Careers are an interesting thing.
We all have moments where choices are made.
We select one path over another.
We find ourselves in roles we didn’t plan on.
We go through a lifequake with a company downsizing.
We start to understand what we enjoy doing… and what we don’t.
We lean in to learn more when we start something new.
Each experience builds into the fabric of the unique professional we have become.
My Perspective
Working with many professionals on their career development, I’ve seen all kinds of paths.
Traditional linear climbing of the ladder.
Unexpected climbs up, down, and across the ladder.
Leaps to new disciplines that were strategically planned.
Leaps that were taken by downsizing, not by choice.
Leaps to make a side business a full-time adventure.
And, learning all along the way.
Inspired by the TED talk on Squiggly Careers, I created a new kind of visual resume.
A look at my ladder, leaps, and learning.
Shown in this way, new insights emerge.
I see new paths, leaps I hadn’t thought about, and lessons learned from each step on the journey.
I recommend taking a clean sheet of paper and mapping your own path.
Your Turn
Have you created a career chart that compliments your resume?
Do you think this could provide insight that you might not have considered before?
Would a map like this change your conversation with an employer or future leader?