Tips for Building Careers Beyond Traditional Roles

Stop climbing the career ladder. Build a career lattice instead. This is the future of work. Instead of climbing straight up like a ladder, you move sideways, diagonally, and up. You build skills across different areas, create multiple paths forward, and become valuable in ways that can't be replaced by one bad quarter or company restructure. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄. There aren't as many management levels to climb. The old "up or out" mentality doesn't work when there's nowhere to go up. 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿. The role you were hired for might not exist in 3 years. But if you've built skills across multiple areas, you adapt instead of getting left behind. 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀. Your ability to solve problems in marketing AND operations AND data analysis makes you more valuable than being "just" a marketing manager. 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆. When layoffs happen, people with diverse skills and internal networks survive. People stuck in one lane don't. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 - You Lifelong Employability Playbook 𝟭. 𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 • List what you're good at now • Identify what you want to learn • Find the connections between different areas    𝟮. 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 • Work with other departments • Offer to help with initiatives outside your job description • Learn how other parts of the business work    𝟯. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • Connect with people in different departments • Attend company events and cross-team meetings • Help colleagues even when there's no direct benefit to you    𝟰. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 • If you're in sales, learn basic marketing and data analysis • If you're in HR, understand finance and operations • If you're technical, develop communication and business skills    𝟱. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗻 "𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲" 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 • Volunteer to translate between departments • Become the person who understands both the technical and business side • Position yourself as a connector and problem-solver    In the new world of work, your career lattice becomes your competitive advantage. While others compete for the same narrow path up, you've built multiple ways forward. Ready to start building your lattice? Pick one skill outside your current role and start learning it this month. ♻️ Share this to help others build skills that matters Follow Adeline Tiah for content on future of work and leadership

🔄 Feeling stuck in your career but unsure how to pivot after years in one field? You’re not alone. Many professionals crave a new challenge but don’t know where to start. Here’s how to make a smooth transition: 1️⃣ Identify Transferable Skills Your experience is more valuable than you think. Even if your industry is different, your core skills—problem-solving, leadership, communication, project management—are universal. ✅ Action Step: Make a list of your key skills and match them to roles in your target industry. 💡 Example: If you’ve worked in finance but want to move into tech, your analytical skills and data interpretation experience are still highly relevant. 2️⃣ Reframe Your Experience for Your New Audience Hiring managers in a new industry won’t automatically connect the dots—you have to do it for them. ✅ Action Step: Rewrite your resume, LinkedIn profile, and elevator pitch to highlight how your background applies to the new field. 💡 Tip: Focus on outcomes, impact, and skills rather than job titles. Instead of: ❌ "10 years of experience in pharmaceutical sales." Try: ✅ "Experienced relationship builder skilled in consultative sales and market expansion." 3️⃣ Expand Your Network & Learn From Insiders Changing careers isn’t just about applying online—it’s about getting in front of the right people. ✅ Action Step: Connect with professionals in your target field and request informational interviews. 📩 Example message: "Hi [Name], I’m exploring a career transition into [Industry] and really admire your experience at [Company]. Would you be open to a quick chat about your journey and insights?" 4️⃣ Gain Targeted Experience (Without Starting Over) The biggest fear in career pivots? “Do I have to start from scratch?” The answer: No. ✅ Action Step: Look for ways to gain relevant experience while still in your current role: ✔️ Take on cross-functional projects ✔️ Volunteer for industry-related work ✔️ Freelance or take short-term contracts 💡 Example: If you’re transitioning into marketing, start by managing internal communications or social media for a nonprofit. 5️⃣ Be Ready to Tell Your Career Pivot Story Hiring managers will ask: “Why are you making this change?” You need a clear, compelling answer. ✅ Action Step: Craft a confident pivot story that focuses on why this shift makes sense and how your skills align. 📌 Formula: ➡ Past: What you’ve done so far ➡ Present: Why you’re making this change ➡ Future: How your skills translate & add value 💡 Example: "After years in operations, I realized my passion lies in product management—solving customer pain points and driving innovation. My experience in process optimization and stakeholder management gives me a strong foundation, and I’m excited to bring these skills to a product-focused role." Making a career pivot is challenging—but absolutely possible with the right approach. 💬 Have you ever pivoted careers? What worked best for you? Share your experience below! 👇

Most people think career diversity is career suicide. They're wrong. Single-path careers are the real risk. Emily Jones Joanisse proves it. Programmer. DJ. Nonprofit founder. 2008 crisis killed her Italian tech job. She didn't panic. She had options. Here's how she built a bulletproof career: 1. Build Skills That Travel Anywhere Emily learned programming young. Wrote scripts for her physicist father. Studied computer science. Worked across countries. Crisis hit. Job gone. She pivoted to teaching tech to children. Same core skill. Different stage. Americans change jobs 12 times by age 55 (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Portable skills survive. Specialized roles don't. Your move: What skills transfer anywhere? 2. Keep Your Creative Lane Alive Emily started DJing during her degree. Not a side hustle. A second identity. Canada to Europe. Milan hotel residencies. "It gave me community, confidence, and connection." She built networks her programming job never could. Creative paths open different doors. One-third of Americans ages 25-44 completely changed fields since their first job (edX survey). Your move: What creative outlet could become more? 3. Combine Your Lanes for Unique Impact 2018: Emily co-founded Connected Canadians. Free tech support for seniors. "I saw older adults struggle with digital tools." Teaching experience + programming background = solution nobody else saw. Your intersections create value competitors can't copy. Your move: What problems only your combination can solve? 4. Start Your Second Path Before You Need It Don't wait for the layoffs. Emily built DJing alongside programming. Each path supported the other. When tech crashed, music kept her afloat. When gigs were slow, coding paid the bills. 83% of workers now prioritize work-life balance over pay (High5Test research). They want options. Not just paychecks. Your move: Start exploring while you have security. Range is resilience. Multiple paths don't dilute your career. They bulletproof it. ♻️ Share this with someone stuck in one lane 🔔 Follow Kabir Sehgal for more

Straight lines are nice in geometry class. But rarely in career journeys. The traditional career ladder has transformed into a complex web of opportunities. Today's professionals are climbing, breaking, exploring, pivoting, and evolving. That's making career transition harder to navigate for clients and the coaches who support their change efforts. Let's chat about what non-linear careers look like: 📌Zigs and zags are the new norm ↳ 72% of Gen Zers and 66% of millennials are considering a career change in the next 12 months. ↳ This signals an era of linear career path disruption. 📌Study one thing; pursue another ↳ About 79% of graduates choose or end up in roles unrelated to their majors. ↳ Learning is lifelong, multi-disciplinary, and mobile. 📌Portfolio careers are the future ↳ Nearly half of working Americans hold a side job or multiple roles. ↳ Flexible, multi-stranded careers are becoming more mainstream and future-proof. 📌Changing jobs is more common than ever ↳ People hold over 10 jobs between the ages of 18 and 38 on average. ↳ This is roughly one new role every two years. That's a lot of pivoting, stretching, and reinventing! Here are 5 unconventional strategies the best coaches employ to help clients navigate everchanging landscapes: 1/ Become a skills collector • Take temporary gigs just to learn specific tools. • Volunteer for "nobody wants to do it" projects. • Master one wildcard skill (like data visualization or public speaking). 2/ Create your own job title (my favorite) • Package your unique skill combinations into a role that doesn't exist yet. • Example: "Digital Empathy Consultant" = UX/Psychology/Writing. • Pitch it to companies as a solution to their blind spots. 3/ Build an opportunity network • Join hobby groups outside your industry. • Follow company founders on social before they get big. • Create and publish content about your career experiments. 4/ Embrace productive discomfort • Take roles you're only 60% qualified for. • Switch industries every 2-3 years (on purpose). • Find a trusted mentor to give brutally honest feedback about your blind spots. 5/ Design career experiments • Start side projects that could become exit strategies. • Create a minimum viable career to test a new direction. • Find short-term project work in fields you're curious about. Every pivot is a step toward better alignment with your evolving goals. And that's fantastic because the most fulfilling careers often follow unexpected paths. 📌 If you're having trouble arriving, seek support from a knowledgeable career coach. Your career journey is uniquely yours. Grab hold of it and run!🩵 Which line represents your career path? ⬇️ *** 💡 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for expert career transition strategies 🔄 Share to help others embrace their non-linear career paths Sources: (BLS, 2023; LinkedIn Workforce Report, 2023)

Your “chaotic” career might be the thing that turns you into an operator who can fix what others avoid. Most people think you need a perfect linear path to reach executive-level operations work. Not true. If you’ve jumped roles, industries, or departments, here’s the secret: You’ve been training in systems design without realizing it. I learned this the long way. I’ve worked in marketing, proposals, process improvement, healthcare ops, data analysis, enterprise automation, and now AI-enabled workflow design. At the time, it looked scattered. Now I see it clearly: Every role taught me how work actually breaks, and why systems crumble long before people do. If your path has been messy or nonlinear, here’s how to turn that into an advantage: 1. Stop defining yourself by your last job title: Your value is in the intersections. 2. Treat every job like systems training: Every broken workflow you’ve touched matters. 3. Shift your identity early: Show up like someone who designs better systems — not just someone who survives bad ones. 4. Use your range: Pattern recognition is an executive skill. You only get it by seeing many environments. 5. Focus on clarity: If you can fix fragmentation, reduce cognitive load, and make work make sense… you’re already operating above your title. That’s how I built my career.nAnd it’s how you can build yours. Your path doesn’t need to be straight. It just needs to be yours.

The traditional career path is becoming a thing of the past (and the last 6 years are proof) 🤔 After being made redundant twice in 5 years as a senior technology consultant, I shifted my focus from chasing job titles to building a more versatile career. I became an Entrepreneur, BBC presenter, Author, Editor, Keynote speaker, Lecturer, Influencer and Content creator. Different roles, but all powered by the same core transferable skills. And that shift changed everything. 🌍 Built an international business 🎥 Became a presenter with BBC 📚 Secured 2 book deals 🎤 Delivered 100+ keynotes globally 💼 Worked across multiple industries All of this I built entirely on transferable skills: communication, critical thinking, storytelling, marketing, empathy, relationship building, and problem-solving. Believe it or not these specific skills allowed me to move across industries and create unlimited opportunities for myself! Now with AI reshaping how we work, one thing is clear: your job title won’t future-proof your career BUT your ability to adapt, connect dots and drive impact in various spaces will. This is exactly why I don’t think AI will replace me. Though I do think it will make me stay hungry, because as everyone is becoming more competitive (and kind of like clones 🤖), the bar for “human” value is rising. Especially at a time where feed is filled with AI slop (AI fruit love island, I’m looking at you 😤), standing out requires being sharp, curious, and intentional. So here’s something to think about...👇 Are you building a rigid career path or a flexible one? — 📧 hello@sonyabarlow.co.uk 🌍 www.sonyabarlow.co.uk #careergrowth #womeninbusiness #adhdentrepreneur #businessnetworking

The best career advice I ever got was to stop climbing. It came from my CEO after I proudly shared my five-year plan. Every goal had “Associate ” or “Senior” attached. He paused and said, “What if your next move was sideways instead?” At first, I thought he was blocking my growth. Then I realized he was expanding it. We’re taught that up means success. Sideways means stagnation. But what if that’s backwards? The most successful Edge’rs I coach don’t just climb. They collect. They build width before height. Because mastery doesn’t come from motion. It comes from multiplication of skills, perspectives, and networks. Think about it: • The CMO who started in sales understands revenue. • The CEO who worked in ops knows execution. • The founder who did customer service gets loyalty. When they move up, they aren’t just promoted. They’re prepared. Try the L.A.T.™ Framework (Learn, Apply, Transfer) to expand your career: 1. Learn outside your lane. Shadow or stretch. 2. Apply it in your current role. 3. Transfer it forward through mentoring or strategy. That’s how you build a lattice, not a ladder. And that’s where your Edge™ begins, in the C.H.O.I.C.E.® to trade ego for evolution. 💭 What lateral move expanded your growth the most? ♻️ Share this with someone planning their next step. ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for human-centered career shifts.

A client recently said to me, “Julia, I’ve had such a weird career. I’m afraid people won’t get it.”   I asked her, “What if what you think is weird is actually what makes you remarkable?”   She was stumped. Her face said, “How is that possible?”   Her fear was that people would judge her and think, “This doesn’t look right.”   Like most people, she’s taken detours. She left a corporate job for a start-up, paused to raise kids for a couple of years, and even shifted industries. We talked about how her résumé may not follow a straight line, but that’s what will make her a great hire.   Many people I coach worry that their path looks “off.” But the world of work has changed and so has what stands out. What’s most important is how you tell your story.   For starters—you need to own your story. Why did you make those moves? They probably made sense at the time, so you need to paint the picture of what you knew you’d gain by making that move.   Then, you need to prove what you gained from that move. What did you learn? How did it help you grow? How will it play a role in making you excellent in your next role?   By the end of our coaching session, she realized that every “weird” move told a story about growth, adaptability, courage, resilience, and curiosity.   Next steps…   On her resume, instead of worrying about what didn’t match, we highlighted the through-lines. We looked for skills and themes that ran through her experiences—leading teams, solving complex problems, building relationships, and navigating change. Then, we followed her title with a tagline that showcased her expertise. Here are 2 examples (not hers):   1.     Operations and Strategy Leader | Driving transformation across industries 2.     Marketing Professional | Turning insights into impact across corporate, agency, and start-up settings   Then, we focused on LinkedIn because that is where you get to own your story, in your own voice.   In her About section, we started by explaining her journey with confidence, not an apology. For example:   “My career hasn’t been traditional, and that’s been my greatest advantage. Each move gave me new skills and perspectives that now shape how I lead, collaborate, trouble-shoot, problem-solve, and communicate across an organization.”   Next, we added examples that showed her knowledge, growth, curiosity, and courage, bringing her personality and personal style into it, so the reader could see HER.   Lastly, we talked about interviewing confidently and explaining the growth that came from her career decisions. An example:   “I took that role to explore an industry that I knew would force me to be a student again, to learn, and listen intently. It ended up making me a stronger leader and a better manager.”   By the end of our call, she realized her career path didn’t need to look linear to be powerful. It needed to make sense to her, and if she could articulate that, others would see the value, too.

If you're struggling to translate your non-traditional experience into a great tech job, I get it. I own a career consulting business No Ceilings - Career Planning Services and I'm a Senior Program Manager at Google. Even though I have a college degree, let me tell you, the most essential skills that got me here weren't taught in a classroom—they were on my hidden resume. When I first started my career after graduating from the University of Houston, I was an Area Operations Manager at the Amazon Fulfillment Center, BWI2, working 4 days on and 3 days off. My day entailed walking the floor (I used to average about 14 miles a day during the 12-hour shift), managing hourly targets, identifying barriers for lower performers, and figuring out how to improve processes. The challenge? I then had to translate that day-to-day operations experience into a corporate resume and interview examples, especially when 90% of the people I was talking to had never been in a warehouse. Here are 3 "hidden skills" I was able to leverage and translate into big tech success: • Translating Chaos into Clarity: In the warehouse, everything was a constant fire drill—shifting priorities, broken equipment, and staffing issues. I learned how to remain calm under pressure and find the root problem fast. In corporate tech, this translates directly to complex problem-solving and executive communication. • Unrelenting Curiosity and Process Improvement: I was constantly looking at rates and trying to understand why some performers excelled while others struggled. That curiosity and drive to identify process gaps is now my core strength as a Program Manager who drives efficiency and cross-functional alignment. • Managing Up (and Out) for Alignment: When working with cross-functional areas in the warehouse, I had to ensure we were good partners. That experience in coordinating complex needs and getting buy-in is the foundation for successful stakeholder management at Google. Stop underestimating the skills you gained in non-traditional roles. The unique experience you have is a valuable toolkit that no one else possesses. What's a "soft skill" you learned outside of school that has been critical to your career success? #TransferableSkills #CareerPivot #NoCeilings #SoftSkills #BigTech #Amazon

With so many in clinical research struggling to find work, now is the time to think creatively about how to use your skills beyond the traditional CRA or CTM role. Instead of waiting for the perfect opportunity, consider creating one! Here are some fresh ideas to try: Regulatory Writing & Medical Writing: Use your expertise to help research sites or sponsors with protocol development, SOPs, or regulatory submissions. Start a Clinical Research Blog or Newsletter: Share industry insights, site management tips, or CRA career advice. Monetize through sponsorships, ads, or paid subscriptions. Offer CRA Training & Career Coaching: Help aspiring CRAs break into the industry with mentorship, mock interviews, and resume guidance. Freelance Site Monitoring: Reach out to smaller research sites that need part-time or contract monitoring support. Help Sites with Study Startup: Many sites struggle with budgets, contracts, and regulatory paperwork. Your experience can be valuable in guiding them through the process. Get into Clinical Trial Recruitment: Help sites and sponsors find qualified patients, an area that’s always in demand. The industry is shifting, but opportunities are still out there, you just might have to create them! What unique ways have you found to stay ahead? Let’s share and support each other!