What are the most effective ways to maintain your industry relevance in later career stages?

There are so many avenues to continue to stay relevant in your career and industry. Stay connected through networking in and out of your industry. Mentor others as you can learn from your mentee and their different perspective. I also believe it is never too late to learn. Learning doesn't happen just in a classroom. Through podcasts, industry events and other colleagues outside your area of specialty.

To be relevant in your field, have a learning spirit, and be open to new ideas. Seek out those whom you respect and find out what they are doing well. Ask questions, and have an understanding of the company's mission.

Make sure you have a solid background of your chosen field to keep you grounded. As HR practitioner, regardless of what industry you will focus, your basic skills will always be of use. This is also true in other fields of practice. However, in order to keep you relevant, always keep an open and adaptable mindset. Most important of all is to keep learning.

Research suggests that people who practice continuous or lifelong learning are happier on average. This may be because lifelong learning helps people to keep developing their passions and interests, which bring us happiness.

I think visibility is extremely important. As a graybeard in the business you look old yet you must speak innovation and be ready to pivot at a moment's notice. Staying ahead of the trends with a firm hold on tried and true methodology.

Having a feedback loop is important to identify areas of growth. No matter how great you are there's always going to be areas for you to grow in.

Some cultures are not very open to feedback and new generations struggle with that, they are too sensitive or too immature to handle feedback. That is why some leaders instead of providing feedback and coach employees, they decide to let them go . Growth and professionalism comes from learning and feedback is key to that .

To remain at the top of your game as a leader, I believe that you have to be willing to serve, continue to learn and develop, gain more education when needed, be open to feedback, and have a vision for what creating leaders looks like as you mentor others to do the same.

Formal and informal mentoring help others to grow in their career. We all have something to give and something to gain. Sharing our experience with others gives us an opportunity to learn too and help them saving time or struggling in life.

Go for an informal chat and start the conversation focusing on their career path and skills they have to start with. Align their target position and help them in setting up the small steps (certification, small projects, connecting with skills people, learning etc

Mentoring others helps you keep your skills and knowledge up-to-date as sometimes you are learning as well as teaching. Having a relatively mapped out set of goals will ensure you are teaching/training what they need to learn as well as ensure you are addressing their position and career needs. Mentoring also helps the person feel more confident, more connected and may be more active in the work environment because they know they can talk things over with you if needed. Employees usually feel more connected and committed to their position if they have an internal mentor to guide them. Mentorship programs can reduce new hire turn over rates.

It's always fulfilling to give back to the society, once you've achieved enough to be able to provide expert knowledge, experience, and guidance. Amateur or Mid-career level professionals struggling to make past the barriers which you've successfully overcome, can take inspiration from your journey. So, Personal Branding is the way to go. Establish a persona before your audience and let word-of-mouth promote your relevance in the industry.

The best way to learn is by teaching others. You may think that you are growing, but unless you are able to share your learning in effective and concise manner it is not enough. The optimum is to share minimum with maximum impact. This will not only help you to gather your learning but also gives a fresh perspective that you might be missing. How to find a mentee is not too difficult. What you need is to have a clear positioning about your offering to get people in your universe. In case of a corporate setting there are already a lot of people to learn if you are considered an SME in your space.

Building relationships that are founded on trust is very important. Trust is hard to earn and harder to get back. Be transparent about your intentions and honest in your interactions.

Building your reputation in a community has long lasting effects and can help you down the road with fostering new connections. Always keep your resume updated with your latest experiences.

Change is a constant and unavoidable reality in any industry. Instead of resisting or fearing change, you need to embrace it and see it as a chance to learn new skills, grow your potential, and innovate your solutions. You can do this by being curious about new trends, technologies, and best practices1. You can also do this by being flexible and open-minded to different perspectives, approaches, and opportunities. You can also seek new challenges, take risks, and experiment with new ideas2. By embracing change, you can stay ahead of the curve, gain a competitive edge, and keep yourself motivated and engaged in your career.

Act as a thought leader, by sharing your knowledge in the form of Speaker engagement, e.g. as Key Note Speaker at conferences, industry events etc.

Soft Skills and Empathy are two skills people need as they build there network of contacts. Contacts a valuable resource as you go up the ladder of an international company. I have just returned from Miami coaching a top real estate CEO Soft Skills for International Meetings. Leo Hill

Demonstrate your ability to adapt to changing industry landscapes and embrace innovation. Showcase instances where you've successfully navigated industry shifts or implemented innovative solutions. Highlight your soft skills, such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities. These skills are often as important as technical expertise and contribute to your overall value within the industry. And, establish and maintain a professional online presence through platforms like LinkedIn. Regularly update your profile with achievements, skills, and endorsements. Share relevant industry content, articles, and participate in discussions to showcase your expertise.

Demonstrate your commitment to diversity and inclusion. Showcase instances where you've contributed to creating inclusive work environments or supported initiatives that promote diversity within your industry. Consistently implementing these strategies will help you showcase your ongoing value in the later stages of your career, ensuring that you remain relevant and influential within your industry.

Embracing change is the most important factor here. Let’s take the example of ChatGPT. With the advent of GenAi, and its applications in your day-to-day activities, no matter what domain you belong to, the people who could make the most out of this wave were the people who embraced this wave.

Open-minded interweaving of new perspectives and practices into your approach can set you apart from those who hold unyieldingly to the status quo that may be outdated or less relevant. In this rapidly changing market landscape, what got you here is unlikely to be what lifts you to the next stage (especially when it comes to technical and technological skills). When change is the only constant, choosing to ride the wave of evolution, reinvention, and transformation is a brave and wise move to stay current.

All of the above are important to make sure you are constantly mastering your craft in your chosen career path. Also note that every career could have a different focus so making sure you know what's important to your relevant career and having a network you can constantly learn and keep growth at its forefront is highly important. Here is how I prioritise staying abreast in my career. 1)A strong LinkedIn presence , posting relevant content and constantly adding value. 2) Ups-killing through courses, podcast and seminars 3)Mentor and give back by hosting or participating in podcast this also helps you build influence and a voice. 4)Stay focused and remain niched 5)Attend relevant industry events to keep building your network strategically.

In order to maintain industry relevance in the early stages of a career, one must constantly work on all of the aspects mentioned above, but it is also critical to understand the overall geopolitical situation when it comes to building that relevance and being one step ahead of the herd rather than following it. As we advance in our careers, we must constantly upskill ourselves, by networking or meeting industry leaders & help obtain firsthand knowledge and perspectives from subject matter experts in the fields.

A few tips I would share: 1) keep exploring what's new trend happening in your industry. 2) check what role expectations are there. 3) work towards acquiring skills relevant to it. 4) think from perspective of business. 5) take practice actions on what u r learning. Keep going.

Few pointers which I would like to contribute are ??Thought leadership : showcase your expertise through blogs, articles etc.. Establish your presence ??adaptability : embrace change and be more adaptable to new technology ?? cross functional collaboration : not. Just your function, but having cross functional. Approach is very important to know different domains and broden your skill set. ??visibility : early on I realised one thing visibility isn't overnight one must show up every day despite the falls and challenges. ??innovate to create : your contribution to the communities and network will create your circle of influence. Be involved in creative projects that demonstrate forward thinking mindset

All of the above answers are great. Keep in mind that change is quite difficult for some people, particularly those that have been in and that business or industry a long time. So while you are learning and excepting change in technology and processes, be aware and try to help team members who are not. It takes strong team work to lead to success.