Career Trajectory Mapping

Deborah Liu was a long-time VP at Facebook where she built and launched multiple billion-dollar businesses, including Facebook Marketplace. Prior to Facebook, she was a Director at PayPal and eBay. She now serves on the board of Intuit and, for the past 3.5 years, has led Ancestry as CEO. In our conversation, we discuss: 🔸 Why you should PM your career like you PM your product 🔸 Advice for succeeding as an introvert 🔸 Strategies for incubating new products within large companies 🔸 Creating a successful 30-60-90-day plan 🔸 The pitfalls of perfectionism 🔸 The value of resilience and turning failures into stepping stones 🔸 How to leverage coaching in your career development 🔸 Much more Listen now 👇 - YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gvpRD46V - Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gqEQUcKQ - Apple: https://lnkd.in/gmNhk9f2 Some key takeaways: 1. Treat your career like a product roadmap. Start by defining your long-term career goals and envision where you want to be in 5 or 10 years. Break these goals down into smaller, actionable milestones, similar to setting quarterly objectives for a product. Develop a career plan that includes key skills to acquire, roles to target, and metrics for success. Regularly review and adjust this plan based on your progress and any new opportunities or changes in your industry. 2. Introverts need to learn to speak up. Whether you like it or not, the business world favors extraversion. So if you don’t share your opinions and market your wins, you’ll limit your career progression. If you’re a leader, focus on creating an inclusive environment where your entire team has an opportunity to speak up, not just those who are naturally confident in group settings. 3. If the idea of self-promotion makes you feel uncomfortable, consider changing your perspective on what this process achieves. Think about it as a way of advocating for your team’s needs and resources, or sharing important metrics you’ve all achieved. When we shift the focus from “This is about me” to “This helps everyone,” the value of self-promotion becomes far clearer—and much more palatable. 4. When starting a new role, create a structured 30-60-90-day plan: a. 30 days (listening and learning): Meet with as many team members and stakeholders as possible (aim for 50 to 60 people) to understand their perspectives, challenges, and wish lists. b. 60 days (aligning and planning): Based on your learnings, identify one or two areas where you can make a tangible impact in the short term. Develop a plan to address these areas and present it to your team. c. 90 days (execution and impact): Begin implementing the plans and changes that have been agreed upon. Focus on delivering quick wins to build credibility and demonstrate value. At the end of the 90 days, review your achievements and the feedback received.

If you’re hoping to get a raise or promotion in the next few months, the conversation needs to start long before your performance review. One of the biggest mistakes professionals make is waiting until review season to finally advocate for themselves. By then, most decisions have already been influenced by months of observed performance, visibility, and perceived impact. The people who move forward in their careers are usually the ones who start the conversation early. Set up a one-on-one with your manager in the next few weeks and talk about your short-term career goals. Be direct about what you’re working toward, whether that’s a raise, a promotion, or greater responsibility. Share why it matters to you. Talk about the value you’ve been bringing to the team. Then ask one of the most important questions you can ask in your career: “What would I need to demonstrate consistently over the next few months for this to happen?” That question changes everything. It gives you clarity instead of assumptions. It gives your manager time to advocate for you internally. And it helps you focus your energy on the work that actually moves your career forward. Too many talented professionals stay stuck because they assume hard work alone will speak for itself. Unfortunately, visibility, communication, and proactive career planning matter just as much. Your career will change when you stop hoping people notice your potential and start leading conversations about your growth. Follow along for more practical career tips that help you build a career you’re genuinely excited about. #CareerGrowth #CareerDevelopment #Leadership #SalaryNegotiation #Promotion

You landed your first job and then what? Most professionals hit pause on goal-setting after getting hired. But that’s exactly when your real growth begins. If you don’t set a direction early, you’ll drift. So today, I’m sharing my complete career goal-setting framework. (Save this guide for future reference) 🟢 Here’s how to build that path: Step 1: Start with your current position - List your daily responsibilities - Identify your key performance metrics - Note areas where you already excel - Spot gaps or improvement areas Step 2: Create SMART goals - Specific: Define clear outcomes - Measurable: Attach success metrics - Achievable: Be realistic - Relevant: Align with your role - Time-bound: Set deadlines Step 3: Build your action plan - Break goals into quarterly targets - Set monthly check-ins - Track progress and adjust as needed - Celebrate small wins Goal examples to focus on: ✅ Short-term (3–6 months): Learn tools, join new projects ✅ Mid-term (6–12 months): Take ownership, build visibility ✅ Long-term (1–3 years): Plan promotion path, develop expertise 📌 Pro tip: Block one hour a week—call it your “career development hour”. Use it to reflect, adjust, and plan ahead. You don’t need to wait for an appraisal to think about your growth. You just need a system. What’s one career goal you’re working on right now? Drop it in the comments, I’d love to hear. #goals #students #career

𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐈 Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking with students at Sharif University of Technology about the future of careers in the age of AI. For those who couldn’t attend, here are some of the key insights I shared: 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐈-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐤𝐲𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Job listings requiring AI proficiency have increased more than tenfold in the past two years. Fields leading this trend include technology, marketing, media, administration, business, and sales. 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬' 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: According to Microsoft research, by 2030, many managers will prioritize hiring candidates with AI skills over those with more experience but no AI knowledge. Candidates proficient in AI will often be chosen over more experienced individuals without AI expertise. 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞: Generative AI can significantly automate tasks, enhancing efficiency across roles. This shift is projected to impact various job sectors. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: According to McKinsey, by 2030, sectors like healthcare, engineering, technology, and sciences will see significant job market growth. Conversely, fields such as administrative support, customer service, sales, and food services may experience a decline. 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐙 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐈 𝐞𝐫𝐚: Cognitive skills will be vital in the future workforce. To succeed, Gen Z needs to cultivate critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and flexibility. Final Message to Gen-Z: 𝙏𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙄-𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙞𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 "𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧" — 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙯𝙯𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 ��𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞-𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜. Many thanks to: Mahsa Alikhani sahar bandesi Sana Sadeghivand Ghazalle Attarian Mahsa Farhadi #FutureOfWork #AIinCareers #GenZ #AIEra #SharifUniversity #CareerInsights #SkillUp #Automation #Innovation #CriticalThinking #IntellectualCuriosity #FutureSkills #WorkforceTrends #CareerGrowth #Multidisciplinary Iran Job Fair | نمایشگاه کار ایران Follow me on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/dJtqi_Fv

The World Economic Forum mapped out 4 versions of your career by 2030. None of them end well if you're not preparing. In January 2026, the WEF published "Four Futures for Jobs in the New Economy: AI and Talent in 2030": a white paper consolidating views from Chief Strategy Officers and global experts on exactly how AI and workforce readiness will reshape jobs by 2030. Here are the 4 scenarios: 1️⃣ Scenario 1: Supercharged Progress Exponential AI breakthroughs reshape industries. Productivity soars. Many jobs disappear, but new occupations emerge fast with humans directing portfolios of capable machines and becoming "agent orchestrators." This is the best-case scenario. And it only applies to people who are AI-ready. 2️⃣ Scenario 2: Age of Displacement Exponential AI advancement outpaces the capacity of the workforce to adapt. Businesses race to automate, displacing workers faster than education and reskilling systems can respond. The share of tasks absorbed by technology surpasses 50%, approaching 90% in high-exposure sectors. This is where unprepared professionals land. 3️⃣ Scenario 3: Co-Pilot Economy Gradual AI progress and AI-ready skillsets shift the focus towards augmentation rather than mass automation. Human-AI teams reshape value chains. By 2030, more than 40% of skills have changed. Hybrid roles combining AI knowledge and domain expertise expand. The most realistic scenario for people investing in skills today. 4️⃣ Scenario 4: Stalled Progress Steady AI meets a workforce lacking critical skills. Gains concentrate within businesses and geographies with AI expertise, while others face eroding competitiveness. Early-career jobs and administrative tasks are particularly exposed to AI-driven replacement, with labour market entry pathways narrowing. This is what happens when you wait and watch. Scenarios 2 and 4 are not going to happen to people who are actively upskilling. They're going to happen to people who assume their current role is safe because it always has been. The WEF's own "no-regret" strategies for any scenario include: align technology and talent strategies, invest in human-AI collaboration, and anticipate talent needs before the gaps appear. You don't need to become an AI engineer. You need to become someone who works well with AI in your own field. That distinction is everything right now. Which scenario are you currently in? Drop it in the comments! #futureofwork #aijobs #wef2026 #careergrowth #jobsearch2026 #interviewcoach #aiandwork #upskilling

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 2026 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬? Here’s my bold take: resumes alone won't get people hired. I see this shift already happening. As a career coach and resume strategist, I’ve worked with professionals who had perfect resumes but zero visibility, and they struggled. At the same time, candidates with average resumes but a strong LinkedIn presence started getting calls without applying. That’s the future of hiring. By 2026, the biggest impact on my industry will be skills-first, personal-brand-led hiring powered by AI. The professionals who understand this early will dominate their markets. The ones who don't will wonder why they're being overlooked despite their qualifications. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠: → Recruiters will Google you before reading your resume  → Your LinkedIn profile will be scanned by AI in 3 seconds  → Proof of skills will matter more than job titles → Digital presence will signal credibility faster than credentials → Passive candidates with visibility will get better offers than active job seekers → LinkedIn profiles will act as living resumes 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈’𝐦 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐰: → Show your work publicly, don't just list responsibilities privately  → Share insights about problems you solve in your industry → Position yourself in a clear niche instead of being "everything to everyone" → Optimize your LinkedIn for both AI algorithms and human decision-makers → Stay visible consistently, not just when you're desperate for a job This isn't about becoming an influencer or posting motivational quotes. It's about becoming discoverable when opportunities are being created. The professionals adapting now won't just find jobs; they'll attract opportunities with better roles, stronger compensation, and companies that pursue them. 2026 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞. My question for you: Will personal branding become non-negotiable for career success, or am I overestimating this shift? #BigIdeas2026 #LinkedInNewsIndia

Nobody is coming to manage your career for you. This is the most useful thing anyone ever told me. Your manager is managing their own career. Your organisation is managing its own priorities. Your mentor, if you have one, is a gift, not a guarantee. The professionals who build careers they are proud of do one thing consistently: They treat their career like a project they are responsible for. Not like a path someone else laid out. Not like a reward for good performance. But as a deliberate, managed, actively reviewed project. Here is how to start: 1️⃣ Write down where you want to be in three years. Write out role, environment, income, and impact. 2️⃣ Identify the three gaps between where you are and where you want to be. Identify skills, relationships, and visibility. Pick the most important one and work on it this quarter. 3️⃣ Find one person who has done what you are trying to do. Not to ask them for a job. To understand what they know that you do not. 4️⃣ Review your progress every 90 days. Careers drift in 90-day increments. 5️⃣ Invest in yourself before you need to - the course, the coaching, the community. Do not wait for a crisis to start learning new things. Your career will be exactly as intentional as you make it. What is one thing you are doing next month to take ownership of your life? #YoungProfessionals #CareerGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #AfricaRising #ProfessionalDevelopment

Core Skills & Careers 2030: What Do We Need to Prepare For? The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report paints a fascinating picture of how work will evolve by 2030. One thing is crystal clear: it’s not just about what you know anymore, but about how you think, adapt, and apply knowledge across contexts. Look at the framework: ⚒️Emerging Skills : networks & cybersecurity, environmental stewardship, design thinking. ⚒️Core Skills of 2030 : AI & big data, analytical thinking, creativity, leadership, resilience, empathy. ⚒️Steady Skills : attention to detail, service orientation, operations. ⚒️Out-of-focus Skills : manual dexterity, rote math, simple programming. 💡 Translation? The future is human + tech + adaptability. 🔑 The Skills Employers Will Pay For 1. AI + Big Data Fluency • Every career — finance, healthcare, marketing, sustainability — will need professionals who can interpret, not just operate AI. • Careers: Data-driven strategists, AI ethicists, business analysts, digital product leaders. 2. Creative & Analytical Thinking • When algorithms automate the “easy thinking,” value shifts to solving ambiguous, complex problems. • Careers: Innovation consultants, product designers, growth strategists, research scientists. 3. Leadership & Social Influence • The hybrid workplace needs leaders who can influence without authority, build culture across geographies, and manage change. • Careers: Organizational development leaders, change managers, startup founders. 4. Resilience, Flexibility & Agility • Career paths will no longer be straight lines but zigzags. Those who thrive will be quick to pivot, reskill, and reinvent. • Careers: Portfolio professionals, gig leaders, adaptive entrepreneurs. 5. Systems Thinking & Sustainability • Businesses will be evaluated not just on profit, but on impact. Thinking in terms of ecosystems is a career superpower. • Careers: ESG specialists, policy analysts, systems designers. 🧭 How Do You Prepare for This Future? 🧰Invest in Cognitive Agility → Focus less on memorization, more on problem-solving frameworks. 🧰Build Digital Fluency → AI, automation, cybersecurity, data literacy — not optional. 🧰Develop Human-Centric Skills → Empathy, influence, collaboration will be your competitive edge. 🧰Stay Perpetually Curious → “Learnability” may soon be more important than degrees. 🧰Think in Careers 2.0 → Instead of one career identity, prepare for career portfolios. You might be a consultant, creator, and strategist — all in one decade. 🌍 The Big Shift By 2030, careers won’t be chosen only by industry (finance, healthcare, tech). They’ll be shaped by skills ecosystems. Employers will ask: • Can you analyze and adapt? • Can you lead humans and leverage machines? • Can you sustain yourself through reinvention? Those who master these core skills will not just “fit” into future careers — they’ll create them. #careers #futureofwork #careerstrategy #growthmindset #upskill

Business Analysis is no longer a linear career path. It is a launchpad. As technology, AI, cloud, and cyber reshape every industry, Business Analysts have more opportunities than ever to evolve into roles that are both high-impact and future-ready. This visual captures that shift well: from technical paths like Cybersecurity Analyst, Cloud Engineer, AI/ML Engineer, and Data Analyst to non-technical but equally strategic roles like Product Manager, AI Consultant, Data Governance Specialist, and UX Researcher. What stands out most is this: The best career moves today are not just about job titles. They are about transferable skills. Business Analysts already know how to: - translate complexity into action - align stakeholders - uncover risk and opportunity - turn business needs into outcomes Those are the same capabilities that power success in secure AI, cyber resilience, cloud transformation, product strategy, and governance. From my perspective working across Cybersecurity, DevSecOps, Cloud, and AI Governance, I see a growing need for professionals who can bridge technical depth with business value. That bridge is where the future is being built. For anyone in Business Analysis wondering what comes next: Your next role may be closer than you think. The question is not whether you can pivot. The question is: Which direction aligns with your strengths, curiosity, and long-term impact? Which of these paths do you think will create the biggest opportunity over the next 3–5 years?

“I’ve been stuck at this level for several years” Let’s make 2026 the year you get unstuck. Over the years, I've watched far too many talented Sr-level employees plateau. And not because they lacked skills or abilities, but because they never created a corporate visibility system. If you’re motivated to level up in 2026, here are 8 systems I’d recommend to help advance. (Yes, these work at any level) 1-Document your impact Open a word doc and start a Career Log. Every win, every result, every data-driven decision. Create a calendar reminder to update it monthly. At the end of the year, you’ll have a bunch of wins you can use for promos, interviews, networking, resumes, etc. 2-Build a 2-year roadmap Not just ‘goals’, but an executable plan with milestones. Share it with your boss. Update it quarterly. Partner with your leaders and mentors to make progress on the roadmap. 3-Show up on LinkedIn, and build your brand Start engaging every week. Begin by following great creators and content. Find what resonates. Repost, comment, and connect. When you’re ready, start posting. Build and share in public. Work towards 30-45 minutes worth of weekly engagement. 4-Collect recommendations strategically One every 2 months, get a new LinkedIn recommendation. These testimonials become your social proof when you're ready for that next move. Build up a balanced portfolio from leaders, peers, and direct reports. 5-Upskill quarterly One course, one certification, one new capability every 90 days. Stay relevant or become replaceable. Make sure to add these to your career roadmap and keep your boss informed. 6-Meet with mentors bi-monthly Mentorships are how you build cross-functional networks. These networks help with promotions, career moves, and unlocking new opportunities early. Get 1 leadership mentor, ideally 2 levels above you, and 1 technical mentor. Have a mentorship agreement that defines what a successful mentorship looks like before you start. 7-Create a personal narrative deck A personal journey to complement your resume. A short, 5-7 slide presentation about your career journey, your passions, the problems you solve, and the legacy you're building. These visual decks are helpful in a range of environments: conferences, networking events, mentor meetings. 8-Stay informed Subscribe to industry publications. Be the person who knows what's coming before it arrives. Check out newsletters like TLDR, HBR Tip of the Day, Morning Brew, CB Insights, etc. And there you have it! These concepts aren't revolutionary. But when applied to a habit, you change your life. PS – What’s one habit you’re committing to build in 2026? Tell me in the comments. I’ll go first 👇