'Squiggly careers': How career progression is changing

The ‘squiggly career’ sits in contrast to the traditional career ladder, which involves a linear and predictable progression within a single field or company. It isn't a new concept, coined by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis more than a decade ago, but it's growing in popularity. 

What is a squiggly career?

A non-linear career pathway is characterised by frequent changes in roles, industries or job functions.

A popular squiggly careers example is Karren Brady, who began in advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi and later became Managing Director at Birmingham City Football Club. Her skills and network enabled her to move between sectors and companies with ease.

The shift away from 'jobs for life' has opened doors to create more multiskilled individuals with a focus on personal development. 

How the modern workforce is changing

Talent priorities are changing but are businesses adapting? If roles can't provide the right growth opportunities then employees will naturally look to seek new opportunities. And of course, we know that the number one reason people quote as reason for leaving is more money, but often there are other factors at play like lack of career progression or development which strongly correlates with remuneration. 

The idea of moving around to progress has gained popularity due to new opportunities created by technological advancement and global mobility. Employees have already started to see moving around as an opportunity to upskill and grow, so businesses should also be ready to embrace the mindset shift towards promoting squiggly careers too.

Pros and cons of squiggly careers

There are many benefits for both individuals and organisations to diversify their career pathways:

• Skill diversification: squiggly careers allow individuals to develop a wide range of skills across different domains
• Increased adaptability: frequent changes make individuals more adaptable to new environments and challenges
• Enhanced job satisfaction: pursuing varied interests can lead to higher job satisfaction and personal fulfilment
• Increased business understanding: broader organisational experience builds commercial acumen, giving individuals the ability to create greater value for the business, and support it to make more strategic decisions

Businesses should be mindful, however, of the challenges involved so that they can be effectively addressed:

• Skill transferability: skills from different industries may not always be directly transferable
• Perception issues: employers may view frequent job changes as a lack of commitment
• Job security: non-linear paths can sometimes result in less job stability

Trends and impacts

The rise of squiggly careers is having a number of impacts on businesses and individuals:

• Individual development focus: squiggly careers promote a growth mindset within individuals that places emphasis on lifelong learning and upskilling that is tailored to themselves
• Diverse learning and development programmes: training sessions and equipping people with skills for the future are no longer restricted by roles, and build transferrable skills
• The gig economy and the rise of freelancing: freelancing has reshared traditional employment models and reflects a growing desire for flexible, temporary work arrangements to allow people to pursue diverse opportunities
• Changes in organisational structures: organisations are being agile with how they fulfil their resourcing needs, including the use of freelancers, or to create shared service functions to support multiskilled people

Moving away from linear progression  

As a result of the evolving work landscape and changing employee expectations, career paths are likely to become increasingly dynamic and non-linear. While the ‘career ladder’ suits some people, depending on their career aspirations, there's a need for progression to be through more diverse pathways to truly attract and retain the best talent.

To effectively support squiggly careers, businesses need to assess whether they provide competitive career development opportunities. It's important to acknowledge that success can move in any direction, including horizontal moves, and that these career aspirations must be supported to unlock growth potential.

This starts from an organisational level to ensure that legacy processes have been refreshed to reflect progression beyond the career ladder model. This includes reviewing existing career pathways, competency frameworks or progression policies.

Preparing for this transition

While squiggly careers can present many opportunities for businesses, there are challenges in making the transition. Culturally, organisations understand and are comfortable with linear career progression, and most development interventions are set up to align with this type of progression.

Linear progression is also intrinsically linked to reward, whereas non-linear is often not reward-linked and therefore not a desirable option for employees. Success lies in shifting the mindset – along with the organisational policies and practices – to encourage and reward squiggly careers.

Understanding the benefits is key to aligning how such career paths will practically be implemented within your organisation. Without a solid framework with which to promote and develop squiggly careers, it may not get the traction of the more well-trodden linear pathways.            

To reimagine career pathways within your organisation in a practical and sustainable way, contact Katie Nightingale.