Future Fit Book Summary - Future Fit Book explained in key points
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Future Fit summary

Andrea Clarke

How to Stay Relevant and Competitive in the Future of Work

4.4 (126 ratings)
25 mins

Brief summary

Future Fit by Andrea Clarke is a career guidebook that teaches readers how to develop skills to thrive in the changing professional landscape. It offers practical advice, tools, and case studies to help individuals become adaptable and future-proof their careers.

Table of Contents

    Future Fit
    Summary of 8 key ideas

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    Key idea 1 of 8

    To get ahead in the future, you’ll need to work on your personal brand.

    Whether you like it or not, you have a “personal brand.”

    But what is that exactly? Well, it’s the whole picture – from your style of doing things, your values and interests, to how you make people feel when they’re around you.

    On the face of it, that’s nothing new. What is new, though, is how important your personal brand will become in the future, as you attempt to climb the career ladder.

    So, the key message here is: To get ahead in the future, you’ll need to work on your personal brand.

    Things are changing rapidly. Because of technological advances and flexible work arrangements, you have less face-to-face contact with the people who could hire or promote you. So, you’ll need to go above and beyond what’s typically required to catch an employer’s eye. Only those with distinctive personal brands and reputations will stand out above the rest.

    In fact, your personal brand will have to define you quickly and effectively, in the same way that a consumer brand does a product. In the future, it’s likely that managers will view a consumer brand and personal brand as pretty much the same thing. The same questions will apply to both: Can they be trusted? Are they offering a valuable product? What makes them different?Do they have the ability to influence?

    Naturally, this means you’ll really have to outline what makes you distinctive. To do this, you’ll first need to delve deeper into who you are and why you do what you do. From an employer’s point of view, there is nothing more powerful and attractive than a person who is completely certain about their career and life purpose.

    Put yourself in their shoes. Who would you prefer to hire? Someone with just a list of college grades and miscellaneous jobs on their CV, or someone who has already carved out a distinctive niche for themselves and knows exactly what they want from a role? It’ll be the latter person every time. They’re likely to bring real purposefulness and drive, while everyone else is an unknown quantity.

    What’s more, when you’re certain about why you’re attracted to your particular career, you’ll be able to communicate it authentically and with real power. You won’t need to pretend. Like a great consumer brand, everything about you will make sense.

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    What is Future Fit about?

    Future Fit (2019) is a guide to remaining relevant and employable in the future. As technological change and new employment models shape the workplace in often unpredictable ways, we risk being left behind if we don’t keep up. This book provides key insights into what the employees and leaders of the future must do to stay ahead.

    Future Fit Review

    Future Fit (2021) by Andrea Clarke is a book that explores the skills needed to thrive in the future workplace. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • It offers practical strategies and insights to navigate the ever-changing job landscape, allowing readers to future-proof their careers.
    • Backed by research and real-life examples, it provides a comprehensive understanding of the skills required to succeed in a rapidly evolving digital world.
    • The book's engaging approach and thought-provoking ideas make it far from boring, keeping readers interested and motivated to adapt and grow.

    Best quote from Future Fit

    Creativity is the engine of innovation. If were to stay relevant, this is a human skill we need to understand and invest in.

    —Andrea Clarke
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    Who should read Future Fit?

    • Those keen to prepare themselves for the future
    • CEOs and leaders looking for a head start
    • Anyone interested in tech, business, and science

    About the Author

    Andrea Clarke is a former TV news reporter and Washington, D.C., correspondent, who covered major news events for Al Jazeera English, the Pentagon Channel, and the Seven Network, before working on humanitarian aid programs to rebuild Iraq, Afghanistan, and Georgia. Later, she led the communication campaign for the Save Darfur advocacy movement. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

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    Future Fit FAQs 

    What is the main message of Future Fit?

    The main message of Future Fit is to adapt and thrive in an uncertain and rapidly changing world.

    How long does it take to read Future Fit?

    The reading time for Future Fit varies, but it typically takes a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is Future Fit a good book? Is it worth reading?

    Future Fit is worth reading because it provides valuable insights and strategies to prepare for the future.

    Who is the author of Future Fit?

    The author of Future Fit is Andrea Clarke.

    What to read after Future Fit?

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