On Non-Linear Career Paths

Love this! Retraining your mind to embrace a wide variety of opportunities is precisely the new shape of modern careers. Non-linear and expansive (if you allow yourself to!) — Gordon Ching

Last week, we launched our Coho blog and newsletter, a space for candid discussions on modern careers, redefining success, and understanding our ever-changing relationship with work. I loved the above response to the launch from Gordon.

Coincidentally, the same week, we hosted a session on Non-Linear Career Paths with David Hoang for our Coho community, which provided valuable insights applicable to anyone considering their career trajectory. Especially relevant today.

Here are a few key takeaways:

1. Open communication about career goals: David underscored the value of transparency during the interview process. I talked about my own experience when joining InVision. I was very open about my goals during that process — I took a different role than I wanted to end up in, and it was a risky strategy as, at the time, I was completely broke after a failed attempt at building a company. But it paid off — shoutout to Tyler Stratton and Anna Morrogh for supporting my non-conventional approach to being an employee!
2. Evolving mentorship: David suggested that mentorship in the early stages of your career typically comes from people in management roles. As you progress, mentorship might shift focus to specific topics or areas of expertise. He advised considering your mentors as a “board of directors” for personal growth.
3. Building a business case for career transitions: David stressed the importance of demonstrating the business need when moving from an individual contributor to a managerial role or changing career paths. Rather than focusing on your desire to be a manager, showcase how your skills and experience can address the company’s needs and create a positive impact.
4. Addressing the ethical implications of technology: David emphasized the necessity of thoughtful, ethical individuals working in AI and tech to ensure the responsible development and use of these powerful tools.

As we continue to navigate the landscape of modern careers, staying open to various experiences and opportunities is essential. By adopting a non-linear mindset, we can thrive in an ever-changing world, learning from each new challenge and building a more fulfilling, impactful career.

That said, those of us working in tech live in a bubble. We’re lucky to be often surrounded by opportunities to pick up new skills and adapt. But what about the majority of people who may not have the same?

Talking to David Coallier over coffee this morning, we touched on this quite a bit. The reality is that most people are used to traditional and linear career ladders and paths, and “just picking up a new skill” is a difficult gap to close.

As leaders, fostering and supporting non-linear careers within our teams is essential. This can be achieved by creating an environment that values growth, exploration, and adaptability while acknowledging the uncertainty of emerging technologies.

David Hoang also talked quite a bit about this in our session earlier this week:

1. Embrace the unknown: Admitting that you don’t know what the future holds creates an open environment for your team to explore new opportunities and adapt to changes.
2. Encourage exploration and internal mobility: Promoting internal mobility and allowing team members to explore different roles and responsibilities leads to more fulfilling work experiences and increased job satisfaction.
3. Create jobs that don’t exist yet: As leaders, we should identify and create new roles that align with the company’s needs and our team members passions. This may involve crafting a role that combines different responsibilities or allows an employee to explore an emerging area within the company.
4. Be proactive and receptive: Both leaders and individuals should proactively identify new opportunities and present potential plans for growth. Companies should be open to these proposals and consider the mutual value of allowing employees to explore new paths.
5. Focus on personal growth and fulfilment: Ultimately, the goal of embracing non-linear careers is to promote personal growth and fulfilment. By supporting team members in pursuing new opportunities, we should create environments where employees feel valued, challenged, and engaged.

Non-linear careers are becoming increasingly relevant as the tech landscape evolves rapidly. Yet, real spaces for learning how to adapt to this are few and far between.

As the world of work changes, we need to adapt our mindset and embrace non-linear careers as a valuable and necessary aspect of the modern workplace. This post is not to promote Blueprint but it’s a big reason why we created it and why we’re even more bullish on building Coho and helping as many people as possible access peer-to-peer clarity for career realities.

Until next time.

MP