From Global Warming to Career Warming

Rhonda Douglas Charles
Jul 26
3 min read

Updated: Jul 31

Enduring Strategies Immigrants Need in a Changing Job Market

Career Clarity in a Warming World

When I first learned what it takes to power artificial intelligence with servers consuming as much energy as small nations, I was shocked and disturbed. Global warming will speed up!!! But then I found out something that quite frankly pissed me off: many of these massive AI data centers are being built in Black, brown, immigrant, and low-income communities.

Meta's $10 billion AI hub is going up in northeast Louisiana, where the majority population is rural, Black, and working-class. The xAI facility is being constructed in Boxtown, a historically Black Memphis neighbourhood. In South Carolina, power plants to support AI infrastructure are being placed in Black-majority communities. These communities are absorbing the pollution, energy costs, and displacement risks, while the economic benefits bypass them. Those with the least are asked to carry the most...AGAIN.

Thinking of this issue, it occurred to me that we talk about global warming and climate change like they're distant, planetary issues. But the same patterns are playing out in our careers, especially for immigrants.

AI may be changing the "weather" of the job market. But we still need to hold on to the warming core, the timeless career strategies that help us not just survive, but rise. (OK, I need to work on my analogies, but you get the point.)

Career Warming: What It Means for You

Career warming is the rising pressure and unpredictability in today's job market—especially for immigrants—driven by forces like AI, displacement, and policy shifts, requiring grounded, enduring strategies to stay clear, confident, and employable.

This isn't just about skills. It's about strategy, discernment, and emotional regulation—your ability to respond intentionally, not reactively, to every storm.

Timeless Career Strategies Worth Holding Onto

1. Self-Awareness Is Still the Starting Point

No matter the market trend, knowing who you are—and what you will not compromise—is your anchor. From your values to your natural work style, self-awareness protects you from following every flashy AI tool or desperate job offer that isn't a fit.

2. Relationships Still Matter More Than Resumes

AI may screen you out. A human can still refer you in. Build relationships with people, not just platforms. Make time to nurture a network you respect and can grow with.

3. Your Resume Still Needs a Strategy, Not Just Keywords

Yes, we optimize for applicant tracking systems. But we also write for a human reader with 6–10 seconds. The story your resume tells, about your voice, values, and yes, your value still matters.

4. Reflection Still Beats Reaction

It's tempting to apply to everything. But if your job search is rooted in panic, not purpose, you'll end up burned out. Career warming means you need reflective practices, journaling, walking, and coaching that bring you back to your why.

A Hotter Market Needs a Cooler Mind

We're not chasing trends. We're building clarity. That's what sustains you when:

The job board ghosts you.
Recruiters ignore your resume.
You wonder if you're still seen, or already replaced.

The best candidates aren't just skilled. They're self-validating. Strategic. Calm under pressure. That's what we build at AdnohrDocs. That's the real work behind every "overnight success."

A Word on Tuvalu and Displacement

In July 2025, Tuvalu became the first country in the world to prepare for the total migration of its population due to climate change. As their homeland disappears under rising seas, Tuvaluans are preparing to rebuild their lives and careers in Australia. Unfortunately, this isn't science fiction. It's climate-related career displacement in real time.

And it echoes what many immigrants already know: career strategy isn't just about ambition. It's about survival, stability, belonging, and dignity.

Just like Tuvalu, many of us are navigating external forces—whether environmental, economic, or algorithmic—that threaten our footing. But with the right strategy, we don't have to be erased. We can rebuild. We can rise.

Let’s Call It What It Is: Resilience as Resistance

Unlike global warming, career warming doesn’t have to mean collapse. It can mean clarity. Purpose combined with know-how is power. And if you're feeling the heat right now? You're not alone. But don’t try to go it alone.

If this lit a fire under you or reminded you that you deserve more, here’s how to take the next step: