Almost everyone has experienced at some point in their life a lack of professional fulfilment, frustration and a feeling of stagnation. At those times when we question our careers, we find that stories about those who have thrown in traditional career paths as lawyers, investment bankers or auditors to pursue alternatives as entrepreneurs, freelancers or in the non-profit sector, tempting and fascinating.

While it may appear that these intrepid professionals accomplished their radical moves in linear and decisive ways, my in-depth research on mid-career professionals located in the USA and in Europe led to some surprising discoveries. Over a three-year period, I followed 39 professionals (ranging in age from 32 to 51) who were in the process of changing, or had just changed, careers. Through interviews with them I came to the conclusion that making career changes is not just a time-consuming and difficult task, it is also chaotic and often ‘irrational’.

There are several reasons for this. At the heart of the process of finding a new career is the notion of identity – the answer to the question, ‘Who am I?’ Conventional wisdom tells us that we all have an ‘inner core’ or ‘true self’; that once we reach adulthood, our aptitudes, preferences and values remain stable. Most career advice is based on this assumption of a stable self. Thus, confronted with an individual seeking to reorient his or her career, the traditional career adviser approaches the task as an excavator would an ancient ruin. Through psychological testing and introspection the logic goes and individuals can uncover their inner self, which has been buried in the pursuit of fame, fortune or social approval. Changing career is a matter of first finding the ‘right answer’, then developing a plan and implementing it. ...

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