Latest news with #GoogleCareerCertificates
Mint
01-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
How AI is helping job seekers pivot to new careers
Finding the job hunt challenging? AI might give you some ideas for pivoting to a completely different field. Career change isn't easy even in strong hiring markets. Candidates need to convince companies that their accomplishments in one field can apply to another—and that betting on someone without exact experience in a role will pay off. Increasingly, artificial-intelligence tools created by companies including Salesforce, Google and LinkedIn are helping workers sell their skills, tailor their résumés to new areas and identify under-the-radar roles. Other job hunters are using AI prompts to turn widely available chatbots into career coaches. Brooke Grant had been wanting a new role inside Salesforce when she heard of the company's new AI tool, Career Connect. It analyzes employees' skills and recommends roles internally that they might not have otherwise considered—as well as training programs to help them qualify for those positions. Grant, who studied communications and organizational psychology, had worked for a decade in a position called change management, helping colleagues adapt to new operational processes. She uploaded her résumé into Career Connect, and the AI tool visualized different paths forward. One was her own manager's role, showing her what the natural progression would be. One was a role in AI strategy, drawing from her experience with AI at a former company. And one was a 'sales enablement" job—making sure teams have the right tools to close deals and coaching them on techniques and the product. The AI tool identified her overlapping skills for this job. Though she had no sales experience, she contacted the hiring manager, while asking AI for guidance on how to pitch herself. A new online AI tool at Salesforce, Career Connect, analyzes employees' skills to recommend roles internally. 'I would have never ever even applied for this role if that didn't give me the confidence," she says. She got the job and started in March with a slight raise. AI tools are opening up potential new jobs that workers might not have otherwise considered, companies say. In some cases, the technology uses natural-language processing to understand what users want and compare it with potential opportunities. Google and LinkedIn have created products for external users. LinkedIn is releasing to premium subscribers a tool called Next Role Explorer, allowing them to look at jobs inside and outside their current companies as well as online-learning classes to help them land those jobs. At Google, Career Dreamer uses AI and labor-market data to serve up career possibilities to potential job-switchers. The company released the tool after searches for 'how to change jobs" hit a record level last year. Google's Career Dreamer uses AI to come up with career recommendations for potential job-switchers. Google says the free tool has had hundreds of thousands of U.S. users since it launched in February. (It directs users to Google Career Certificates, some of which cost a fee to enroll unless students do so through a school or other partner.) The tool doesn't save users' entries on their servers, only in web browsers, but uses Google Analytics to track overall activity on the program, the company says. For a user who said she was an accountant at a Big Four firm and noted skills in problem solving, auditing and financial reporting, Career Dreamer advised considering roles as a management consultant or regulatory-affairs specialist. The program suggested a middle-school teacher consider working as a corporate trainer. A link to Google's Gemini AI explained both roles 'require the ability to engage an audience, explain concepts clearly, manage group dynamics, and adapt to different learning styles." 'Most people either aren't conscious of the skills they have from the jobs they've done, or they don't know how to talk about it," says Lisa Gevelber, founder of Grow with Google, an education initiative that launched the Career Dreamer program. At this moment employers often prefer turnkey candidates vetted by their experience, campus career officers and recruiters say. 'In a hiring-hesitant market, you're going to go with the least risky candidate," says Stephanie Ranno, a former senior vice president of growth for TorchLight Hire, a recruiting and staffing firm. Companies looking to hire might have 200 to 500 candidates and will rank them using applicant-tracking systems that parse résumés for the most relevant experience. Ranno says she has held free career calls with job seekers whose fields aren't hiring right now—including former federal workers—and recommends that they use AI as an early step. They can upload their résumés to free AI tools like ChatGPT, with a detailed prompt with what they are looking for and their current hiring landscape, she says. Then, they can ask the program for a list of businesses, family foundations or nonprofits that value their experience or have hired people with those skills. 'You can get all of these ideas; you can get excited," Ranno says. Many early-career professionals enroll in M.B.A. programs to pivot into a new field. Harvard Business School this semester tested an AI tool for students and alumni that compares job seekers' résumés with their preferred roles and recommends online classes to bridge skills gaps. Using natural-language processing, it also shows users job opportunities that could work for them, as well as alumni who work there to contact. Rachel Fogleman, who is in the M.B.A. program at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University-Indianapolis, tried using AI for career input on her field of public health—one where many need to pivot following funding and program cuts. She spent about 10 hours over several days drafting and redrafting ChatGPT prompts that job seekers in the sector could use. 'You're still telling the same story of who you are but telling it in a way that someone in the private sector understands," she says. She put the prompts that got the best results on her LinkedIn page. Her first: 'You are a career coach assisting a recently laid-off who is pivoting from governmental public health employment to a private-sector job. Create a list of equivalent private-sector job titles." Users should ask the technology, she wrote, for three potential directly equivalent roles, three potential adjacent roles and three broader private-sector roles with transferable skills, as well as multiple companies hiring for each job title and a specified location. Fogleman says she doesn't expect ChatGPT to replace an actual career coach, but it is helpful in translating specialized skills to other industries—especially for people who can't afford a professional. For a public-health educator, like herself, AI suggested looking into corporate posts such as employee-wellness program coordinator and community-relations manager. Write to Lindsay Ellis at
Forbes
27-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Are Degrees Becoming Obsolete For Career Advancement In 2025?
Are Degrees Becoming Obsolete for Career Advancement in 2025? You walk into a job interview, resume polished and degree proudly listed. But instead of asking about your GPA, the hiring manager wants to hear about the app you built, the campaign you led, or the system you streamlined. Welcome to 2025: where what you do matters more than what you've studied. Hiring managers today are looking less at your framed diploma and more at the skills you actually bring to the table. So if you're wondering whether a degree is still your ticket to success or just an expensive formality, you're not alone. Let's break down what's really driving career advancement now. Here's the truth: employers are prioritizing skills more than ever. More than six in ten employers in education and health care believe degrees don't define productivity. And they're not alone. In fact, 81% of top executives say their companies are doubling down on skills-first hiring, trading diploma demands for proof of real, job-ready abilities. Why? Because in a world that changes overnight—where AI, remote work, and digital transformation are reshaping industries—what matters most is whether you can adapt, solve problems, and execute. You don't need a four-year degree to be a standout marketer, developer, project manager, or strategist. If you can show results, communicate well, and hit the ground running, you've already got what most companies are looking for. Certifications, portfolios, and demonstrated outcomes speak louder than transcripts. The rise of bootcamps, self-paced learning, and certificate programs has made it easier than ever to upskill on your own terms. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Google Career Certificates are leveling the playing field, giving you access to job-relevant education at a fraction of the cost and time. Employers are also placing growing value on professional certifications. A 2021 Pearson study found that 60% are open to hiring candidates with non-degree certificates, up from 40% in 2019. In many cases, candidates with a certification but no degree are seen as equally or even better qualified than those with a degree but no certification. You no longer need to go into debt to qualify for meaningful, well-paying work. If you're committed to continuous learning and can show how you've applied what you've learned, you're already ahead of the curve. In 2025, experience isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a competitive edge. Real-world projects, freelance gigs, internships, and side hustles are often worth more than any theoretical coursework. Hiring managers want to know: Can you actually do the job? That's why portfolios, case studies, and impact metrics are your best assets. Did you launch a product? Grow an audience? Optimize a process that saved your last company time or money? Talk about it. Own it. Quantify it. You're not just telling your story, you're showing your value. Because at the end of the day, what truly stands out is proof. When you can clearly show the results you've delivered, you give employers something far more powerful than a degree: you give them confidence in what you can actually do. Your career is no longer built just on what you know, but on who knows you. In a noisy job market, your personal brand, digital presence, and network are critical assets. It's no longer enough to quietly do good work—you need to be seen doing good work. Show up on LinkedIn. Join industry communities. Reach out to people who are doing what you want to do. Don't wait for opportunities, build relationships that create them. And when you apply for roles, remember: referrals carry far more weight than resumes submitted cold. A whopping 85% of jobs are filled through connections, and more than 75% of recent hires say LinkedIn was key to landing their new role. So if you're spending hours perfecting your resume but zero time connecting with people in your space, it's time to shift your strategy. Let's be real, there are still industries where a degree carries weight. If you're going into medicine, law, academia, or certain engineering fields, formal education is still non-negotiable. And even in more flexible sectors, some companies still use degrees as a basic filter. In these cases, a degree can signal discipline, foundational knowledge, or the ability to follow through. And if you already have one? Great! Use it as a foundation, not your entire value proposition. But if you don't? Don't let that stop you. Because more and more companies are ditching degree requirements altogether. In 2024, major employers like Walmart, Google, and IBM removed degree requirements for many roles, focusing instead on competency-based hiring. The point is: the value of a degree depends on your path, your goals, and how you leverage the other tools at your disposal. So, are degrees becoming obsolete? Not completely. But they're no longer the gatekeepers they once were. In 2025, career growth isn't about where or what you studied—it's about how you show up. Skills, experience, curiosity, and confidence are what really move the needle. If you've ever felt like you were behind because you didn't have a degree or that you weren't advancing fast enough because your education wasn't from a 'top school,' breathe easy. Your career is still in your control. And you have more options than ever before. Start where you are. Keep learning. Build your body of work. Make connections. Share your voice. That's how you grow in 2025. You've got this!
Forbes
13-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
3 Ways To Future-Proof Your Career Against Layoffs In 2025
Job insecurity is at an all-time high as the U.S. braces to head into another recession Recent data from a MyPerfectResume survey paints a stark picture of the labor market and of workers' trust in the traditional job model: about 81% fear job loss and 92% anticipate a recession. The report, which interviewed more than 1,100 U.S. professionals, revealed that more than half say that their salary isn't enough to keep them financially stable. 'Burnout is expected to worsen, with job insecurity cited as the top cause,' the report continued. Additionally, a Challenger, Gray, and Christmas report highlighted that 'U.S.-based employers announced 172,017 job cuts in February, the highest total for the month since 2009 when 186,350 job cuts were recorded. It is the highest monthly total since July 2020 when 262,649 cuts were announced…February's total is a 245% increase from the 49,795 cuts announced one month prior. It is a 103% increase from the 84,638 cuts announced in the same month last year.' This is most likely spurred on by federal and DOGE-related job cuts, as well as the mass tech layoffs we are all too familiar with. To add to this, recent economic wars between the U.S. and other countries as relates to tariffs has created a volatile economy and threats of a recession, JPMorganChase CEO Jamie Dimon warns in a conversation with the Wall Street Journal, which directly impacts the industries and jobs of workers, particularly in manufacturing, energy, and agriculture. So how are workers combating this harsh reality? The survey estimates that more than two-thirds of workers anticipate more freelance and contract workers next year, while about 61% are planning to upskill in 2025 to stay competitive. If you too, are feeling worried about the stability or future of your job and income, there are three steps you can take starting today to protect your career progression and ensure regular financial streams, even if your job is on the line: The fastest way to future-proof your career is to increase your value within the job market, and specifically, within your target industry. This requires upskilling, but you need to be strategic. Don't just upskill randomly. Set a goal for job descriptions or roles you would like to pursue within a few months to a year from now. Look at those jobs and analyze what tools and skill sets and competencies appear repeatedly across those job ads. This gives you an idea of the skills requirements for those roles. Next, audit your own skill set and compare with the requirements frequently listed in these jobs. See where there is a gap or mismatch due to lack of knowledge, experience, or skills. Then, double down on this skills gap by undertaking industry-recognized training via short online courses, many of which are free or relatively inexpensive, such as on Coursera, edX, LinkedIn Learning, and Google Career Certificates. Ideally, you want to focus on high-income skills which are transferable, can complement your existing experience, or enable you to pivot into a new role or industry, and are in-demand based on industry trends and hiring reports. Some examples of high-paying, in-demand skills you should focus on upskilling in include SEO, tech tools, project management, UX design, data analytics, and digital marketing. It's better to start now than wait for later when you don't have the energy or mental motivation to upskill because you're already out of work. The other way you can future-proof your job and career against layoffs is by freelancing. It's been estimated by Statista that by the year 2027, which is just two years time, more than half of the U.S. workforce will be freelancers. There is growing demand in this space, with freelance hiring ramped up by 260% from 2022 to 2024 alone. This means that you have a greater chance of landing a job as a freelance worker than you would being an employed professional. Freelancing offers you a safety net because you're able to take on multiple projects without being tied down to one employer. You can set your rates and increase them when the time feels right. And there are endless opportunities to scale and generate multiple streams of revenue just from one skill or business idea. Freelancing is a flexible workforce model that suits employers perfectly because they're able to fill critical talent gaps within a short period of time and at a reduced budget, compared to waiting for ages to find the right full-time permanent hire. At the same time, you're able to experience the benefit of working on your own terms and being able to live and work from any location remotely. This creates the ultimate win-win situation. This idea is very similar to freelancing, but takes it a step further: why not diversify your skill set and your revenue streams instead of depending solely on one or even two sources (your job and your freelance business)? Why not consider additional sources of long-term income generation, which can develop passive income to support you and your family for years to come? This includes turning to options like Airbnb hosting and rentals, licencing your knowledge and skills via IP (intellectual property) online, selling courses and digital products which are scalable, and reinvesting your income to create a portfolio of assets. Spend wisely and set aside a portion of investment so you can diversify your finance streams, making you less dependent on one job as a source of income. This also gives you flexibility to walk out the door if you don't like your job due to a toxic work environment. Are you ready to reclaim your finances and take back control over your career? Follow the three steps above, and you'll be more resilient against layoffs while proving yourself to be a valuable asset in the job market. Upskilling and diversification can mitigate the effects of layoffs on your career and finances How can I survive a round of layoffs in 2025? What should I do now? Read here for five essential steps and a seven-day checklist you should take from day one after you've been informed that your job is eliminated. How can I make money as a freelancer? To make money as a freelancer, you need to be strategic with the services you provide and the way you position yourself. Read this article for three ways to make as much as $200 a day as a freelancer in 2025.
Express Tribune
24-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Google, Tech Valley to provide over 30K scholarships
To empower youth with globally recognised digital skills, the Sindh government, in collaboration with Google and Tech Valley, has announced more than 30,000 Google Career Certificates scholarships for public sector universities across the province. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah presided over a meeting to formalise the initiative with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at CM House on Monday. It was attended by Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, Secretary to the Chief Minister Raheem Shaikh, Chairman of HEC Sindh Prof Tariq Rafi, Secretary of School Education Zahid Abbasi, Secretary of IT Noor Samoo, Secretary of U&B Abbas Baloch, the Vice Chancellors of 30 public sector universities, CEO of Tech Valley Pakistan Umar Farooq, and other concerned individuals. The chief minister stated that the aim of the initiative is to equip students with in-demand digital skills in fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, IT Automation, and Project Management, ensuring they are prepared for the evolving job market. Murad Shah stated that following the success of the 2024 Google Career Certificates Sindh Programme, in which 1,500 students from 10 universities achieved a 100 per cent success rate, the 2025 expansion underscores this government's commitment to digital transformation and workforce development. Shah emphasised the importance of the programme, commenting: "This partnership is a testament to our vision of transforming Sindh into a hub of innovation and skill development." He added that by offering over 30,000 scholarships, we are not merely investing in education; we are investing in the future of our youth and the economic prosperity of our province. Developed by Google experts, the Career Certificates programme provides flexible online learning, enabling students to gain industry-recognised credentials within three to six months, even without a traditional degree.
