Alexandra Levit is the author of the international bestseller They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to the Business World. Her latest book Humanity Works reveals what the ‘robot takeover’ will really look like, helping you prepare for the possibilities of the future. She is an influential thought leader on career and workforce trends who has been instrumental in developing and promoting proprietary research on the future of work, the millennial generation, gender differences and bias, and the skills gap. Alexandra’s goal is to prepare organizations and their employees to be competitive and marketable in the future business world.
Tune into my conversation with Alexandra to uncover the secrets of corporate success on the Find Your Passion Career Podcast!
Understanding Career Dynamics
Back in January of 2020, how many of us could honestly have foreseen remote work being on the horizon? Alexandra did. A pandemic, and all the workplace transitions that came with it, was the furthest thing from everyone’s minds. But not hers.
“Remote work was an example of a trend that I’ve been looking at for about 10 years where I knew that this was going to take off eventually. I didn’t know there would be one precipitating event like a pandemic, but I suspected that between things like pandemics or potential pandemics and climate change— adverse climate events— that there could be something that would push people into their homes to work.”
As a work futurist and an avid researcher, Alexandra saw the inevitable change in the status quo, and prepared for it. She saw past the immediate panic over transitioning to online and envisions the natural next step in business progression: hybrid workplaces.
For the business leaders tuning in, Alexandra advises giving employees flexibility about returning to work. According to a 2020 PwC survey, 55% of employees would prefer working remote at least three days a week. Alexandra’s work shows that it’s time for companies to adapt to that desire.
Qualifications and Gender
Alexandra’s advice on the future of work isn’t just limited to the bosses, however. She also tackles the struggles of those trying to apply for jobs, and specifically young women entering the workspace.
“There has been a lot of research that is shown that women will want to be 100% qualified for anything they go after, whereas men in many cases will be satisfied if they only meet in five out of 10 criteria.”
These differences in approach significantly disadvantage women entering the workforce compared to their male counterparts. Alexandra illuminates these often-unrealized disparities in the corporate world. So next time you apply for a job, don’t sweat every requirement.
Alexandra also shines a light on the importance of relationship and trust building in corporate work. She recommends looking ahead in your future by reaching out to people who are a couple years older working in your dream career.
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