In a recent LinkedIn post, Ehsan Ali reflects on a significant shift in his career trajectory and offers timely advice for IT professionals facing job market uncertainty. Ali, who began his career in Australia assisting with IT outsourcing, now finds himself helping individuals concerned about their roles being impacted by automation, AI, and corporate restructures.
He highlights the changing landscape of the IT industry, noting the initial focus on cost reduction through offshore work.
“Back then, the brief was simple. Build bigger teams for less.”
Ali contrasts this past objective with the current pressures on IT roles, which include the rise of automation, artificial intelligence, and frequent restructures or mergers and acquisitions. He stresses that individuals cannot prevent a company from deciding a role is no longer necessary.
Shifting the Focus to Personal Career Assets
To address this evolving reality, Ehsan Ali has begun posing a crucial question to senior IT professionals: “If your role disappeared on Friday, what would you have on Monday?” This question, he explains, prompts a self-assessment of an individual’s preparedness for unexpected career changes. Ali elaborates on the ideal outcomes of this reflection, suggesting that professionals should aim to have:
- A clear vision for their next career steps.
- Quantifiable examples demonstrating their business value.
- A strong external network aware of their capabilities.
- Senior contacts willing to provide introductions.
- Developing opportunities already in the pipeline.
Conversely, Ali warns against being unprepared, which he likens to having an outdated resume, a limited LinkedIn network, and relying solely on job boards.
“One of my clients found out the hard way.”
Ali shares a cautionary tale of a client who had spent seven years with a single company, only to be laid off. The client’s situation was exacerbated by a niche skill set with few matching roles, a peak in tech layoffs, and a neglected resume and LinkedIn profile.
The Power of ‘Career Assets’
Despite the setback, the client’s value was not diminished. Ali emphasizes that this situation underscores the importance of building ‘career assets.’ He defines these as the foundational elements that ensure an individual’s marketability and resilience, regardless of their current role’s status.
“His old job disappeared. His value didn’t.”
To assist professionals in developing these crucial assets, Ali has created a free guide titled “The 5 Career Assets.” This resource includes a short assessment designed to help individuals identify their weakest career asset, encouraging them to proactively strengthen it before a potential job loss occurs.
Navigating the Future of Work
Ali’s message is a call to action for IT professionals to adopt a proactive approach to their career management. By focusing on developing tangible career assets, individuals can build a strong foundation that provides security and opportunities even amidst industry disruption. As Ehsan Ali suggests, the focus should shift from simply performing a current role to continuously cultivating one’s long-term career value and network.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Ehsan Ali on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on October 1, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →