If we talk about how the world is changing in relation to the way we work and communicate, it’s vital that we consider the convergence of three significant developments:
1) For many of our jobs, there is a true ability to do that job remotely.
People can be much more productive with the time they have allotted during the day. In years past, you could say, “I’d love to meet in person, but I’m not going to be in your town. It’s just too far out of my way.” Now, you can meet as close to “in person” as it gets and it is much easier to grab 15 minutes to jump on a Zoom call or Google Hangout call.
Some people have noted that they are busier than last year simply because they can meet people much easier than before. There’s no associated travel time.
2) Bandwidth to the home has been drastically improved upon
It wasn’t so long ago that ten megabits was considered to be broadband. Years ago, we took to Skype in my office and it was painful to carry out a conversation at times due to the audio ad video being out of sync. Now we’re routinely able to accommodate a 300 megabit download in the home, allowing for high-quality video and sound. In the past, you might not have understood what the person was saying and the video was shaky and jerky.
Against this backdrop, it has become almost a revelation to realize that, indeed, you can effectively do a lot of things remotely that were presumed to be impossible, difficult or only for the very few. With better video capability and bandwidth, our connections are quicker and generally speaking, clearer.
*************************************************
Talman Advantage #4: Better Positioning For Your Best Opportunity
The reality is that, in so many situations, that “perfect job opportunity” may not be formally listed by a company. In that instance, where some may simply fire your resume off to an HR person’s email and hope for the best, Roy Talman & Associates takes a more creative and purposeful approach.
If an opening isn’t currently available that’s an ideal match for you, we’ll discuss the kind of role with you that you would be interested in and potentially prepare and present a very specific case to that particular firm to create a unique role for you. That’s called a recruiter that goes further for you – and why you need to talk to Talman first.
*********************************************
That brings us to our third crucial development.
3) We have a far more capable and intelligent cloud.
In the past, people had to go to the office because that’s where the computer was. Now we can switch away from computers holding our applications on a server in the office in favor of the cloud. If you’ve made this switch, you might recall the pain of dealing with servers and loosely connected technologies that couldn’t “talk” to each other.
Now we’re living in an age in which all of our technology has come together far more seamlessly in an integrated way in the cloud. In our case at Roy Talman & Associates, with a significant presence both in New York and in Chicago, we’re dealing with the lack of actual face-to-face interaction in these markets. Still, the trade-off is that we can zip from New York to Chicago all the time now thanks to the cloud and the current capabilities of the smartphone and Zoom.
Furthermore, capable apps in the cloud are changing a good portion of what we do to the degree that tech companies are saying that it’s OK to work from home as long as you can perform.
Not Everybody Wins In This Development, However.
People are finding, to their surprise, that indeed they can perform very well remotely. But in that kind of outcome, there are people adversely impacted. A friend of mine deals with Executive Assistants – a fair of whom have been laid off. If you think about it, a good portion of the job of Executive Assistant can be in coordinating complex travel and meeting schedules. The logistics of arranging travel can be a full-time job in itself.
It’s hard to say when those jobs will come back, but at a minimum, there is sure to be some restructuring. It’s not just about allowing people to work from home, but all the jobs that required working on the road and traveling nonstop are changing in that people find that they can do them from home. A lot of consulting companies are finding their people can work from home doing what they did before.
Now For The Big Question Hanging Over Everyone
How long will COVID-19 be a factor in these developments and influence how we work going forward? Certain studies say that for the first three to four months, working from home can be as productive as working in the office.
Yet, as time goes on, productivity tends to slide.
Will that happen here? Will we be significantly less productive working from home? If so, that could complicate matters. What we can assume is that the world is going to be relatively the same a year from now, so some jobs will simply go away and other jobs will materially change, requiring you to adjust and learn new skills, both on the receiving and creativity side.
If you look at today’s market, factoring in the likes of technology companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Google and more, they’re all in a position to grab a larger share of our lives in this evolving economy. What technology jobs will continue to be in demand and what types of firms will be directly or indirectly influenced by the innovations from these giants capturing a larger share of how we live?
Can the production of the innovators meet the skyrocketing value? If and when it does, what jobs will be needed and what industries will be impacted most? Let’s use the upstart Tesla and the entire auto manufacturing industry as an example. Tesla, which just announced its building of a $1.1 billion assembly plant near Austin, Texas, has reached all-time highs in its stock, becoming the world’s most valuable carmaker at $208 billion. That makes it worth more than Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, Ferrari, GM, BMW, Honda and Volkswagen – combined. But while Wall Street loves Tesla, the fact remains that Elon Musk’s company has a lot of work to do on the production line for Tesla or the honeymoon will be over just as soon as it began. Will this new plant in Texas rise to the challenge and finally deliver on Tesla’s promise?
With some of these industries regularly in a state of flux and changing, is there one that works well for your skills? Now is the time to take a solid look at these possibilities as far as their state not only today but what lies ahead for them in a post-COVID-19 world. Fortunately, you don’t have to arrive at the answer on your own or need a crystal ball to see what the future holds. Roy Talman & Associates can be the partner you need at a time like this.
Throughout our 30+ year history, Roy Talman & Associates has witnessed not only the significant ups and downs of the U.S. economy but also how industries can evolve significantly. We pride ourselves on being one of the first to know of what financial trading, consulting and technology firms are doing next due to our incredibly close, open and transparent relationships with hiring managers we’ve earned the trust of. So, as they know, we’ll know – and in turn, you’ll know what your next move should be.
Now more than ever: Talk To Talman First.