If you’re waiting for your company to future-proof you... Good Luck!
For years, I thought if I just followed my company’s career development plan, I’d be set.
Leadership skills? Check. Persuasive presentations? Check. How to build executive presence? Check.
Then I watched a wave of highly competent, high-performing colleagues get laid off. Some had been with the company for 15+ years. All of them had done “the right things.” But when the business shifted, their skill sets weren’t what the market needed.
That’s when it hit me: Companies optimize their workforce for performance, not adaptability. They train you for their needs, not for your survival. And if you aren’t deliberate about future-proofing yourself, you’ll wake up one day with a strong resume inside a company that no longer has a place for you.
So how do you future-proof yourself?
Oooh…Cliff hanger!
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There are two kinds of career development:
1. Advancement Training – The structured learning your company provides to raise your odds of getting promoted within its existing org chart.
2. Future-Proofing Training – The learning you often pursue on your own to raise your odds of keeping your paycheck if the business evolves or changes direction.
Most companies focus on advancement training because it’s clear, immediate, and directly tied to performance goals. But future-proofing? That’s kinda’ fuzzy, distant and personal, so it’s up to you to figure it out.
To be clear, this isn’t about poo-pooing corporate learning. Companies do invest a ton of money in future skills—but they do it at scale, based on broad trends. That works for organizational needs, but it doesn’t guarantee you are developing the right skills for your specific career trajectory.
I learned this the hard way. I spent years focused on skills that made me stronger in my current role, not realizing that I wasn’t building optionality: the ability to pivot, adapt, and remain valuable when the shit hits the fan.
How to Balance Advancement vs. Optionality
If you’re signing up for job-specific courses to get a raise or promotion inside your company, you’re treating learning as a short-term transaction. But if you’re learning to increase your options, the reward is the ability to create your next opportunity, whether inside or outside your current role.
A good rule of thumb: 50% of your learning should support advancement, 50% should future-proof you.
Yeah, but how do you do that when you’re swamped at work?
The 70/20/10 Rule
Our first impulse is to think about learning as formal training because it’s measurable, trackable, and produces tangible outcomes: certifications, course completions, and structured learning paths that can be tied to internal career ladders.
Now, let’s be honest: courses are important and amazing, but many of us are super busy, and it’s hard to find the time and energy, especially if the effort isn’t conducive to a raise or promotion.
The good news is that the most valuable and effective upskilling opportunities can be found in things you already do:
- 70% real work experiences (challenging projects, stretch roles, exposure to different parts of the business, side-projects and tinkering)
- 20% interactions with others (mentors, industry peers, professional networks — nurturing these relationships is particularly important if you work remotely)
- 10% formal learning (courses, books, certifications)
The key is to be selective and intentional about what and why you want to learn through those activities.
The 3 Tests: How to know if a skill is worth learning:
For years, I thought career growth meant racking up a wide range of general leadership and management skills. My performance reviews told me to sharpen on broad areas such as strategic thinking and effective communication, so I did.
But when I looked at the people who could land on their feet anywhere, I realized they weren’t just “well-rounded.” They had unique combinations of high-leverage, high-demand skills that made them valuable across industries.
So, I started filtering learning opportunities through three questions:
1. The Scarcity Test: Is this skill rare but increasingly valuable?
Take a supply chain director who notices the growing integration of robotics and augmented reality (AR) in logistics. While most of her peers focus on traditional methods, she’s immersing herself in understanding how these technologies could optimize operations. This expertise is already becoming highly sought after as companies aim to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.
• How to find out? Monitor industry reports and job postings for emerging trends. If companies in tech, finance, or consulting are hiring for a skill that hasn’t yet hit your industry, that’s a signal.
2. The Mobility Test: Will this skill open doors beyond my current role?
For example, a marketing manager recognizes the growing importance of data privacy regulations. By developing expertise in compliance and ethical data usage, she positions herself as a unique collaborator with legal and IT departments, expanding her influence beyond marketing — and positioning her as a thought leader in a new hybrid discipline.
• How to assess? Review job descriptions for roles adjacent to yours. If a particular skill shows up consistently, it has leverage.
3. The Market Demand Test: Would they pay a premium for this skill in the open market?
One of my friends became proficient in orchestrating multiple off-the-shelf AI agents to automate routine tasks. He did this by tinkering with various technologies while trying to build and market a digital course. These days, he’s a sought-after marketing automation advisor to startups and high-growth organizations. This ability to integrate various low-cost AI solutions makes him invaluable to any bootstrapped organization.
• How to validate? Check job boards, freelancing platforms, and industry panels. If companies are actively seeking consultants, hiring specialists, or investing in technology around a skill, it’s a strong signal.
TL/DR: How to Make Smarter Learning Investments
People who thrive aren’t the ones who just climb the ladder faster. They’re the ones who make sure they always have another ladder to climb.
I used to think that career security came from being really good at my role. But real security comes from having skills that give you options—no matter what happens.
So take a hard look at what you’re currently learning. Are you training for the next promotion—or the next market shift?
- Split your learning 50/50 between advancement and future-proofing. If all your development is making you better at your current job, you’re not preparing for what’s next.
- Maximize the 70% (on-the-job learning) and 20% (network-driven learning) for emerging skills. Courses and certifications are fine, but the real advantage comes from hands-on experience and high-impact conversations.
- Use the three tests to filter what’s worth your time. Not everything that looks valuable is valuable.