Technology has the potential to have many positive effects on the labor market and the way that we work. Although many people believe that technology may be detrimental to career opportunities due to fears that robots will take over many people’s jobs, this is not the case. Technology may even start to boost career opportunities for those searching to advance their careers or to take the next step on the ladder. With this in mind, here is a guide to how technology may be able to boost career opportunities for all and to provide people with equal opportunities to succeed.
Online Qualifications
Getting the right qualifications is vital to being able to succeed in a certain career path. This is because most employers require you to have certain qualifications before you can apply for a job with their firm. However, having the time and money to access these qualifications can be difficult, and many people may feel as if they are unable to take these certificates for several reasons. However, online learning has made it easier than ever for these qualifications to be accessed by everyone. This is because these courses can be completed straight from home or anywhere in the world, rather than the individual having to move onto campus to complete them. This means that these certificates can be studied alongside other commitments and responsibilities and that individuals do not have to pay out a lot of money for accommodation or feel uncomfortable in certain study environments.
Not only this, but online learning has allowed more people, especially women, to get leadership positions. This is because it encourages individuals to continue to study alongside working within a company. Whereas in the past you may have had to take a sabbatical to do this, this is now not the case, and you can simply sign up for a part-time qualification or even an online course if you want to gain the knowledge that you need for a promotion within your company. There are also many other informal ways of studying digitally, such as watching Youtube videos and conducting research within industry journals.
This has therefore encouraged people to take courses that they would otherwise have stayed away from. For instance, fewer women are on a technical track in engineering than men. However, courses like those at Kettering Global hope to change this by creating an inclusive and encouraging environment for women in both technical and managerial capacities. Then, click here to find out more about the gender disparity in engineering and how online programs at Kettering Global hope to change this.
Remote Working
As you get farther into your career, many people have difficulties in finding the perfect job for them due to the area that they are living in or the demands of other commitments, such as childcare. These other commitments can often clash with the 9-5 hours of most office and manual jobs. However, technology has changed this by allowing for an increase in the remote working opportunities that are available. Technology has allowed for remote working by giving people the chance to complete their duties from home through software applications such as communication applications and cloud storage.
The ability to work remotely has then enabled people to apply for the job of their dreams wherever they are based, without having to move for it, and has enabled them to work toward their goals while enjoying flexible hours. For instance, rather than simply working 9-5, many remote work jobs allow people to complete their work tasks at any time of the day or night as long as they reach certain deadlines. This can prevent people’s careers from clashing with issues such as childcare and living within a remote location. This is also important when it comes to employing disabled candidates, as technology can allow employees to work in a way and within a place that suits them and their needs.
As well as remote jobs, more companies are considering the advantages of flexible working opportunities which can combine office work with remote work depending on what is required by an individual or by a certain project. This has become especially important during the coronavirus pandemic and has allowed more people to apply for the jobs that they are qualified for.
HR Software
Technology has also boosted career opportunities for a lot of people due to the evolution of HR software, which can provide more equal opportunities for those who are looking to achieve a great career for themselves. In the past, many people were prevented from getting top jobs due to certain prejudices and discrimination which caused bias, whether unconscious or conscious. There are some fears that HR software could promote these biases due to certain programming issues. However, now that technology is starting to progress at a faster pace than ever before, recruitment software can be used to increase diversity within teams and ensure that individuals can get the job that they are qualified for. Rather than this being based on prejudices, they will be able to obtain roles regardless of their gender or race, as long as they meet certain requirements.
Not only this, but HR software can increase career opportunities for all by broadening the places where jobs are advertised and ensuring that these do not go to internal personnel. Additionally, many platforms have reward systems that can enable every employee to get the exact recognition that they deserve without this having to be noticed by a manager. This can help the people that are best for the position to get promoted when they want to be.
Tech Tools
Tech tools can also help individuals to thrive and to get the job of their dreams by enabling them to complete roles even if they would normally be unable to due to issues such as a disability in the workplace. For instance, assistive technology on laptops and other gadgets could help people with sight issues to fill out forms and type up reports, while mobile technology can allow individuals to work from anywhere.
Finding Jobs Online
However, the greatest way that technology can increase career opportunities is by making it easier for individuals to find jobs online that suit them. For instance, rather than having to be in the know or trawl the streets looking for jobs, online job boards can ensure that you can apply for jobs across the country. You can even set filters to make sure that you are only shown positions that could suit you and your abilities. Not only this, but job boards can help you to communicate directly with employers and ask questions, will make sure that you do not have to travel to apply for jobs, and can allow you to track your applications, save your resume, and apply for multiple jobs at once. There are also many industry-specific job boards that can help you to find positions within elite and often exclusive industries.
Additionally, many people are helped to find jobs using technology through the use of business social media websites such as LinkedIn. These websites can help you to make the professional connections that most people rely on when they are looking for a position without having to attend networking events or have familial connections. Instead, they enable you to message and contact others within the same industry as you to ask for advice and to even find out about jobs in your area through these sources.
You can also use digital recruitment agencies if you want to go through a third party to find the jobs of your dreams as these will help you to find a great job within your industry without you having to do the majority of the footwork. Instead, they can use their knowledge of the industry to pinpoint where you could find your next dream job.
More Tech Roles
If you are interested in technology, there might not have been as many career opportunities as you may have wanted in the past, when tech was still developing and was not as integral to every industry as it is today. However, the evolution of technology has broadened career possibilities by creating more jobs than ever before. Rather than robots taking away certain jobs, technology has expanded the roles that are on offer as human support is needed to make the majority of this technology work effectively. This applies to the majority of sectors that you might be searching for a job within, from marketing to management.
Therefore, technology boosts the career opportunities that are available to job seekers as it can allow them to apply for and gain the experience that is required for many of the top jobs within the industry of their choice. This can enable career-minded people to thrive no matter where they are located or what their background is as it is now easier to apply for a job and to hear about opportunities than ever before. So, if you want to boost your career, you should consider utilizing the types of technology that are available to you, from job search websites to tech tools.
