Career serendipity

Picking your next journey sometimes merely depends on which ships are in harbour today and setting sail tomorrow. They might be looking for exactly your profile, and you might be looking for exactly the position they seek to fill. Or you pick by destination and accept the role as potato peeler for the first leg of the journey—life is tough occasionally. Making a sound choice can take some time and nerves.

Consequently, once you have reached your destination, take some time to appreciate the sense of freedom to choose your next project. It’s only in these few phases between projects and commitments that you are not bound by your designated destination so that you can make a turn, pick a different path, and see where that may lead you. Many of us are more or less used to think of our actions as free—but if we don’t appreciate the instances in which we truly are, that freedom is not really worth much.

Not only research but also practical work consists of projects, roles, and positions. These projects commonly require dedication to a certain structure, procedure, and idea of completion. This dedication is what allows you to advance and grow your capabilities. But projects are not the home of freedom or choice—many decisions must be derived carefully from context. Freedom of choice is what happens between projects. Don’t overlook the value of these gaps between programmes, projects, jobs, and other commitments. Ideally, don’t fear these gaps of structure, either. They are those joints that turn your biography into a flexible, living being and not just a stiff and brittle scaffolding. Luck, good timing, and serendipity plays a noticeable role.

(This is a preview section. The full chapter on this topic continues with the sections “Rough coordinates”, “Train of thought”, “In essence”, “To reflect”, “Two travellers’ tales”, “Devil’s advocate”, and “How to tackle”.)