/journal-of-curiosity-imagination-and-
inspiration/how-to-write-an-effective-cover-letter-
a4ac36d0c682?source=friends_link&sk=e5912ce764ef091c5b4744c0277b
d9ef

 Salutation: Dear (Specific Name) or Dear
Committee Members of (Specific Firm)
 1st paragraph: mention how you learned
about the job
 Body: use the structure of the ad to guide
you in your discussion of your qualifications
 Final paragraph: offer to submit additional
information. Let them know how to meet
with you

60
◦ Cover letter is not a cut and paste of your resume. It must be
customized for each and every job you apply.
◦ Cover letters are short and usually must not be beyond one
page view of your email.
◦ Format – no fancy fonts, use around 3 paragraphs and not
more to convey your suitability for the position.
◦ Use bullet points and few highlighted words and phrases –
writing the usual cover letter with lots of paragraphs and
wordy explanation is boring – “everyone else does it and we
don’t have the time”.
◦ Always include the job title or ID as it appears in the job
description in the subject line of the email, you may also
include it in the main text.
◦ At the end of the letter write your full name and contact info.

 Good cover letter is interesting, compelling, focused
 Unique Selling Proposition
 Positioning makes a huge difference
 Find the lead – grab the reader’s attention from the
beginning.
 Demonstrate why you are the perfect employee and
why you are uniquely qualified for this position

63
Match Skills to Job Description Cover Letter
Job Description:
•Successful recruiting, hiring and on-boarding will be this position’s number one
priority.
•Develop and execute recruiting plans and also coordinate and implement college
recruiting activities.
•Perform day-to-day operations of the HR function and duties in employee relations,
training and development, executive administration and employment, employee safety,
workers compensation, welfare, wellness, maintenance of employee files and the HR
filing system, etc.
Requirements:
•Bachelor’s degree preferred; with 3+ years recruiting experience.
•Demonstrated proficiency in applicable computer software.
•Demonstrated excellence in customer/employee service; responds promptly to
employee needs; solicits employee feedback to improve service.
•Demonstrated proficiency in oral and written communications.
Now match your skills and experience to the above job description responsibilities:

64
Dear Recruiter,
In response to the advertised position of Human Resources Specialist (Job ID: HR32459) on your website, I present to you
some strong reasons to validate my suitability for this position.
Please see how my skills and experience offer a good match to the job requirements:
•Bachelor’s degree preferred; with 3+ years recruiting experience.
I have a Masters in Human Resources Management and with 4 plus years of experience in a 400 employee firm, I
have diverse experience in recruiting, employee management and have contributed to developing college recruiting
programs.
•Demonstrated proficiency in applicable computer software.
I am proficient at PeopleSoft HR software – Human Resources, HCM Warehouse, HRMS Portal Pack, Employee
Benefits and Compensation Modules and UltiPro Recruitment, UltiPro Onboarding software applications. With 3 years of
expert level experience I also exhibit fast learning skills to get on speed with any new software.
•Demonstrated excellence in customer/employee service; responds promptly to employee needs; solicits employee
feedback to improve service.
I initiated a smart employee feedback process at my last employment which was very well accepted and resulted in
10% increase in employee retentionover a year (as compared to previous years). I sincerely value excellence in
employee and customer service and have implemented in every aspect of my job so far.
•Demonstrated proficiency in oral and written communications.
I have strong communications and writing skills. In my last employment I worked with the HR director in revising the
new edition of the HR manual and Employee Handbook for year 2010. Please find some writing samples links in my
LinkedIn profile.
I hope you are satisfied with the skills match I bring to this position and my resume (attached here in PDF format) would
highlight other abilities to present my suitability to this position.
I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to speaking with you further about my qualifications. You may
reach me at (123) 456 7890 or email me.
Sincerely,
ABC XYZ
LinkedIn profile: http://linkedin.com/abcxyz
Ph: (123) 456 7890

65
 Outside Sales Rep
Our client, a fast-growing, Staten Island, NY-based software company has an opening
for an outside sales professional.
Requirements:
◦ A minimum of 3 years' outside business-to-business experience selling enterprise
software
◦ The ability to develop a list of prospects, build a pipeline of opportunities and close
business
◦ A proven background working within a quota and exceeding sales targets
◦ Ability to demonstrate software and manage a complex sales cycle
◦ Strong verbal and written communication skills
◦ Availability to travel at least 50%
◦ Bachelor's degree preferred
 Compensation:
◦ Competitive base salary plus commission and company car.
◦ Average first year income $85K+.
◦ Full benefits
◦ Quarterly sales contests
 If you are a true sales hunter and an energetic self-starter with the desire to
be part of a fast-growing software firm, submit your resume and cover letter
to Brandon Marks at BMarks@somedomain.com. Reference #28903888.

66
October 28, 2016
Re: Outside Sales Rep Opening (#28903888) advertised on Monster
Dear Mr. Marks:
Your client's need for a top-performing, results-proven outside sales "hunter" caught my attention -- the position is an
excellent match to my qualifications. As an award-winning technology and B2B sales specialist, I offer:
•Five years of outside B2B sales experience selling enterprise software solutions. In my current position as an
outside sales representative for XYZ Company, I sell their full suite of enterprise software solutions to businesses
throughout the northeast territory.
•Adept skills in prospecting, pipeline building and closing business. I am one of the top-ranked outside sales
professionals within the region (ranked #5) and the only B2B sales professional to earn top 10 placement while
launching a new territory. My ability to capitalize on new opportunities and close deals enabled me to build my account
portfolio from zero to 257 within one year.
•Proven success working within sales quotas, with a history of awarded recognition for delivering excellent revenue
results with minimal ramp-up time. I always meet and frequently exceed monthly quotas at XYZ, surpassing goals by
as much as 150%.
•Expert abilities in demonstrating software and managing complex sales cycles. I am equally successful
conducting presentations and demos for technical and nontechnical audiences, with a talent for translating technical
concepts into easily understood terms and powerful benefit statements.
•Persuasive communication skills, with strengths in responding to RFPs, negotiating deals and articulating the value-
added benefits of my represented solutions. I also possess a bachelor's degree in communications from New York
University.
•A strong network of business contacts throughout the NY metro region.
Currently a "road warrior" sales rep, I am comfortable and experienced with extensive travel. I would welcome the
chance to discuss this opening and ways in which I would contribute to your client's sales operation. My resume is
enclosed, and you may call me at 718-555-5555 or send an email to susanmills@somedomain.com to arrange an
interview. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Susan Mills

67
From: BLOCKED
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 1:14PM
To: BLOCKED
Subject: Summer Internship
Dear BLOCKED
My name is (BLOCKED) and I am an undergraduate finance student at (BLOCKED). I met you the
summer before last at Smith & Wollensky’s in New York when I was touring the east coast with my
uncle, (BLOCKED). I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to talk with me that night.
I am writing to inquire about a possible summer internship in your office. I am aware it is highly
unusual for undergraduates from average universities like (BLOCKED) to intern at (BLOCKED),
but nevertheless I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in
investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms
about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all
honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can.
I won’t waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or
feeding you a line of crapp (sic) about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an
investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius
eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you. I’ve interned for Merrill
Lynch in the Wealth Management Division and taken an investment banking class at (BLOCKED), for
whatever that is worth.
I am currently awaiting admission results for (BLOCKED) Masters of Science in Accountancy program,
which I would begin this fall if admitted. I am also planning on attending law school after my master’s
program, which we spoke about in New York. I apologize for the blunt nature of my letter, but I hope
you seriously consider taking me under your wing this summer. I have attached my resume for your
review. Feel free to call me at (BLOCKED) or email at (BLOCKED). Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
BLOCKED.

68
Checklist for your
Cover Letter
Please update and bring
your Cover Letter to your
next seminar!
We will have a Cover Letter
clinic in our next seminar.

 Do multiple re-drafts.
 Writing style matters – edit and reduce.
 Have several people (both professors and
colleagues) review it before you submit your job
application.
 Solicit pre-submission reviews from colleagues
and authorities in the field.
 Pay close attention to spelling, grammar, and
punctuation
 Make sure references are comprehensive and
accurate
 Avoid careless mistakes
 Read and conform to job application instructions

SoftSkillsWorkshopWHY SOFT SKILLS ARE THE NEW BLACK

71
Let us start with a puzzle
• Let us start with the following question:
• What do you think are the eight most important qualities of
Google’s top employees?

72
TOP 8 QUALITIES OF GOOGLETOP
EMPLOYEES
• being a good coach;
• communicating and listening well;
• possessing insights into others (including others different values and
points of view);
• curiosity toward the ideas of your teammates;
• having empathy toward and being supportive of one’s colleagues;
• being a good critical thinker and problem solver;
• being able to make connections across complex ideas;
• emotional intelligence.

74
Jobs will be automated.
Technical knowledge and
skills will probably be
automated.
Implication: Soft skills,
interpersonal skills, and
creativity will be even more
important (since robots
and computers cannot
replicate these).

75
People Skills (soft skills) trump technical skills and knowledge

77
7
7
 You will attend a mock job interview in a few minutes.
 Your potential employers will ask you the following question:
Why should we hire you instead of 120 other applicants?
 You need to come up with a story to tell your potential
employers.
 This story should illustrate your soft skills. You can choose
any soft skill (or a mix of them); including:
◦ Team work and collaboration skills
◦ Communication skills
◦ Creativity and problem solving skills
◦ Leadership skills
◦ Customer service
 Please write down this story. Remember the critical incident.
◦ Remember the setting. Who were involved? How did events unfold?
◦ What were the challenges? How did you overcome them?

80
8
0
 I decided to run as a leader to lead the school team for a national competition. My friends were
worried that the people on the team were not motivated and they lacked the drive and the skills.
They told me: “You are making a mistake.”
 Once I enrolled at my chosen school, I saw that my friends had been correct about the character of
the people on the team. The team members were not motivated, not athletic, and needless to say, lost
every race they entered.
 Three other freshman who had walked onto the team joined me in deciding to change the team
members’ attitudes. However, animosity was abundant between the upperclassman and the
freshman. While we won races, the upperclassmen felt inferior, causing internal conflict in the team.
 Regardless, I was determined to persuade the team to mesh well to create unity. Consequently, the
upperclassmen quit the team. I have worked very hard to be a role model and motivate and inspire
my team members. We believed in our shared goal and worked relentlessly until late hours.
Eventually, we advanced to the national level; getting a third-place medal.
 The moral of this story is that when I was challenged to do the impossible, my devotion, character,
team leadership, and tenacity persevered, while also helping the team.

81
8
1
 As a customer-service rep for a video-rental company, I once had an irate customer who left three
messages on my voicemail in about 10 minutes demanding a call back.
 I listened to the customer explain that she was upset because she had purchased a loyalty program
membership from us, and then several days later, we were giving away the same memberships at no cost.
 I apologized to the customer and asked her how I could help. She stated that she wanted her money back
and she would no longer be a member.
 I agreed to refund her money. I then bought her a thank-you card and enclosed her refund and a free
membership to our loyalty program.
 I also noticed that several times during the phone conversation, she had stopped to yell at her children, so
I also enclosed two coupons for free kids’ rentals.
 I thanked her for her business, apologized for not meeting her expectations, and invited her to bring her
children in for a free video rental. I also enclosed my business card and asked her to call me directly if she
was ever disappointed in any way while visiting one of our locations.
 She telephoned me when she received the card and told me that was the nicest thing any person had ever
done for her when she was upset with a business. I again thanked her for her business and told her that
she was my bread and butter. If she wasn’t happy, then I couldn’t be either!

Simulated Job Interviews:
Tell Your Story
Learning Adventure

86
8
6
 CLUSTERS OF FOUR
 Two of you will be recruiters; and the other two will be
job applicants.
 Ask your interviewees:
◦ Why should we hire you instead of 120 other applicants?
Tell us a story about yourself and your skills or experiences
that differentiate you apart?
 Each job applicant tells their own story in 2-3 minutes.

87
8
7
 Now, you will exchange the roles. The recruiters will be
job applicants.
 The job applicants will be the recruiters now.
 Repeat the question so that they respond:
◦ Why should we hire you instead of 120 other applicants?
Tell us a story about yourself and your skills or experiences
that differentiate you apart?
 Each job applicant tells their own story in 2-3 minutes.

88
8
8
 Now, please provide constructive feedback to each
other.
 Everyone gives feedback quickly in less than 1 minute.
 After finishing the exercise and sharing the
feedback/suggestions, write down a POP CORN for the
others in your team.
◦ A pop corn is something you write on a piece of paper for that
person to keep as a memory.
◦ It should be something positive, memorable, constructive.

Learning Adventure
The Creative Gym

We will have a Creative Gym in each of our Friday sessions.
These Creative Gyms are to be experienced here in this
moment, so I will not reproduce them as slides.
We will not use any slides, but you will need your notebook.
So, do not miss our classes if you do not want to miss this unique
experience.

New Skills for a New Era
Please study these slides at home

93
Trends and statistics
 Nobody knows Dodgeball. Everyone
knows Foursquare. Why?
 We spend 3 billion hours in gaming
every week.
 Carnegie Mellon University estimated
the average young person today spent
10,000 playing online games before the
age of 21
 11 billion hours were spent playing Angry
Birds last year
 Corporate success examples include
Samsung Nation and Nike Plus
 After LinkedIn created ‘Profile
Completeness Bar’, profile completion
rates increased more than 20%.
 https://blog.captainup.com/analysis-of-linkedin-
driving-engagement-with-gamification/
93

94
World Economic Forum Report
 We are at the beginning of a Fourth Industrial
Revolution.
 The rise of the sharing economy allows people
to monetize everything from their empty house
to their car.
 Developments in genetics, artificial intelligence,
robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printing and
biotechnology are all building on and amplifying
one another.
 This will lay the foundation for a revolution more
comprehensive and all-encompassing than
anything we have ever seen.
 Smart systems—homes, factories, farms, grids
or cities—will help tackle problems ranging from
supply chain management to climate change.
94

95
95
Assignment: Please watch this at home and reflect on the future.

96
Assignment: Please watch this at home to understand AI, its past and its future.

97
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ipsum finibus justo viverra blandit.
 Ut congue quis tortor eget sodales.
97

98
98
Assignment: Please think about each of these future skills. Do you have them? How can you
develop them further?

Soft Skills are becoming more important than ever
As Artificial Intelligence and automation revolution is happening across the globe, soft skills are what cannot be
automated and what sets you apart
• A new study from Boston College, Harvard University, and
the University of Michigan found that soft skills training,
like communication and problem-solving,
• boosts productivity and retention 12 percent
• delivers a 250 percent return on investment based on higher
productivity and retention.
• As companies need to become more dynamic,
interconnected and flexible, soft skills are becoming more
critical.
• According to Deloitte’s 2016 Global Human Capital Trends
report, executives consider soft skills very important to
fostering employee retention, improving leadership, and
building a meaningful culture.
• 92% of Deloitte’s respondents rated soft skills as a critical
priority.
99

100
THE FUTURE WORKPLACE
WILL RELY ON SOFT SKILLS
• Automation and artificial
intelligence will result in
a greater proportion of
jobs relying on soft
skills.
• Thanks to cutting-edge
technology, tasks that
require hard skills are
continuing to decline,
making soft skills key
differentiators in the
workplace.
• A study by Deloitte
Access Economics
predicts that two-thirds
of all jobs in Australia
will rely on soft skills by
2030. This trend will
inevitably be mirrored
globally.

“The soft skills are the hard skills”
“The soft skills are the hard skills. People
who master the critical leadership skills
today are anything but touchy-feely —
they’re direct, they’re clear, they’re
compassionate, they’re no-nonsense. But
they’re not soft.”
Amy Edmondson, Professor of Leadership and
Management at Harvard Business School.
102

103
As Artificial Intelligence and automation revolution is happening across the globe, soft skills (including
creativity) are what cannot be automated and what sets you apart.
 Hard skills are useless without soft skills.
◦ Technical skills alone are not enough to be truly effective. All careers require soft skills to make
the hard skills valuable.
 Soft skills are harder to learn and develop.
◦ It takes conscious effort, ongoing practice, and a commitment to self-development to improve
your soft skills.
◦ Hard skills may look impressive on your CV, but the soft skills are what will set you apart from
the many candidates who have similar expertise to you.
 The modern workplace is interpersonal
◦ Skills such as listening, collaborating with others, presenting ideas and communicating with
team members are all highly valued in the modern workplace.
◦ Strong soft skills ensure a productive, collaborative and healthy work environment, all vital
attributes for organisations in an increasingly competitive world.
 Customers demand soft skills
◦ Convenience and low prices are easy to come by, so customer service is often what influences
the choice to use a particular business. The ability to communicate efficiently and effectively with
customers is a vital factor in an organisation’s success.
103

104
Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
 Driverless cars are hitting the road, powered by artificial intelligence.
◦ Robots can climb stairs, open doors, win Jeopardy, analyze stocks, work in factories, find
parking spaces, advise oncologists.
◦ In the past, automation was considered a threat to low-skilled labor. Now, many high-
skilled functions, including interpreting medical images, doing legal research, and
analyzing data, are within the skill sets of machines.
◦ How can we prepare students for their professional lives when professions themselves
are disappearing?
◦ Students need to learn how to invent, to create, and to discover―to fill needs in society
that even the most sophisticated artificial intelligence agent cannot.
 A “robot-proof” education calibrates students with a creative mindset and the
mental elasticity to invent, discover, or create something valuable to society - a
scientific proof, a hip-hop recording, a web comic, a cure for cancer.
 A new discipline, humanics, prepares students to compete in a labor market in
which smart machines work alongside human professionals.
◦ The new literacies of humanics are data literacy, technological literacy, and human
literacy. Students will need data literacy to manage the flow of big data, and
technological literacy to know how their machines work, but human literacy―the
humanities, communication, and design―to function as a human being. Life-long
learning opportunities will support their ability to adapt to change.
 The only certainty about the future is change. Higher education based on the
new literacies of humanics can equip students for living and working through
change.
104

105
The Gig Economy:
The Complete Guide to Getting Better Work, Taking More Time Off, and Financing the Life You Want
◦ From Uber to the presidential debates, the gig economy has been
dominating the headlines...and for good reason.
◦ Today, more than a third of Americans are working in the gig
economy-mixing together short-term jobs, contract work, and
freelance assignments.
 The Gig Economy is an uncertain but rewarding new world.
 Succeeding in it starts with shifting gears to recognize that only you control
your future.
 Next is leveraging your skills, knowledge, and network to create your own
career trajectory- one immune to the whims of an employer.
◦ Packed with research, exercises, and anecdotes, this book supplies
strategies-ranging from the professional to the personal-to help you:
 Construct a life based on your priorities and vision of success
 Cultivate connections without networking
 Create your own security
 Take more time off
 Build flexibility into your financial life
 Face your fears by reducing risk
 Prepare for the future and much more Layoffs... recessions...
Corporate jobs are not only unstable- they're increasingly scarce. It's
time to take charge of your own career and lead the life you actually
want.
1
0
5

110
 Legitimize Daydreaming – a blog piece by me
 http://www.mixhackathon.com/hack/legitimi
ze-daydreaming-fly-beyond-iron-cage
 Miyazaki Dreams of Flying - Video Essay
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PATDDT
n_vHY

115
 Read the book and complete the exercises
 Go over lecture materials
 Read the FONKU article:
https://medium.com/@fahrikarakas/welcome-to-the-era-of-fonku-fear-of-not-keeping-up-46d9ce8523dd
 Choose your job/position
 Update your CV
 Write your cover letter for this job/position
 Choose which creative challenges/imagination
experiments you will do
 It is your responsibility to learn module
skills/knowledge and make them useful for yourself
and your career

Lectures 3 and 4 Employability, Creativity, and Personal Development 9 october 2020

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Lectures 3 and 4 Employability, Creativity, and Personal Development 9 october 2020