A year of infinite possibilities — how to keep up with the digital boom
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If they say necessity is the mother of invention, the last 12 months must be shaping up to be one of the most inventive years since time began.

To start with, look at the speed at which the scientific community responded to the pandemic. After they identified a new virus, the focus quickly shifted to creating a completely new vaccine and getting it out to market in under 12 months. It’s nothing short of extraordinary. 

Running parallel to this, the digital world has responded to the disruption by taking off on its own incredible stratospheric trajectory. And it isn’t just a temporary surge, it’s the reimagining of how we all do business with each other.

It’s pretty amazing what we’re capable of when challenges are thrown our way.

From automation to remote working, 2021 has been the year of infinite possibilities being realised, and it’s just the beginning.

Here are some of the big ticket items to keep an eye on from both a candidate and business perspective.

Futureproof your skills

It’s all about remaining relevant and adaptable. If you’re a skilled candidate moving around within the CRM/cloud/tech world, you’re probably already keenly aware of how sought after your expertise is at the moment.
The bottom line is it’s likely you’re still going to be very popular, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep one eye on what’s happening just over the horizon.

With the astronomical levels of investment in technology we’ve seen this year (some studies have shown that 10 years worth of investment was made in 2021 alone!) it’s inevitable more recruits will come along.

When the next wave of tech experts with similar skills to you hit the market, how will you stand out? Are you keeping an eye on which tech trends are being adopted by the big players? How are you with e-commerce and personalisation?

You can also think about value-adding by working on some valuable intangible skills like analysis, research, communication, problem solving and lateral thinking. 

Are you keeping ahead or just keeping up?

If you’re an employer with some skin in the digital game, you’re more than likely getting used to pivoting and rolling with the punches thanks to the events of the last year or two.

So far, you’ve probably had to respond to any number of scenarios as a result of industry trends and external forces — skill shortages, quick shifts away from legacy systems, and automation.

If you’re riding any of the e-commerce, cloud marketing, robotics, and data integration waves, you’re well placed to keep shooting for the stars.

And if you’re enthusiastically responding to the cultural shift in remote/flexible work, it’s a good chance you’ll remain attractive to skilled candidates looking to team up with people who aren’t afraid of a bit of forward thinking. 

Bring on whatever’s next!

I know it sounds a bit hyperbolic, but I truly believe that we’re entering an age of infinite possibilities when it comes to digital. 

In another 12 months, I have no doubt we’ll all be talking about the next tranche of tech advancements ready to integrate into our systems, it’s happening right now and it’s accelerating. 

2021 has shown what we can do when we’re presented with a challenge, and if you keep your eyes open to the potential presented by the digital world, there’s no limit to where we can go.

~ Garth Kharitou