Fake AI skills
In times of great change, bet on someone who can learn.
In my first semester of college, I called home in a panic.
It was a couple months in, and I'd hit a snag:
I'd completely fallen in love with the very first course I'd taken.
In all my other courses, I found myself constantly distracted, pulled back into the subject.
I'd even gone to office hours, and had been offered a slot into a graduate-level elective course taught by the same professor.
And this was a terrible terrible problem...
...Because that course was Philosophy 101.
"What the heck am I ever going to do with a Philosophy degree?" I asked my mom.
I'd already made some practical sacrifices in my choice of school:
Rather than audition for a slot at a music school, I'd opted for regular academics at a large university.
I wanted to be practical, to get a great job, to build financial security.
So, as much as I was drawn by the debate, the way that very analytical arguments made my brain stretch, the validation of feeling very good at something academically for the first time in my life,
A degree in Philosophy just didn't feel like a smart move at all.
Luckily, my mom is incredible:
She said,
"Lauren - stop stressing. There is nothing more productive than learning how to think.
Those egg heads who are learning engineering - how long before what they're learning to build won't be built anymore?
Those communications majors - what will happen when we move beyond TV and DvDs?
And even the premeds - how many of them won't ever become doctors?
Learning how to think means you'll be ready to take on any job, no matter how much changes.
And I think employers in the future will care more about that that they do anything else you could learn in college."
Flash to today:
Friend of the newsletter Christian Wattig recently posted a great video about hiring for FP&A roles in this AI era
It's really got me thinking about my mom's advice and about hiring and career strategy in this time of flux.
In his video, Chris argues that the skills you want to prioritize these days aren't the technical ones
(Excel, coding, or even AI skills)
Instead, you should screen for
Judgement
Communication
and Learning Velocity
In the age of AI - as with any age when things are in flux - it pays to know how to think.
A CFO recruiter recently asked me what are the skills I'd recommend companies look for in an "AI-Native" CFO.
My response flew out of my mouth before I even realized what I was saying:
"I think AI skills for CFOs might be fake."
And by that, I don't mean that there isn't anything to learn about AI, or that some folks aren't more advanced in their experience or understanding of the technology.
What I mean, is that the experience of having vibe-coded a terrible video game over the weekend doesn't make you capable of handling AI strategy for an organization.
I care much less about how much leaders have been using or encouraging their organizations to use AI.
In fact, when I hear these stories I'm actually listening for more important signals:
Curiosity, confidence, first-principles thinking, technical literacy, research, risk awareness, empathy, ability to teach and inspire...
What's most important: You have to be someone who knows how to think.
Someone who is curious and capable of learning incredibly quickly
Someone who is precise and thoughtful in their analysis and decision-making
Someone who can clearly articulate a good strategy to the greater organization.
Someone who has been through a technology shift before and has some wisdom about these situations.
Someone who's managed change.
What do you think?
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