My passion to increase career literacy among young people drives to me attend and present in conferences to stay updated on the latest research and activity in the education system. I use this knowledge to supplement my services with what the education system drops and to enhance coachee experience.
 
Reading recent research on the predicament of youth today, it is clear that youth between the ages of 18 and 34 change jobs 12 times on average. What to do and how to best help them? As always, my answer is Career Literacy.

The artificial creativity of AI (artificial intelligence) will never match the innovative creativity of humans but we need to teach students the skills to be creative. While not a direct quote, this is one of the messages I heard at the Creativity in Education Summit in Paris.​ Seems that CREATIVITY is one of the new buzzwords to deal with AI concerns about jobs of the future.

In my private practice, I continue to prioritize individualized narrative and dialogical coaching. I guide youth to value what I call HARWIRED ADAPTABILITY. Roy C. Vella details it as, “learn, relearn and unlearn”. Does this skill fall under the creativity in education blanket? Yes. When you are adaptable, you are using your creative skills to embrace change and come up with innovative solutions.
 
What about AI? No, I don’t need to worry about my clients’ knowledge and use of AI innovations, they are usually way ahead of me. I learn from them. 

I do worry though...
 
Will they know to use AI responsibly?
Will they distinguish between what is virtual and what is real?
Will they use AI productively?

The skills needed to answer these questions with a yes go beyond AI navigation.   

Inspired by the book Competing in the New World of Work (a book I recommend to all my fellow book nerds), Radical Adaptability and Foresight Competency are the apparent necessary skills for my young clients. I want them to learn how to “see what is visible but not yet seen”.
 
I met Chris Mackey at a conference this past August and we started talking about skills of the future. He agrees. Chris is the co-founder of Skillsline, a company that helps people make the most of school, work and life opportunities. Skillsline is successfully partnered with schools, training providers and other employers in the U.S. helping students and employees improve these skills. Nudging my clients to develop soft skills or “human skills” as Chris and his team like to call them is crucial upskilling for AI age. These skills include communication and teamwork but more importantly for my practice is they do also include self-knowledge skills. Skills that will help clients increase their adaptability, foresight and creativity. Check out our workshop to learn more. 

Recently, Chris shared the following article, Unplanned Obsolescence by Brent Orrell a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), specializing in job training and workforce development. 

In his article, Orrell talks about the need to develop skills and knowledge that are not affected by latest trends. The following quote confirmed what Chris and I had been dicussing:

“Chief among these (necessary) skills is something called noncognitive or “soft skills” which employers already see as the biggest deficit in the American workforce. These types of skills—things like communication, team work, and interpersonal perception and response—are vital in two respects: They help workers execute specific tasks within jobs and are foundational to learning and adaptation as new technologies emerge”

​Going back to the conference and what is currently being taught in the education system.

Can we bundle all of the above under the umbrella of a career literacy curriculum?

For now, an upheaval of the education system seems unpractical and incorporating career literacy as a core curriculum topic has been an uphill battle. However, I am content to see the embrace of embedding career literacy within the curriculum precisely as Dr Kris Magnusson recommends, “guerrilla style tactics, avoiding head-on collision with the curriculum”.

Having interviewed over 100 career people, I know that embedding career literacy in the curriculum works. It’s clear to me that career literacy among young people is increasing in programs initiated by hidden gems. I am excited to see it happening at Curtin University Australia under the leadership of Dr Alan McAlpine, the work being done by Educators Cooperative under the leadership of Ed Hidalgo and Dr Steve Regur and at Bostania Global led by Nerel Winter. It also works in my practice as I see it every day in the confident faces of my young clients.

Imagine a world...

You are on the right pathway to what's next. You know who you are, what interests you and have found a connection to these interests. You are aware of what engages you to want to make a difference. And you are clear about what you want to talk about.

I can help you get there.
 
I am Hoda Kilani, Career and Academic Coach. I work with students, parents, teachers and community partners sharing the latest strategies to help you get there. Check out my Eventbrite page for the workshop that will help you get started or book an appointment to learn more.

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.  Albert Einstein

The pandemic of 2019 quickly changed your life in 2020. Who knew? 

• Schools closed; grade-12 students missed out on the whole grad experience
• Universities locked down; students did not know whether to stay on campus or rush home
• Economies shattered; employees sent home for good
• Hospitals challenged; frontline workers stretched to the limit

We are now in 2024. The pandemic seems to be over. The pandemic effects of social distancing and wearing a mask continue to be unmistakably visible everywhere you go and in every released research. However, the pandemic is officially over and you find yourself looking for the next step at a time when the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Industry 4.0 or 4IR is moving full speed ahead clearly visible today in moments such as increased human-machine interaction and out of this world smart systems.

What can you do?
Regardless of where you are at today, whether exploring further studies or seeking employment, all you can do is follow the words of the famous Einstein...You just have to “keep moving”.

Keep in mind that without cognitive equilibrium you cannot pursue cognitive exploration. What do these two terms mean? And how are they related to uncovering your what’s next?

Cognitive EquilibriumWhatever your transitional situation, your first focus should be on your mental health.  It is important to be in what experts call cognitive equilibrium, a place where your mental situation is in balance with what is happening around you. This mental state is crucial because you cannot go openly exploring options without it.

How are you doing?
Believe it or not, many of my young clients struggle with the post pandemic effect despite or perhaps because of the resumption to face to face interactions. You are not alone. Reach out if you need someone to talk to. These are tough times and there is no shame in sharing your situation. Above all, you must strive to be in cognitive equilibrium in order remain positive. Moving forward with a positive mindset and to the best of your ability is the most common and paramount advice.

The Village Effect My additional advice is, try not to move forward alone. Surround yourself with a community of supporters. Experts agree that the village effect is so valuable for your happiness and for your ability to take on new initiatives aka move forward. Who does your village of supporters include?

If you are not sure how to stay motivated, or are not ready to reach out to your network, read my blog, “Stressed? Go on! Start with the first big inhale”. Readers tell me the breathing exercises help.

Another suggestion to help you look positively on the world of work is to read the blog of Career Consultant, Ann Nakaska on social media. She simplifies careers of the future and makes you see that the future of careers is friendly. Here is a conversation I had with her to get you started.

As long as you are moving, no matter how slow, you will start to feel better. Taking on new opportunities will make it more difficult to fall into the “I am feeling stuck” mode. As long as you are moving forward, then you are headed in a direction and you are not stuck. Think of this movement as staying productively busy!

Cognitive ExplorationRemember that cognitive equilibrium will facilitate cognitive exploration The positive mental state of being constructively engaged in your what’s next is the first step. You are now connected and can begin your cognitive exploration. Cognitive exploration has a broader meaning and for the purpose of this discussion, think of it as choosing new experiences while actively and curiously processing their value to you in order to unravel the next best step for you. Cognitive exploration constructively involves you in your life which is very valuable as you seek your next right step.

Cognitive exploration is most productive when inquiry questions are engaged. Start by learning more about YOU. Here are some sample questions to keep you creatively occupied in your forward movement if for example your next step involves finding a job.

• Have you ever reflected on what your ideal job looks like?
  
• How do you define your dream role? Which tasks does it involve?
• Where do you find yourself productively occupied that time seems to fly?
• When you look at your resume, do you like what you see? Would you hire you?
• What does your ideal employer do for a living?
• Which company’s mission ignites your interest and makes you think, that’s awesome?

These questions are meant to increase your personal awareness on how or where you could potentially be headed. They can be adjusted to your own situation.

A Central Question One question that I ask all my clients at some point during our coaching sessions is, what does success look like to you?

Can you think of questions that are relevant to your particular situation? Write them down and explore the answers.

Writing down or typing your responses is part of the process of cognitive exploration. It clarifies the next step you are seeking and launches you on your cognitive exploration adventure. Going back to the finding a job example, your responses will lead you to customize your resume and produce creative cover letters that describe the role you want. They provide the key to your interview preparation. More importantly, they build self-awareness skills so that you can forge ahead confidently knowing what you are pursuing. 

The Time Is NowNOW is the time to advance and catch up with 4IR. Do not wait too long!
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Your time is very precious. Your next opportunity awaits. All you have to do is reach out and grab it promptly with a cognitively balanced mindset.

Stop thinking that you will always make the right decisions. Start believing that you will rarely make a bad decision as long as it is an informed decision. What does an informed decision mean? For now, suffice to say, an informed decision is one that you will rarely regret. At present, your priority is to get to know YOU. Remember there is work to be done in your journey of self-knowledge and putting the effort is part of every successful journey.
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Don't try to find your bliss. Start by getting to know yourself. Know thyself is definitely not new advice. It was one of the maxims in Greek philosophy and exhaustively discussed by Socrates and Plato. To this day, self-knowledge continues to be valued in the fields of psychology, psychotherapy and counselling as well as career development.  

Brad completed the VIA Character Strengths Survey to start the process of knowing who he is.

The VIA Character Strengths Survey is an assessment that through a series of questions highlights your top character strengths. The 24-character strengths that scientists identified and are reflected in the results are (1) appreciation of beauty and excellence, (2) bravery, (3) creativity, (4) curiosity, (5) fairness, (6) forgiveness, (7) gratitude, (8) honesty, (9) hope, (10) humility, (11) humour, (12) judgement, (13) kindness, (14) leadership, (15) love, (16) love of learning, (17) perseverance, (18) perspective, (19) prudence, (20) self-regulation, (21) social intelligence, (22) spirituality, (23) team work and (24) zest.

Each of these characters also represents one of six virtues namely (1) courage, (2) humanity, (3) justice, (4) temperance, (5) transcendence and (6) wisdom. Check out the website if interested in more details.

Once you complete the survey, you will receive an email with your results. The results highlight your character strengths starting with the strongest.  You do have to provide your email to receive your results, but you can unsubscribe as soon as you receive the email and save your report.

A paid option is also available if you would like a more detailed VIA Report but the free report provided is a great place to start your journey of self-knowledge. As a coach with a Pro Dashboard, I provide clients with a unique link invite and a VIA Report which increases the effective understanding of the results. Working with a coach can also help you understand your results more effectively as the coach will continue to build on the report through further tasks and targeted questioning.​

Filling out the Discover your BEAVI© chart as your first assessment tool will also get you started on your journey of self-reflection. As I mentioned earlier and based on clients’ requests, I invite you to portray your BEAVI using any medium of your choice.

My question to you, if you had the option to share your BEAVI using any medium including but not limited to technology, what would you choose?

Clients chose to continue to build on this self-knowledge chart utilizing various tools such as YouTube videos, short reels, art pieces and essays. One client expressed his BEAVI by writing a poem. Take the challenge and start to get to know you. Remember to discuss your results with a mentor, a coach or a caring adult such as a parent or a teacher.  The discussion step is important to build on your results and increase your self-knowledge.
Brad provided a short reel using music he had created when he was 14 years old, the year he quit writing his own music and playing his guitar to start focusing on his future. He choreographed the reel and engaged his friends in the process.

Can you imagine what Brad learned about who he is in the process of creating the real with his BEAVI in mind?
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Continuous check ins with who are today are invaluable. Brad and I met after I received the reel and this time, he was ready for me. His response to the question, can you please help me to get to know you? How would you describe yourself? was confident, engaged and effortless.

I am Hoda Kilani, Career and Academic Coach. I work with students, parents, teachers and community partners using the latest strategies to nudge you to innovatively craft your career journey your way!