Career Management: Skills for 21st Century Workplace Success

This assignment delves into the evolving landscape of career management, particularly focusing on the significant transformations in workplace cultures during the 20th and 21st centuries. The first answer highlights the impact of technology, emphasizing increased cognitive complexity, team-oriented work environments, and the importance of social, soft, and technological skills. It also touches upon the rise of automation and its influence on workforce demands, including the potential for increased demand for flexible, independent professionals. The second answer examines the shift towards leaner, more agile organizations that prioritize customer value and adapt to dynamic competitive requirements, with less hierarchical structures. It also addresses the increasing connectivity facilitated by technological advancements. The final answer identifies adaptability/flexibility and the ability to utilize innovative technologies as the two most critical skills employers seek. The importance of flexibility in various work situations, along with the expertise in modern software, is underscored. The assignment utilizes references to support the claims made.

Running head: CAREER MANAGEMENT
Career Management
Name of Student:
Name of University:
Author’s Note:

1CAREER MANAGEMENT
Answer 1:
The most importance change that has impacted the workplace cultures in the twentieth
and twenty-first centuries is the advent and growth of technology. The work situation at present
is more cognitively complex, it is much more team oriented and collaborative. In addition to this
the work culture is much more dependent on social and soft skills and definitely more dependent
on the technological competence. The social work structure at present is also much more mobile
and lesser dependent on technological issues (Becton, Walker & Jones‐Farmer, 2014).
This is due to the change in the way the organisations work at present. The careers in the
field of computer science and technology continue to grow and the recruitments in the particular
fields are also increasing.
There is a significant impact of automation as well. Automation refines the present day
situation of jobs and is also responsible for driving workforce demands. With respect to the
independent workforce, automation might actually increase the demand for flexible workers who
possess the skills which the new-age machines are incapable of providing. Automation is bound
to encourage organisations to utilize independent professionals for specialized work. In the
present time the work hours and shifts have also become much more flexible (Becton, Walker &
Jones‐Farmer, 2014).
Answer 2:
In the present situation in the twenty-first century, the organisations are leaner and much
more agile. They are much more focussed on the identification of value from the perspective of
the customers. They are much more tuned in to the dynamic competitive requirements and
strategy. The organisations at present are less hierarchical in structure and decision authority.

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The organisations at present are also likely to provide lifelong careers and job security in
comparison to the organisations before. The companies are also continuously reorganising for
the maintenance of competitive advantage. The society at present has also become much more
connected and well communicable. The technological advancement has made communication
and connecting with people much more easy and this has led to the change in the nature of work
as well (Landy & Conte, 2016).
Answer 3:
The two most important skills that the employers at present look for in employees are the
adaptability or the flexibility and the other is the ability to utilize new and innovative
technologies. The flexibility to work in any situation, under any circumstances of work is a
characteristic which is desirable in any employee. It also needs to be understood that the advent
of technology has made it imperative for employees to understand and work easily in the
technological domains. The expertise in all types of modern application software will make the
job applicants better suitable for work (National Research Council, 2013).
The concept of flexibility in the workplace allows a person to evaluate the happenings
around him or her and also with the duties of the job which are being offered. Flexible people are
also easily approachable as they are always ready to implement changes and they do not show
rigidity in accepting any type of laws (Ng & Law, 2014).
With regard to utilizing innovative technologies, it is natural for a company to choose an
individual who is skilled in different software rather than someone who knows nothing.

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References:
Becton, J. B., Walker, H. J., & Jones‐Farmer, A. (2014). Generational differences in workplace
behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 44(3), 175-189.
Landy, F. J., & Conte, J. M. (2016). Work in the 21st century, Binder ready version: An
introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology. John Wiley & Sons.
National Research Council. (2013). Education for life and work: Developing transferable
knowledge and skills in the 21st century. National Academies Press.
Ng, E. S., & Law, A. (2014). Keeping up! Older workers’ adaptation in the workplace after age
55. Canadian Journal on Aging/La revue canadienne du vieillissement, 33(1), 1-14.