HOW DO YOU BECOME A FUTURIST?

How do you become a futurist? As professional trendspotters and business strategists who apply the art of futurism – actively thinking about and contemplating how the future will develop and impact individuals and businesses – there are many ways to arrive at this calling.

Certainly – you can become a certified Futurist Trendspotter and Business Analyst (FTBA™) and Futurist Change Leader (FCL™) training programs. However, if you’re wondering – how do you become a futurist? – there are several other pathways through which you might establish yourself as a professional futures thinker and industry thought leader.

For example, you might:

– Join the Association of Professional Futurists and seeking formal education and training

– Pursue higher learning in the form of a postgraduate degree in futures studies

– Get hired as a futurist by one of the world’s leading employers

– Work for a market research firm or corporate / government think tank

– Regularly appear as a business, technology, or trends analyst in leading media outlets

Alternately, you might pursue studies or work in different areas that engage in futurist trendspotting including:

– Management Consulting

– Market Research

– Business Analysis

– Consumer Insights

– Strategic Planning

– Strategic Innovation

– Keynote Speaking

– Corporate Training and Development

For those wondering how to become futurists, it may help to know: Many of the world’s best-known futurist keynote speakers and consultants have found ways to forge their own career path. For example, here at FutureProof Strategies: The Futurist Consulting Company™, we employ both veteran business analysts and market researchers as well as entrepreneurs who’ve started their own trendspotting and consumer insights practices. In effect, the fastest way to become a futurist is by making a point to actively seek out and pursue working knowledge and insight of future trends; look for educational opportunities and ways to gain experience practicing skills such as market research, analysis, and strategic planning; and share your thought leadership.

As we often remind audiences at keynote speaking sessions, breakouts, workshops, and training seminars, each and every one of us has the ability to think like a futurist. If you’re thinking about how to become a futurist, checking out a copy of our book Think Like a Futurist (free to download and enjoy for a limited-time with membership to BIZDEV™: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships) is a great starting point.