Could Technology Be Derailing Careers?

Is anyone else beginning to feel like they are always chasing after the train, only to discover when they finally catch up they were on the wrong track? Yes, I’m of the “Boomer Generation;” I attended a three-room school house and our family phone was on a five-party line; however I have been pretty smitten with all I have taught this “old dog” and how well I have embraced technology – until recently.

 

I learned how to communicate via email; bought and began using a cell phone; learned to surf the Internet, and I swear it was just yesterday that I was teaching a Windows 3.1 workshop to a class full of recently displaced professionals. Now I am balking at upgrading to Windows 7 and asking clients to please stop sending me .docx files! 

 

I created a LinkedIn Profile and people kept asking me if I was on Facebook!  I learned how to send a simple text message to my kids to let them know my flight was on time or I’d be home soon, and now everybody is on Twitter and I don’t know how to “tweet.” I figured out how to find a video on YouTube and suddenly out-of-town family members are insisting I communicate with them via Skype. Is there no end to this madness?!

 

A recent post on the Recruiting Trends blog by Carmen Hudson, CEO of Tweetajob, Inc. entitled “Warning: Disruptive Technology Ahead” drove it all home for anyone currently looking for work. After reading her post, my first thought was this: “What ARE we doing?!?”

 

Yesterday I wrote a résumé for a school bus driver who was barely computer literate but needed an ASCII résumé so she could apply online. Two weeks ago I had a similar situation with a mechanic who worked on fire engines. Monday a registered nurse called me all in a panic because she had an interview scheduled in an hour and she did not know how to use MS Word so she could type up a résumé. (I gave her a quick confidence boost by reminding her that she already landed the interview and suggesting she tell the employer that she may not know how to use Word, but she is a master at providing quality patient care.) These are not rare situations; I see this with about 50% of my clients.

 

We are connected 24/7, but may be starving from lack of human interaction. If given the choice between hiring a candidate who can email, blog, tweet, and Skype or hiring a candidate who has the skills to do the job and a winning personality, I (and I am sure most employers) would choose the later. However, how will they ever find this candidate when technology keeps derailing their search?

 

Comments

[Scott Woodard]

Wow! For some reason, this post triggered some key emotions, but not in the way one might expect. I, too, am a Baby Boomer that often feels like I'm trying to catch up with technological "progress."

That said, I almost feel that this piece should be entitled "Are YOU Derailing Your Career Because of Technology?" Technology advances won't stop and will become more pervasive in all sectors of the economy. Those of us "of a certain age" must acknowledge that fact and make a concerted effort to keep up, otherwise we're left behind.

The seasoned sales professional who relies on the paper calendar and Rolodex and resists the company's CRM software; the nurse who resists the clinic's Electronic Medical Records application; the bus driver who can't operate the vehicle's GPS system will all be left behind. They'll blame technology and age discrimination. Really, all they have to blame is themselves. It's not age discrimination if one doesn't possess the required tools for the job.

As they said in the movie, "Resistance is futile."

~ Scott

[billiesucher]

Norine, I love your post...I have to tell you that last night it was about 10:30 PM or so & I was still online. For me, your post was a good reminder of finding "balance" in the midst of all the technology opportunities. While I, too, am a Boomer, I love blogging, Twitter, etc...I also reminded myself, thanks to your post, that I need sleep and rest so I can think straight! Great to read your words! Thank you.

[Norine Dagliano]

Thank you Billie and Scott for your comments. I agree that technology is here to stay and "resistance is futile" (And I always encourage my clients to keep their technology skills up to date.) It's just that sometimes I feel overwhelmed and unsure about what I and my clients "need to know" versus what is the "latest/greatest tool" to help one land a job. Does a local school bus driver who struggles with English really need a LinkedIn profile? Will an auto mechanic find himself unemployed because of his inability to tweet? I hope it never comes to this.

[Barbara Safani]

Norine,

My 14 year old is way ahead of my 17 year old when it comes to technology. It's changing so quickly for everyone and watching technology change can feel like a full-time job. Your clients are not alone in feeling the impact of these rapid changes. Your clients are lucky that they have you to walk them through the process.

[Valerie]

Hi Norine - this post really struck a chord with me because the majority of my clients are blue collar and non-professional.

For some, it's not even about the ability or knowledge to participate in the new technology, it's about access - if someone can't afford the equipment or the time to learn how to use it, access to technology can be quite the significant barrier for job-seekers.

[Carmen Hudson]

Norine,
Excellent post. The technology merry-go-round seems never ending. And thanks for linking to my post. I hope I conveyed my ideas clearly -- there's always something new, but not every company has to jump on every bandwagon. That goes for individuals too. I have yet to tackle Skype.

I think Valerie's comment is especially important. That's why I'm so excited by mobile. I think the move to mobile communication will widen the net, so to speak. Not all jobseekers have consistent access to PCs, but many, if not most, have mobile phones, which should increase access to opportunities. In time.
All the best to you!