Class of ’25 Job Report: Bar Talk with Eric Bartosz

May is here; for many, that means high school and college graduation ceremonies are happening or rapidly approaching. First, to the Class of ‘25, congratulations on the culmination of years of effort, and I can confidently say that the best is still ahead with the many adventures that await you. That’s equally true if you are moving on to college from high school or are at the starting line of your career. For any students not graduating this spring, you still have the awesome consolation prize of summer vacation coming, so that’s still a solid win.

Four years ago, I wrote a column for the Class of 2021 called ‘Let’s (Not) Get this All Figured Out,’ which discussed how many of the careers graduating students would ultimately have in a decade did not yet exist. Basically, the point was that if you didn’t know exactly what you want to do with your life, try not to lose too much sleep over it, as in many cases whatever you think you may be doing will be different from what reality looks like.

In 2025, the core message remains the same: the future of what some types of work look like is unknown and unknowable, but a variable that has evolved and accelerated significantly in the past three years is AI. What impact it will have on reducing (or eliminating) some jobs and what opportunities will ultimately be created through dynamic technology is, in many ways, a mystery. The rapid pace of advancement surprises and befuddles many of the leading AI scientists and engineers who created them as the technology learns and evolves at unpredictable and exponential rates. Some of these GPT tools have already demonstrated unexpected leaps that bring us closer to AGI (artificial general intelligence) and ASI (artificial super intelligence) sooner than anticipated by the leading AI architects. If the experts are unsure of what will happen next, it’s safe to say we as users certainly can’t predict it either. 

One fact that is known, is that this uncertainty is a source of great concern and worry for many people, especially the younger generation, who are doing their best to plan their future work and earning potential. As an MBA professor, I often have conversations with students about their doubts about job security and how to best position themselves for a future that can seem confusing to the point of analysis paralysis.

While there is no crystal ball to show what the work world will look like in five years, we have the next best thing: the World Economic Forum (WEF) and their 2025 edition of the Future of Jobs Report. That link will take you to the 290-page report, which is stuffed with facts and figures about which careers, jobs and industries are likely to show the greatest growth and decline. For me, the main takeaway is the summary of the expertise areas that the data indicates will be the most in-demand in the coming years. 

It’s not surprising that technological advancements are decreasing the need for some of the ‘hard skills’ typically associated with technical proficiency and specialization in some areas. It’s already clear that AI will be able to rapidly automate and execute tasks that, historically, require a person to facilitate. The great news is that the traits and skillsets predicted to be the most desirable are also the ones that will serve us well in life, and in many cases we can pursue furthering our knowledge with self-guided learning.

Specifically, collaboration and interpersonal skills, effective communication and aspects of leadership all fall under the umbrella of emotional intelligence. According to the WEF report, employers in 2030 will prioritize EQ skills when they are searching for the most qualified candidates, and that trend is already emerging according to data from LinkedIn on executive-level job descriptions.

For years, I have been talking and writing about the vast benefits of building our EQ. I dedicate a significant section to the topic in the third edition of my BAR40: Achieving Personal Excellence book, but there are many other high-value books on the topic as well as plenty of TedTalks and video content.

That said, in addition to books and videos, a significant number of free classes are now offered which we may not be aware of. For two easy examples, the University of Michigan and UC Berkeley offer free EQ certification courses. Once you complete them, simply add the credentials to your resume in the education section.

One note on the communication topic: Being an effective public speaker is a superpower that will continuously open doors for you in life, and the reality is that practice and experience speaking are the most effective ways to become better at it. Like riding a bike, you can watch online courses all day long, but until you swing over your leg and grab the handlebars, your ability to actually do it is purely speculative. To legitimately build your practical skills, consider joining a local speaking club like Toastmasters, which provides frequent opportunities to get in front of people and do the repetitive drills that build the skills of effectively giving talks and getting feedback on what worked and what could be improved.

Below are some helpful links to summer school options. Consider it an investment of your time that will pay dividends in life and career!

• Free Emotional Intelligence Courses & Certificates [2025]
• 10 free online leadership courses hosted by top universities | Fortune
• Toastmasters International – Home

Eric Bartosz is the founder of BAR40 and the author of the internationally acclaimed and bestselling book ‘BAR40: Achieving Personal Excellence.’ He lives in Center Valley with his wife Trish, daughter Riley and pug Piper, is an adjunct MBA professor at DeSales University and serves the community as an Upper Saucon firefighter, a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley and a local race organizer. Eric is a 20+ year runner and racer and can often be found logging miles on the Saucon Rail Trail. Catch up on Eric’s latest Bar Talk columns here.