While the traditional trajectory of a new role is to prove your worth and vertically rise in the ranks through annual promotions and pay increases, there is also value in staying open to opportunities that can broaden your experience and networks – even if these feel like lateral moves or “distractions”. These could be secondments in global offices or calculated breaks to work in an adjacent industry. You have highly demanded skills and qualifications, and your early career period is a chance to test your interests and working styles when you’re less likely to have the expense pressures that often deter big leaps later. Exploring a non-linear career path could be a strong career growth strategy, giving you the flexibility to pivot as industries evolve.
42%
of all business-related tasks will be performed by machines by 2027, according to the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025.
This feels especially important as the future of work changes. The labour market is facing deep disruptions by artificial intelligence and the increasing automation of jobs. For example, according to the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, accounting and auditing jobs are among the fastest declining globally, and by 2027 machines will perform 42% of all business-related tasks. But if you approach these shifts laterally, you may discover new and increasingly hybrid opportunities in areas like fintech or legal-tech, or in bio-mass valuation and carbon-emissions reporting as farming and agriculture jobs grow more than any other sector. Understanding job trends for the future and developing AI-proof careers can help you future-proof your career.
Similarly, in a world where AI can analyse medical images and find anomalies in ways that rival even experienced radiologists and pathologists, an early-career doctor may find value in a technology role to learn how AI can better power multidisciplinary teams for faster patient care. Since Google’s medical large language model, Med-PaLM 2, can pass the US Medical Licensing examination with over 85% accuracy, learning to use AI effectively and strategically while applying the kind of compassion and intuition only a human can, can be a big advantage. Careers with artificial intelligence are rapidly emerging, and embracing these changes can help you navigate future workplace trends effectively.