"Worry about what you want to do, not who you want to be. He wanted to build communities in a different way, and it led him on his path that led to this moment where he became president. It's why instead of focusing on your dream title, Obama recommends thinking about the impact you want to make through your work first and then honing the skills you'll need to get there."
"Using Obama's mantra for career success, Raman advises those in their 20s and early 30s to forgo titles completely to focus on skills development, before specializing in their mid-thirties. This framework is the "safest" way to think of a long-lasting career, Raman said, "because you can control all of those levers, versus job title. You might want to be a VP of something at somewhere, but you can't control any of that, and that job might not even exist in 20 years.""
"And don't worry if your career path looks all over the place on paper. Raman recommends embracing a "squiggly line" approach-where your career isn't quite linear-as long as it has a connective thread. My job titles as a career don't make sense, but my skills across the board do."
Barack Obama advised his speechwriter Aneesh Raman to prioritize impact and skill-building over job titles, a philosophy that shaped Raman's diverse career from speechwriting to Facebook to LinkedIn. Raman recommends that people in their 20s and 30s forgo titles entirely to develop foundational skills before specializing in their mid-thirties. This approach provides career flexibility and resilience since job titles may disappear while skills remain valuable. Rather than pursuing a linear career path, Raman advocates for a "squiggly line" approach where career moves connect through a common thread of developing capabilities and creating impact, making careers more adaptable to changing opportunities.
#career-development #skills-building #impact-driven-work #non-linear-career-paths #professional-growth
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