They Made All the Right Moves - Then Their Worlds Changed

 "I have two Masters degrees."

That's what a woman who wanted to unretire told me during the complimentary coaching consultation I offer. She then added:

"I had done contract assignments around the world for multi-national corporations."

Gently I informed her that the world of work she had known had changed. Among the disruptions were:

• Much of higher education is being treated as a liability since employers anticipate they're expected to pay premium wages.
• Unless the credentials are an exact fit to the very specialized job specifications previous experience doesn't count.
• Her age would be held against her. ProPublica research documented that harsh reality.

In addition, she hadn't kept up with hands-on expertise in technology or had even developed a LinkedIn profile and following.

But she is not atypical. And it isn't all about aging. The go-getters among Gen Zers had made all the right moves and now BusinessInsider reports this:

"Based on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's analysis of census data, 41.2% of graduates in their early and mid-20s were underemployed in March, meaning they were working jobs that don't typically require a bachelor's degree. That's up from 38.9% in December."

Many elite law firms made record profits in 2024. They basked in not only wealth but power and influence. Then came the Trump administration. Skadden, Paul Weiss, Simpson and other firms which cut deals with the White House for pro-bono work find themselves in a very different dimension. No one knows how this will play out. Not in financial metrics. Not in the ability to recruit and retain the stars who bring in the business. The administration and its demands on those firms are unpredictable. 

Obviously strategic planning has become a now. Just-in-time.

That's why it's so difficult for knowledge workers to navigate what it takes to make a good living. They are socialized to focus on the past and the future. They stop and reference those zones in making decisions for today. 

What does that mean? It's this: They don't fully take in what's going on and do a rapid response to pounce on opportunity. Analogy? The entry-level consultant who shields themselves from what's going on in a client's business, mentally referring back to a theory learned in the MBA program.

The emerging cliche could be: The right move yesterday could destroy your earning potential today.  Add on to that: Those right moves no longer entitle you to anything. Applicants to law school who beat the odds and were admitted amid increased competition can't count on jobs in three years as Generative AI will continue to eliminate some entry-level positions. Actually chair of Paul Weiss Brad Karp warned about that.

Rattled by the uncertainty? Faith-based Career Coaching. Special expertise with transitions, reskilling and aging. Psychic/tarot readings, upon request. Complimentary consultation with Jane Genova (Text 203-468-8579, janegenova374@gmail.com). Yes, test out the chemistry.