How to Build a Career That AI Can’t Replace

If there’s one thing this series has taught us, it’s that career paths are rarely straight lines.

Josh Davis is no exception.

From dropping out of college to managing a mom-and-pop cell phone store to leading a successful marketing agency (Human Powered), Josh has done one thing consistently: invested in himself and built marketable skills.

In this conversation, you’ll find:
• Josh’s top advice for job seekers
• Mistakes to avoid when building your career
• Encouragement for the road ahead
…and more.

What are some key takeaways that you'd want to share with job seekers or people looking to level up?

You have to invest in yourself. There are so many resources out there now to teach you anything you want to learn, but you have to have the mindset of “I’m going to make something of myself.” If you’re just sitting around waiting for an opportunity to be handed to you, chances are it’s not going to happen.

Early in my marketing career (2009–2013), I was curious about where digital marketing was headed and wanted to be part of it. I taught myself HTML, CSS, Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. I built websites, designed logos, created graphics, and produced social media content, often from books and the few online thought leaders sharing knowledge at the time.

By the time I sat down with business leaders, I could present a broad skill set without them needing to hire multiple specialists. None of that would have happened if I hadn’t been a self-starter willing to put in the work to develop my skills. That’s the biggest takeaway: get after it. Very few people get a lucky break without first putting themselves in a position to earn it.

How do you determine if someone's going to be a good fit for your team? What are the qualities that you look for in a team player?

I look for self-starters who have a genuine passion for what they do. Passion drives people to invest more of themselves. It’s the difference between someone who just completes tasks and someone who becomes a creative problem solver and high-level contributor.

Beyond passion, I look for the “I can make it better” mentality. It’s not about dismissing past work; it’s about finishing something and immediately seeing ways to improve it. That constant drive to refine and elevate their work is a key trait I want on my team.

What are some mistakes that you see candidates make that harm team culture?

In a high-performing culture, you want people who are both deeply driven and humble enough to work as part of a team. Passion and a desire to constantly improve are essential, but if someone’s so focused on themselves that they can’t collaborate or show grace, it can damage culture fast. That’s when gossip starts, frustrations build, and leaders end up putting out fires instead of moving the business forward.

The goal is to hire people with both the hunger to excel and the humility to support others, even those still developing. I’ll bring on someone with potential if I believe they can reach high-contributor status, but the existing team has to give them the space and grace to get there. Balancing ambition with humility is what keeps culture strong.

What are some challenges you have faced, and how have you overcome them?

With numbers or sales forecasts, there’s some level of certainty. With people, you never know. A team member might suddenly get a life-changing offer and give two weeks’ notice. You can’t control that, so especially in small companies, you have to think and act quickly, stay as prepared as possible, and expect the unexpected.

On the leadership side, people want a leader with good ideas they can align with, someone who treats them well, and someone who offers fair pay and benefits. If I led with greed, an unloving spirit, or no vision, I couldn’t expect my team to accomplish anything.

A good leader communicates a clear vision, gets buy-in, sets accountability, and treats people with compassion. When you pay and care for people well, provide benefits that support balance and security, and foster trust, everything else tends to fall into place.

What is one thing that you want job seekers to take away from this conversation?

If you’re a job seeker and don’t have highly marketable skills, start investing in yourself today, not tomorrow. Think about what you’re truly passionate about and build skills in that area. If I were passionate about web development but only knew Squarespace, I’d start learning the more powerful platforms most companies use right away.

Having a sense of urgency about making yourself more marketable is number one. Nothing else matters if you don’t have strong skills. That means turning off Netflix, TikTok, and Prime, and instead turning on YouTube tutorials, MasterClass, or LinkedIn Learning to develop those skills

What skills will be essential for success in the workforce moving forward?

It depends on the type of career you want. AI is coming for many rudimentary knowledge jobs, so you have to choose: do you want to work with your hands or your head? If it’s hands, trades like electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and line work offer great careers. If it’s head work, you need to operate above what AI can do.

For junior knowledge workers, whether in marketing, accounting, legal, or other fields, AI can help you work faster, but it can’t replace higher-level thinking. You need to understand how businesses operate: revenue structures, client agreements, operations, processes, and the goals of leadership.

Your value will come from thinking beyond AI, helping leaders envision where the business should go and how to get there. AI is a tool, not a strategist. It can execute tasks, but it can’t replace the human insight required to solve complex business challenges and chart the future.

Would you like to share anything else with the Landed Not Handed audience?

Most people are capable of far more than they give themselves credit for. Too often, they’re held back by disbelief, so they don’t invest in building skills because they can’t connect it to a tangible outcome.

I share this story sometimes in workshops: In college, my roommate smoked. I warned him about lung cancer and aging prematurely, but it didn’t move him. He couldn’t picture himself 20 or 30 years in the future. Then his girlfriend told me she hated the smell of his clothes and car. When I told him she might break up with him over it, he quit almost immediately. The short-term, tangible consequence worked where the long-term one didn’t.

It’s the same for job seekers. It can be hard to picture yourself in a dream role 10 or 20 years from now. Make yourself short-sighted. Start making small, immediate investments in yourself now, and let those possibilities grow. Don’t let disbelief keep you from becoming who you could be.

Thanks so much for sharing, Josh.

To connect with Josh, check out his LinkedIn here, and be sure to follow Human Powered on LinkedIn here.