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Challenging the Career Ladder

From an early age, many of us are introduced to career metaphors that shape how we think about our professional journeys. One of the most common is the career ladder, which suggests a linear, upward path toward success. But in today’s rapidly changing world, is this metaphor still relevant?

Its popularity could be due to its simplicity and the fact that it does represents many careers where people need to acquire specific qualifications through a structured, linear path, such as in teaching or medicine. However, as career paths diversify across other sectors and industries, the career ladder metaphor might no longer capture the varied experiences many professionals face today. For instance, in the Asia-Pacific region, many employers now value diverse experiences that don’t necessarily follow a linear path. Maybe it’d be more useful if we saw the career ladder as career scaffolding, where sideways moves can prove equally valuable.

According to some employers we’ve spoken to in Asia-Pacific, companies are considering candidates with various academic and professional backgrounds, sometimes with little experience in a chosen field. One mentioned that she welcomes job applicants at her marketing firm with degrees in other fields because "sometimes, people from different backgrounds provide unique insights that someone with a marketing degree might not have thought of."

In some countries, more people now recognise that qualifications don't necessarily define careers and that sometimes it's what people have achieved post-graduation that is more important. Sir Dominic Cadbury once said, “There is no such thing as a career path – it’s crazy paving, and you lay it yourself." What he meant by this is that career journeys aren’t always perfectly laid out and straight; sometimes paths can be made up of lots of different shapes that all achieve the same purpose. 

This shift away from linear career thinking is reflected in career development theories like planned happenstance, which argues that unpredictability and taking advantage of unexpected opportunities can be just as crucial to success as following a set path. For international students and graduates, seeking opportunities – whether through internships, networking events, or even casual conversations can open unexpected doors. For example, you might meet someone at an English language class who is looking for a new employee at their company. It's about putting yourself in the right place to capitalise on opportunities.

The theory states that people need to be: 

✓ curious about new learning opportunities. 

✓ persistent when faced with setbacks. 

✓ flexible when placed in new circumstances and open-minded. 

✓ optimistic when considering new opportunities. 

✓ fearless and ready to take risks in the face of uncertain outcomes. 

The nature of careers is ever-changing, especially now with globalisation, automation, remote work, and ‘the gig economy’. To help ourselves navigate through them, we need to do things like consider ways we can develop personally and professionally, deal with and overcome setbacks, and be open-minded to new ideas and ways of thinking. Sometimes, being brave enough to take a risk and do something like move to another location or apply for a job we aren’t already fully qualified for can open unexpected doors. 

Planning your career can feel overwhelming, especially as an international student navigating new cultures and job markets in the UK and internationally. Fortunately, universities in the UK offer specialised career services tailored to international students' needs. Take advantage of these resources—they can help guide you through the complexities of your career journey and help you seize unplanned opportunities.