The Bureau of Labor Statistics has never attempted to estimate the number of times people change careers over their lifetimes because what constitutes a “career change” is murky. Is it going back to school? Is it using your unique skill set to dive headfirst into a previously untapped industry? These are some of the questions that make the term “career change” unclear.
What is clear, however, is that it happens—a lot. According to InHerSight data, 73 percent of women want to change careers, and anecdotally, many do. At least once. Maybe twice. Maybe even four or five times.
This ongoing rerouting contributes to a number of unexpected career paths. Teachers become physicists, researchers become product managers, and outside factors such as layoffs, recessions, and life force people to make a change. The nonlinear career path, as we call it, is increasingly, surprisingly common.
Yet few people are prepared to navigate the expectations or opportunities presented when careers suddenly flip-flop, which is why we’ve asked four women to share with us how they’ve explored uncharted waters throughout their careers.
Eden Allen, Nancy Cusato, Jennifer Montgomery, and Krista Hydar all work for Watkins Wellness, one of our employer partners. But before they were in their current positions, they each held numerous roles in different departments, industries, and more. We asked each woman to share how she’s embraced her unexpected career path—and what advice she’d give other women expecting (or not expecting) to do the same.
This is how you make the most of the nonlinear adventure, according to women who’ve done it.
Rated most highly for Ability to Telecommute, hot tub manufacturer Watkins Wellness also earns top marks for Culture metrics such as Support for Diversity, Employer Responsiveness, and The People You Work With. These high ratings, and others, explain why this company is on our list of The 20 Best Consumer Goods Companies to Work For. They’re simply the best. Click to learn more about the company, their ratings, and their open positions.
4 ways to embrace and thrive in an unexpected career path
1. Reassess your expectations
The first step in embracing a nonlinear career path is breaking down any preconceived notions that you might have about how your career should be.
“I think there is a lot of pressure to have your life and career path figured out when you graduate from high school,” says Eden Allen, senior production control and SIOP manager. “Life doesn’t always work out that way, and that doesn’t make you any less capable of being successful or achieving a fulfilling career. You can make career changes, have setbacks, or end up on a path that veers off in a direction that you didn’t expect, and that’s okay.”
Before joining Watkins Wellness, Allen navigated a number of challenging situations in the context of her career: single motherhood while juggling school and work, the 2008 housing market crash, and a company acquisition that changed her career trajectory. But she says finding the opportunity in all the uncertainty kept her grounded. “There were times in my career when I had no clue how things were going to end up and times when I was offered opportunities that I wasn’t quite ready for,” Allen says. “In each of these situations, I viewed them as a learning opportunity and a chance to grow.”
Nancy Cusato, director of order fulfillment, says to be patient when those moments arise. “Don’t be afraid of change, but do not necessarily run at it as I have done! Balance. In hindsight, I do not know what I would have changed, but I know I was very impatient in the first two-thirds of my career. Patience is important.”
Cusato’s career has spanned the airline industry, real estate, corporate America, and entrepreneurship. She says Watkins Wellness’ culture is like no other place she’s worked. “I am encouraged to be me and to share ideas and challenges when I uncover them. We very much embrace Brené Brown’s ‘learn and get it right’ mentality versus the ‘know and be right’ mentality. Watkins invests in its leaders to help us grow and be better people.” In essence, her patience with her career has paid off.
2. Make the most of the opportunities you’re given
Similar to changing your expectations about how your career should grow, when venturing into an unexpected or nonlinear career path, it’s important that you use each opportunity as one to learn something new, even if you aren’t quite where you’d like to be.
Jennifer Montgomery currently serves as a senior manager of business analytics, but her journey to this position began in administrative support after multiple layoffs left her wondering what she would do next. “For the most part I was looking for a job, not a career,” she says. “I knew I didn’t want to be an executive assistant (EA) forever, but I didn’t really know what the right path would be. In addition, I had just started my third year going to college part time.”
The role proved pivotal in providing her with opportunities to explore her interests. “In my EA role, I worked closely with the sales and marketing teams,” Montgomery says. “I often tell people it was like college; I was able to dabble in a lot of different areas to find my passion.”
And while she was ready to jump at new and interesting pathways, she says her manager helped her stay the course until she found a great fit. “Many times when opportunities arose, I would raise my hand, but my manager would ask me if that was truly the path I felt passionate about or if it was just a way to move out of my role,” she says. “Sometimes I was frustrated with that question, because the answer was usually the latter. Yet, it opened up the conversations around what I was good at, what the organization really needed, and where I could provide the most impact. So, instead of raising my hand for specific roles, I raised my hand for projects that would give me more experience and visibility.”
Ten years into her EA position, Montgomery transitioned to the sales operations team at Watkins, taking on a leadership position for the first time. “I found one of my major motivators is coaching and developing my team members,” she says. And that’s all because she was willing to use her resources to explore her options.
“Sometimes best laid plans are just a stop on a bigger journey,” Montgomery says. “If I told myself 20-plus years ago that I would be in the role I am, doing what I do, I wouldn’t have believed it. I’m not saying don’t have goals, rather, don’t miss out on all the learnings and opportunities as you make your way toward those goals. Every step gives you knowledge and experience that will only make you better as you move forward. It is hard to see that when you are in the midst of the unknown, but if you are able to make the best of any opportunities, you will glean insights that will help you reach your goal.”
3. Embrace discomfort
Nonlinear career paths, as their names suggest, often zig-zag from new skillset to new skillset, creating a seemingly never-ending learning curve. Some might feel this is chaotic. Krista Hydar, director of marketing services, describes it as dynamic.
Hydar began her career as a receptionist at a boutique marketing firm, but she quickly seized opportunities and progressed to the account management team. There, she began working with big-name brands such as Yoplait and Sony, eventually relocating to New York City and then San Diego to work closely with the latter. “This decision not only broadened my professional growth but also provided me with numerous opportunities to expand my horizons,” she says.
And it is just one example of a time in her career when she’s been pushed out of her “comfort zone” to pursue bigger and better opportunities. “Throughout my career, I've come to realize that my most significant professional growth has occurred during times of discomfort and unfamiliarity,” Hydar says. “Embracing these challenges has helped me develop new skills, expand my knowledge, and approach situations with adaptability and resilience.”
Hydar encourages anyone faced with new and intimidating career challenges to start saying “yes,” even if you don’t have the answers or feel fully prepared. “It's a powerful way to grow both personally and professionally. By saying ‘yes’ and stepping outside your comfort zone, you open doors to unforeseen possibilities and potential career advancements. Don't be afraid to take calculated risks and trust in your ability to learn and adapt along the way.”
Allen feels similarly. Throughout her career, she says she took chances at times when opportunities felt beyond her reach—but she trusted that she had the capacity even without the exact skillset. “I reminded myself that I was being offered that opportunity because someone else knew I could do it, even if I wasn’t sure that I could,” she says. “I also always tried to remember that these twists and turns are happening for a reason and that I was capable and determined to conquer challenges, so I set my mind to doing just that.”
4. Find an environment where you can thrive
Career paths of all varieties need support, which is why it’s pivotal that, regardless of the direction you choose, you find a company culture that aligns with your values and your desire to grow. Cusato, who discovered Watkins Wellness while still working for her former employer, recommends exploring new companies continuously, even if it’s just in an effort to learn more about what’s out there.
“Passive job hunting is a great way to figure out that it is not so bad where you are,” she says. “If you see a job that ‘sounds like you,’ check it out. You may find you have it better than you thought. You may also find things in the job description that describe what you do now that you can use around goal and review time. I took the meeting with the recruiter at Watkins because the position sounded like exactly what I was doing at Made Goods and thought it would be a good way to find out if I was being compensated appropriately!”
Likewise, Hydar attributes much of her career success, especially at Watkins, to the environment she’s worked in—her managers and teammates have bolstered her growth in unfamiliar positions. “I leaned on their expertise and guidance to help me acclimate and excel in these new roles,” Hydar says. “Their mentorship and willingness to share their knowledge and experience proved invaluable in helping me navigate through challenges and learn the ropes quickly.”
The Watkins team has also made it possible for employees like Allen to achieve personal and professional milestones. “Watkins has given me the opportunity to lead my team remotely, which I am beyond grateful for because I am able to achieve work-life balance and be the best version of myself for my family.”
She says staying true to herself and what she wants throughout her career has made her unconventional path a fulfilling one. “Follow your gut and remain focused on the things that are most important to you in your life, and don’t be afraid to take risks that will get you where you want to be,” Allen says. “Most importantly, don’t compare your path to the paths of others. Everyone has their own journey, and each of them is unique in their own way.”
