A groundswell of buzz and support has led to the debut of Tomorrow’s Jobs Today as the #1 New Release in Big Data books on Amazon!
This collection of in-depth profiles featuring Smart City CIOs, Data Protection Officers, Blockchain CEO’s, Informatics Doctors and other diverse, skilled professionals gives readers first-hand insight into what tomorrow’s jobs look like today. The hands-on experiences, subject matter expertise, and measured job advice shared within these pages demonstrate how identifying opportunities, setting the right cadence, and building strong relationships are the essential ingredients to unlocking your future’s potential.
Mainstream Interviews with business leaders are generally puff pieces designed to amplify the subject’s success or advertise the company’s product. How boring! We went a different route. We drilled down to discover exactly what made dozens of accomplished and forward-thinking industry leaders and innovators brave enough to harness the very technology that was disrupting their own field- and possibly eliminating their very own job. Their shared perspectives and experiences are so real, so inspiring, that when you read them, you begin to realize you can use the same tricks to start-up your own life.
May I share a dirty little secret that my spouse and I discovered over the past year? We realize it may be shocking and indecent to some, but it’s true— The world as we knew it is indeed over, but for the brave, resilient and willing, a new future is just dawning. The pandemic, while alarming and tragic, has served as a major catalyst for self-reflection, career change, and personal growth. More people than ever are questioning what truly matters, and a big part of finding those important answers involves the choices they make when it comes to their work.
That’s the inspiration for our new book, Tomorrow’s Jobs Today: Wisdom and Career Advice From Thought Leaders in AI, Big Data, Blockchain, The Internet of Things, Privacy and More, available from John Hunt Publishers.
A perennial question: What you want to do with your career?
In our intimate investigation into how people are navigating this paradigm shift, we explore why today, in the Information Age, the perennial question of What do I want to do? isn’t just being raised by the new college graduate. People of all backgrounds, education, ages, and skill levels are taking a whole step back and reassessing their destiny and place in the digital workforce, a choppy and competitive landscape that can feel as unstable as a California fault line or a footbridge girding a Chinese cliff— one you might teeter on while capturing a selfie.
Like most, my wife and I have often felt as if we’re peering over the side of a narrow, uneven path that seems to twist and turn like the tornado that kidnapped Dorothy and Toto. It’s easy to forget that life isn’t black and white and that, more often than not, tomorrow can bring rainbows. But even for optimists like us, our livelihoods haven’t always had that cinematic quality. Certainly not mine.
A few years back, I was strapped into a corporate straightjacket, struggling like Harry Houdini to escape from a padded conference room. From time to time, my employer would let me out of the asylum to attend a conference or two. On one occasion, I was lucky to hear a keynote by a charismatic executive on his use of blockchain technology to assist women farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. What impressed me about him, though, wasn’t the sophistication of his solution, or even its noble application, but the personal journey he shared. It took him from abject poverty to bonafide success. I began to think less about my career as a title and more about my purpose.
I decided to approach him after the talk and ask for an interview. The man, Ashish Gadnis of BanQu, agreed, and a month later, my wife and I published the first interview about walking a mile in the shoes of information age innovators. It went viral.
Since my background is in business and my wife is a lawyer, we weren’t quite sure how to proceed. Yet we discovered in researching his story and his technology that learning must be a lifelong endeavor in today’s digital age, not a fixed point of reference from your formative years. You can view this through a lens of fear and anxiety, or, as Ashish and our other friends in the book taught us, as a deep well of opportunity.
Three key strategies to keep up with never-ending transformation
As the world turns faster, we are forced to ask ourselves, “How on earth will I keep up with this never-ending transformation?” After all, the clear majority of us aren’t exactly on the cusp of engineering the next big thing in liquid AI or taking blockchain to the next level. Yet the reality is, those perceived “inadequacies” hardly matter to your career trajectory in the long run. There is enough opportunity to get started today, and the new vistas opening up tomorrow bring even more promise. And in the five emerging fields of AI, Big Data, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and the Internet of Things, the job market is still in its infancy.
Learning must be a lifelong endeavor in today’s digital age, not a fixed point of reference from your formative years.
From the new book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today
Yet these days, even amidst the Information Age’s abundant opportunities, folks of all skill levels continue to struggle with the best approach to a happy and successful vocation. Business models are transforming the job market so rapidly that even the most accomplished executives and educated employees suffer from anxiety over the stability of their roles. They must routinely prove their intrinsic value to their superiors and define their personal brand within their organization. For new graduates and those looking to make a big career transition, the reality of a continually shifting corporate landscape can feel almost paralyzing. The emergence of impersonal human resource tools like artificial intelligence in hiring practices has compounded traditional fears underlying the search for our rightful place in the new digital workplace.
The business leaders profiled in this book share something in common. It’s an insatiable curiosity and appreciation for what their peers and colleagues do.
From the new book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today
With a new generation always clipping at our heels, it’s easy to feel left behind or worry that our education and experience aren’t quite enough. Luckily, there is wisdom to be found in the words of the trailblazers we’ve profiled in our book. They recognize that alarm, but they also share something in common that helps combat it. It’s an insatiable curiosity and appreciation for what their peers and colleagues do. In these chapters and industry stories, we reveal the origins of those crafted insights and three strategic themes common to each of these visionary leaders: One – How gaps (weaknesses) can become opportunities; Two – How less is often more; and Three – Why, above all else, our Relationships Matter now as much as our credentials.
Run in the direction of your fear
Tomorrow’s leaders will be brave enough to scale the dangerous peaks of an increasingly competitive and ethically challenging mountain range. They will drive the tough conversations that illuminate the valleys in between. As we march together through the upheaval of the Information Age, our hopes for the workforce outnumber our worries and concerns. We are an intricate species whose faults are well documented but whose many inspired gifts and evergreen qualities are yet to be tapped.
Do you have a story to share about how you are using Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Blockchain, the Internet of Things, or Privacy to shape tomorrow’s jobs? We’d love to share it with our readers!
Tomorrow’s Jobs Today is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and wherever fine books are sold.
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
One of the biggest myths about tomorrow’s jobs is that unless you have a tech background, you are as doomed as the dinosaur. Forget that! Futurist Michael Jay Moon breaks down why a growth mindset eclipses both work history and formal education. Every single person alive has this completely unique perspective. And, as you read this book, you are going to see opportunities that are right in front of you, in this very moment. You will realize that no matter how technology changes life, the world is still going to be powered by the people who value fairness, discernment, decency, and flexibility. What are you waiting for?
We spoke with Erick Swaine about what recruiters and employers look for in our new book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today.
“Employers need to be able to ask specific questions, drill-down, and recover the root causes of problems and fill those gaps. We do not minimize skill sets by any stretch, but we have also learned that the ‘intangible’ side of the equation gives both sides a better shot at a long-term fit.”
Erick Swaine
From the interview
Erick, do we have enough of the right types of candidates? For example, insurance companies can’t seem to find enough people who understand telematics because the technology is so new in and of itself.
That’s certainly the case in some respects. You take machine learning, deep learning, or natural language processing. There’s certainly a limited talent pool there. AI is a field that’s just a few years old, and so to go in and ask someone for three to five years’ experience is very tough. As a result, organizations have grown these capabilities internally and certified their own people around those programs. Yet, there remains an absolute shortage in many different related areas.
Good data scientists, for example, can be hard to find. Certain developers are moving away from traditional skillsets, and into the open-source world, so we see a shortage of talent there. Employers need to be able to ask specific questions, drill-down, and recover the root causes of problems and fill those gaps. We do not minimize skill sets by any stretch, but we have also learned that the ‘intangible’ side of the equation (i.e., personality, culture, management style, etc.) gives both sides a better shot at a long-term fit.
To read more about incredible careers like Erick’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
Tomorrow’s leaders will be brave enough to scale the dangerous peaks of an increasingly competitive and ethically challenged mountain range. They will drive the problematic conversations that illuminate the valleys in between. One of those leaders is Miguel Mairlot, an attorney and Data Protection Officer (DPO) with Ethikos Lawyers. He has a breadth of compliance experience advising wealth management and insurance businesses, has written and spoken extensively about compliance topics and teaches financial law in Brussels, Belgium. We spoke with him about compliance and ethics for our new book, Tomorrow’s Jobs Today.
“To build a strong compliance program, it is of utmost importance to work towards good communication with regulators.”
Miguel Mairlot of Ethikos Lawyers
From the interview
Miguel, what is your advice for young professionals, millennials, entering, and trying to succeed in the fields of privacy, risk, and compliance?
I would advise them first to question their ethics. What is your take on issues like money laundering, sanctions, the fight against terrorism, or data protection, for instance? Compliance offers the opportunity to perform a job in a more preventive and efficient way than ever before. Within an organization, your decisions will often be challenged by the sales or product department, which does not always understand the underlying issues that can be raised by certain unethical or illegal behaviors. For these reasons, it is healthy to keep a long-term vision to achieve sustainability while ensuring business growth. If you have and believe in that vision, embrace the challenges and opportunities that come.
To read more about incredible careers like Miguel’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
Mainstream Interviews with business leaders are generally puff pieces designed to amplify the subject’s success or advertise the company’s product. How boring! We went a different route. We drilled down to discover exactly what made dozens of accomplished and forward-thinking industry leaders and innovators brave enough to harness the very technology that was disrupting their own field- and possibly eliminating their very own job. Their shared perspectives and experiences are so real, so inspiring, that when you read them, you begin to realize you can use the same tricks to start-up your own life. One of the perspectives we loved learning about in our book was that of Andrea Kalas, an archives expert and the SVP of Asset Management at Paramount Pictures.
“If there’s one thing I admire the most among the younger members of our field, it is their dedication to recognizing the path that is the worthiest… to their colleagues, to the collections, to the world they work and live in.”
Andrea Kalas of Paramount Pictures
From the interview
What guidance would you give a person just beginning their career in library science, archiving, and data governance or thinking about a career transition?
I have a very tired joke about what it takes to work in the Paramount Archives. Study Sunset Boulevard as hard as you study Unix. The point is to start with the collection and the work you have in front of you. Find what it is about it that is fascinating. Is it silent films from India? Is it how systems can work together better because you see connections others don’t? My too-often repeated piece of advice is to make sure this is the field you want to work in because of the people working in it. I’ve been able to meet some fair-minded, innovative people who think a little like me. Many are long-time friends. I’m grateful for that.
To read more about incredible careers like Andrea’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
Mainstream Interviews with business leaders are generally puff pieces designed to amplify the subject’s success or advertise the company’s product. How boring! We went a different route with Tomorrow’s Jobs Today. We drilled down to discover exactly what made dozens of accomplished and forward-thinking industry leaders and innovators brave enough to harness the very technology that was disrupting their own field- and possibly eliminating their very own job. One of them was Patrick “PC” Sweeney of EveryLibrary, a public affairs group.
“When you think about the fact that libraries are about information and not simply about books, you begin to see where the value is.“
Patrick Sweeney of EveryLibrary
From the interview
Patrick, your advocacy work helps libraries become successful in securing funding, expanding influence within communities, and staying relevant in the digital age. With information at everybody’s fingertips, how have librarian’s challenges evolved, and why is supporting them so key to the health of our citizenry?
Well, when you think about the fact that libraries are about information and not simply about books, you begin to see where the value is. What it means is that people are visiting libraries and seeking much more complex information, and they’re looking for guidance in navigating all of it. These are the same tasks that libraries performed when information was only found in books.
Librarians are helping people find the right websites to answer their questions, but there’s also a ton of services. They’re working closely with the public through informative and collaborative programming. For example, you can go to the library if you want to learn about starting your small business. You can attend one of their training programs or visit one of their business centers. You can find a lot of your information for starting your small business and how to navigate everything legally. So, the role of the library hasn’t changed within society. It’s just how we access information within the library that has changed.
To read more about incredible careers like Patrick’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
Douglas C. Williams is CEO of Williams Data Management and Chairman of the Board for the Vernon Chamber of Commerce. He has over 30 years of experience helping Fortune 500 clients with their document storage, destruction, and data security needs. We had an opportunity to discuss data protection and more in an interview with Doug Williams in Tomorrow’s Job’s Today, an excerpt of which is printed below.
“The future belongs to the fleet of foot. So, guess what, those with a fixed mindset will be passed over by those with a growth mindset.”
Douglas C. Williams of Williams Data
From the interview
Doug, your family has been involved in the data management business for the better part of a century, and you’ve seen a lot of players come and go. How do small businesses like Williams remain resilient in the disruptive world of digital transformation, and what should executives be thinking about in terms of their long-term information management strategies?
Commercial records management, the holistic approach at 30,000 feet includes the digital component, as well as the legacy hard copy component. Our transition in the early 1980s into the commercial records center business from industrial freight warehousing and distribution witnessed similar disruptions. Those disruptions had mostly to do with the shift to the service economy from the industrial and manufacturing economies. Our client base includes enterprise size businesses as well as small and medium-sized businesses.
Executives in charge of information assets need to recognize the holistic scope of those information assets, whether they are structured or unstructured, and apply the information governance and regulatory guidelines to each equally. Knowing that digital technologies will change at light-speed, CEOs and their executive teams need to be knowledgeable and ready for changes in forensic discovery and see the impact of retention milestones for each type of information asset. We all know that text messages, email, and all social media posts have a permanent residency somewhere. Every business, large or small, has to accept a contingent liability regarding them. They need to recognize the action of maintaining a strict policy regarding their information management policies, irrespective of the resident media.
To read more about incredible careers like Doug’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
Mainstream Interviews with business leaders are generally puff pieces designed to amplify the subject’s success or advertise the company’s product. How boring! We went a different route. We drilled down to discover exactly what made dozens of accomplished and forward-thinking industry leaders and innovators brave enough to harness the very technology that was disrupting their own field. Their shared perspectives and experiences are so real, so inspiring, that when you read them, you begin to realize you can use the same tricks to start-up your own life. One of them was Dr. Katrina-Miller Parrish, a doctor and informatics specialist in Los Angeles.
“The minute the patient walks in the door, you’ve got to let them tell their story. You can’t assume by looking at a person or looking at the data that you know what’s going on.”
From the interview
Katrina, what exactly made you choose the field of Informatics?
I went into Informatics because I liked the combination of clinical with data and with business. I think it’s part of being a family physician. I like being able to have my hands in a lot of things and understanding a lot about data, which is the informatics side. I like having that variety. When I was doing family medicine, I felt like I could do way more than taking care of one person at a time. I loved my patients, and we had great relationships. I learned a lot, they learned a lot, but I really love population health because I can make an impact on millions of people with huge programs that can not only affect a community in Los Angeles but conceivably far beyond that.
To read more about incredible careers like Dr. Katrina Miller’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
Mark Patrick, CIP, leads the Joint Staff’s Information Management Team at the United States Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. He is a recognized thought leader in digital transformation, intelligent information, cybersecurity and knowledge management. He earned his bachelor’s in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and his master’s from Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He shared his insights on information management in our new book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today.
“Public sector practitioners mingling with their private sector counterparts creates mutual benefit. Like-minded end-users collaborate. Customer-client relationships are formed. Lessons learned and best practices are shared.”
Mark Patrick
From the interview
Mark, with deep fakes, AI inherent bias, and misinformation campaigns capable of drastically impacting the way citizens process information, what role if any does government have in combatting the disruptive social impacts they may have on the citizenry?
I believe government has a role, but the specifics are complicated. There is some amount of “it depends” here. If another state or non-state actor is attempting to impact public opinion to affect a US election, this becomes a matter of national security at the federal level. State and municipal elections could be viewed differently. “Disruptive social impact” is somewhat vague, and I’d say government involvement should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Sowing the digital seeds of general social discord with the intent to create chaos, dysfunction, or further polarizing our society becomes tricky. It will need to be further analyzed, considered in the context of privacy laws, espionage laws, first amendment rights, and others. Legal precedents will need to be established in our courts, and perhaps legislation or national policies are required.
There are a number of novel legal issues at play with which government at all levels will need to contend. The digital commons, like international waters or space, can be leveraged for good or bad. International organizations may need to get involved, and the same sovereignty issues will come into play when those organizations address other issues. Coalitions of the willing have their limits. Governments at all levels can educate and work with their communities to raise awareness of the risks and mitigation strategies that should be considered.
To read more about careers like Mark Patrick’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
With a new generation always clipping at our heels, it’s easy to feel left behind, or worry that our education and experience isn’t quite enough. The business leaders profiled in this book recognize that alarm, but they also share something in common that helps combat it. It’s an insatiable curiosity and appreciation for what their peers and colleagues do. Even the most cutting-edge technologies like Telematics are creating abundant opportunities at all skill levels, from entry-level to management. We spoke to a telematics specialist for our book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, to see how his work has changed in this evolving tech landscape.
John Danenberger, CPCU, is Corporate Counsel at State Farm Insurance and specializes in addressing issues around telematics. He served in the US Army and is licensed to practice law in Texas and Illinois. He received his bachelor’s from DePaul University, a master’s from UCL, and his JD from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. We interviewed him for our new book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today.
“Telematics is going to solve a lot of problems because you’re realizing that things aren’t the same way they were 50 years ago.”
John Danenberger
From the interview
John, can telematics help solve issues of equity and environmental concerns?
They absolutely can. We’ve already seen what insurance companies have done with telematics, and we’ve already seen people using their cars less, which is good for the environment. We’re seeing our drivers become more responsible. Telematics is going to solve a lot of problems because you’re realizing that things aren’t the same way they were 50 years ago. Just because some people didn’t settle down, buy a house, and have a family, doesn’t necessarily mean they have more risk exposure than someone that might have done those things.
To read more about incredible careers like John Danenberger’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
It’s every job seeker’s dream to land both a financially and intellectually rewarding position doing something that they love. Or at least like! Yet these days, even amidst the abundant opportunities of the Information Age, folks of all skill levels continue to struggle with the best approach to a happy and successful vocation. Business models are transforming the job market so rapidly that even the most accomplished executives and educated employees suffer from anxiety over the stability of their roles. They must routinely prove their intrinsic value to their superiors and define their personal brand within their organization.
For new graduates and those looking to make a big career transition, the reality of a continually shifting corporate landscape can feel almost paralyzing. The emergence of impersonal human resource tools like artificial intelligence in hiring practices has compounded traditional fears underlying the search for our rightful place in the new digital workplace. We spoke with April Dmytrenko, a well known thought leader in Information Governance about these topics in our new book, Tomorrow’s Jobs Today.
From the interview
April, years ago, you accurately predicted that privacy would be the next big frontier for individuals managing data processes and where so many of the jobs would be. We now have several legislatures drafting regulations, and Chief Privacy Officer positions can’t be filled quickly enough. Is there still time to enter this emerging field and make an impact?
Right now, we are experiencing a fantastic transformation of the business environment but particularly the evolution of technology and the global digital economy. It is indeed an exciting time, but we are acutely (headline news) aware of the impacts of compromised data security and privacy, including the financial impact on brand and reputation, litigation, and the overall burden and distraction on the business. The exponential growth rate of incidents of data theft, damage, loss or inadvertent disclosure continues to expand not only in frequency but the scope, and complexity. While privacy concerns gained attention over 100 years ago and became topical again about 15 years ago, it is still truly in an infancy state. Privacy offers IG professionals a rich opportunity to expand their leadership or advisory role in maturing a unified approach to protection, compliance with laws and regulations, and incident response and recovery.
To read more about exciting and rewarding careers like April Dmytrenko’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
This collection of in-depth profiles featuring Smart City CIOs, Data Protection Officers, Blockchain CEOs, Informatics Doctors, and other forward-thinking professionals lets you walk a mile in their shoes and discover what tomorrow’s jobs look like today. The hands-on experiences, subject matter expertise, and measured job advice demonstrate how, by identifying opportunities, setting the right cadence, and building strong relationships, you can unlock your highest potential. One of those subject matter experts is Markus Lindelow of Iron Mountain, who we spoke to in our new book, Tomorrow’s Jobs Today.
“Companies know the vast repositories of data they generate and store are valuable, but extracting that value is difficult. With classification tools using machine learning and applying policy expertise, we can shine some light on dark data.“
Markus Lindelow of Iron Mountain
From the interview
Markus, how are multinationals like Iron Mountain leveraging artificial intelligence techniques and machine learning to help clients measure and monetize their information assets?
Companies know the vast repositories of data they generate and store are valuable, but extracting that value is difficult. Iron Mountain has entered into a partnership with Google Cloud to analyze unstructured data. The Iron Mountain InSight solution combines Iron Mountain’s experience in data analytics and information governance with Google’s artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. Iron Mountain is also working with MicroFocus and Active Navigation to offer content analytics. With classification using machine learning and retention applied using Iron Mountain’s privacy and policy expertise, these partnerships hope to shine some light on dark data.
To read more about incredible careers like Markus has and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
The following excerpt is based on the book Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, available at fine booksellers from John Hunt Publishers.
A successful transformation necessitates a thoughtful assessment of the existing cultural, regulatory, operational landscape. Change agents today need to immerse themselves in understanding a firm’s technical capability and thresholds. Only then can its leaders develop a wise, aspirational, and reasonable plan. A planned yet flexible cadence covers essential bases and addresses the cultural needs of the business. We spoke to one of the industry’s best change agents in digital transformation and marketing, Dux Raymond Sy of AvePoint in our new book, Tomorrow’s Jobs Today.
“The two main challenges in digital marketing are time scarcity and white noise which seem more pronounced in the enterprise IT space.“
Dux Raymond Sy of Avepoint
From the interview
Dux, are artificial intelligence and machine learning disrupting our traditional enterprise content management (ECM) systems and strategies, and what steps can business leaders take now to be prepared for automated document lifecycle management future?
AI and machine learning have been impacting enterprise content management systems in mostly positive ways. One of the highest value use cases has been search. For example, Office 365 is getting so good at knowing what document I want to look at or edit based on my past behaviors. It’s almost scary. Ultimately this is a good thing because there are a lot of industry studies that show employees waste too much productivity searching for content. However, we have seen nightmare situations where organizations haven’t tagged or classified their content appropriately, and payroll data accidentally gets surfaced to the entire company. Ultimately enhanced search and AI is good, but organizations still need to be vigilant about their data.
We are seeing robotics being deployed within the enterprise to help enhance productivity. AvePoint launched AVA, a virtual assistant chatbot within Microsoft Teams, that allows end-users to restore their deleted or lost items in Office 365. This helps end-users get what they need quickly and removes some of the tedious tasks that IT admins have typically had to handle.
To read more about careers like Dr. Anita Allen’s and change your life in the information age, buy the book today!
