Tempus fugit, and it fugit much faster when your career flashes before your eyes. When considering a job shift, it can feel that you’ve wasted your past experience and should have focused solely on X (e.g., obtaining a certification and working in a lucrative and linear field).
Linear careers are not the norm, however. People commonly change occupations based on their previous experiences, rather than despite them. The aspects of your work that appear too eclectic to you today may be what propels you into your next position.
The conference you helped organize, the tutoring you conducted on the side, the lacrosse team you played on for years, the songs you posted online, and the PSW work you did in Scotland are all possible assets for your future endeavors.
To keep eclecticism from sounding like a random hodgepodge, consider how each will help you be better at what you want to do next. Write down your thoughts here. Step away from the list and revisit it later to elaborate on it. Once you’ve exhausted the utility of each experience, it’s okay to alter. What are the most valuable transferable abilities and areas of expertise for the task you want to do right now?
Try adding some of this content to your résumé or cover letter. Create a before and after photo and share it with someone (ideally someone who knows what you intend to do next). Which one best explains why you’d be good at your next career goal? Which one would make them want to meet you or, better yet, collaborate with you?
Developing self-awareness through diverse experiences is crucial for connecting past and future events. Working primarily with people who share your interests and are drawn to similar types of problems can distort your perception of your own abilities and flaws. If everyone around you shares your strengths, it’s tempting to think you’re simply mediocre at what you do well. So, whether or not your diverse experiences directly help you find your next job, they will, at the very least, help you understand what individuals who are different from you value most about what you have to offer.
