Nowadays, a non-linear career path is being hailed as the jobs of the future. I have had a non-linear career path and I would like to share my own personal experience regarding this matter.

Now, what is a non-linear career path?

A non-linear career path is a career trajectory that doesn't follow a predictable sequence of roles or positions. Instead, it involves moving across different industries, taking on freelance work, or starting a business.

For example,

- A marketing manager who becomes a product manager in a different industry

- A software engineer who becomes a data analyst

- A teacher who becomes a curriculum developer

- A professor who transitions to the non-profit sector, then into the corporate world

In my case, I first started out studying STEM in college and in the first two years of my undergraduate degree where I studied natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science which developed my logic and math skills.

I was studying in Canada and I wanted to venture into the business and corporate world in Downtown Toronto. So I had a change of heart and I changed my major to Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Management Science in my third year as I loved Economics and I had a passion for going for a postgraduate degree after graduation. After graduating from Canada I studied a Master of Commerce in International Business in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Now I am a PhD student in Sustainability Management in Gland, Switzerland.

I think because of my changing industries and field of studies I have become a lifelong learner and enabled me to be open to opportunities, even if they were a little scary, take on challenges to figure out what kind of roles I thrived in resulting in a continuous retraining myself. I learned not only the hard skills like logic, math skills, analytical skills but also soft skills like interpersonal skills, communication, teamwork, adaptability, and critical thinking. And, thus, I have become a lifelong learner.

Benefits of a non-linear career path:

Personal growth: Non-linear career paths allowed me to explore my interests and develop new skills.

Adaptability: I could adapt to changing personal and professional goals.

Skill diversification: I could use my diverse experiences and skill sets across different roles successfully and more effectively.

But I think one thing I could have done differently would be that I should have started focusing on my soft skills rather than the hard skills earlier than I did in my career as I think the soft skills like interpersonal skills, communication, teamwork, adaptability, and critical thinking are crucial for career development and personal growth in the professional world as much as the hard skills typically acquired through education or training.

Thanks LinkedIn News Australia and Brendan Wong, Editor, LinkedIn News Australia, for inviting me to comment on this crucial matter.

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