always saw the first five years of my career as an opportunity to gain as much diverse experience as possible. Becoming a generalist made sense because it felt too early to specialize. During that time, I worked in road safety, public health policy implementation, community development, food gardening, digital governance, open data, academic research, and more. I’m truly grateful to have been part of impactful projects and to have collaborated with brilliant people dedicated to making the world better. For anyone unsure about their path in the early stages of their career, I’d strongly advise seeking diverse experiences during your first five years.
However, as I approached the five-year mark, I was faced with a daunting question: “What should the next five years of my career look like?”
I’m a planner by nature. I like to have a map laid out that I can check frequently. As President Eisenhower said, “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” The plan itself might not unfold as expected, and you’ll often need to deviate from it. But the thought process behind planning is invaluable. That’s why I appreciate agile planning—it doesn’t eliminate planning, but it allows you to adjust as new information emerges.
So, what’s next for my career? After much reflection, I’ve decided to focus on three areas: housing, digital governments, and artificial intelligence. This might evolve as I encounter new ideas and challenges, but I’m excited about these fields and eager to connect with others who share these interests.
P.S. One exercise I found useful while reflecting on these topics was finding a common thread. One that stood out to me was the ethical dimensions in each area. There are undoubtedly more connections, and I’m keen to explore them. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss!
Aliasgher Janmohammed 