EMBRACING THE SQUIGGLE: WHY YOUR CAREER DOESN’T NEED TO BE A STRAIGHT LINE

Sharon Senior, Executive Director at North West Employers, July 2026
16 July 2026

Embracing the Squiggle: Why Your Career Doesn’t Need to Be a Straight Line

If you’d asked most of us a decade ago to draw our career path, we might have sketched a neat ladder: steady steps upwards, each rung clearly defined.

Today? I’d be surprised if many of us would draw anything other than a squiggle.

I had the pleasure of hosting a lunch and learn session with our members, introducing the idea of Squiggly Careers—a concept developed by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis, and brought to life brilliantly through the resources on the Amazing If website. It’s a space I keep coming back to, not just for inspiration, but for practical tools that actually help you do something with your career thinking.

And that’s what I love most—it’s not theory, it’s usable.

The World of Work Has Changed (And So Have We)

One of the starting points in the session was a simple reflection:
Can you imagine doing the same job for the next five years? The same organisation for the next ten?

For many, the answer is no. And that’s not a sign of restlessness—it’s a sign of reality.

  • We’re working longer
  • We’re working across more diverse, multigenerational environments
  • Technology and AI are continuously reshaping roles
  • Purpose, flexibility and growth matter more than ever

As we explored together, a “one-size-fits-all” approach to careers no longer works.

Which is where the squiggle comes in.

From Career Ladders to Career Squiggles

One of my favourite moments in the session was asking people to choose: ladder or squiggle?

The shift is subtle but powerful. Instead of focusing on climbing upwards, a squiggly career is about:

  • Exploring sideways moves
  • Building new skills
  • Following curiosity
  • Creating opportunities, not waiting for them

The Amazing If platform brings this idea to life through podcasts, downloadable tools and short, practical exercises that make career development feel accessible—not overwhelming.

If you haven’t explored it yet, it’s well worth a look.

The Five Skills That Make the Difference

A big part of the session focused on five key career skills—the foundations of a squiggly career. These are simple, but not easy. And they’re the areas where I see people gain real momentum when they invest time.

  1. Super Strengths: What Are You Brilliant At?

We often spend far more time thinking about what we need to improve than what we already do brilliantly.

One of the exercises I shared was the “high-speed strengths” challenge—60 seconds to write down 20 things you’re great at. It’s harder than it sounds.

The key takeaway?

Spend 80% of your time making your strengths stronger, and 20% on the weaknesses that really hold you back.

It’s simple, but it flips a mindset many of us have carried for years.

  1. Values: Your Career Compass

When your work aligns with what matters to you, everything feels easier—your decisions, your energy, your confidence.

We talked about reflecting on career highs and lows to identify what really drives you:

  • The people you work with
  • The kind of work you do
  • The environment you thrive in

Knowing your values helps you:

  • Be yourself at work
  • Build stronger relationships
  • Make better decisions

It becomes your internal compass when choices aren’t obvious.

  1. Confidence: Managing the Gremlins

This one always resonates.

Not because people lack confidence—but because we all have those internal “gremlins” that chip away at it:

  • “I don’t know enough”
  • “I’m not as good as everyone else in the room”
  • “What if I fail?”

The shift isn’t about eliminating those thoughts—it’s about recognising them, understanding what triggers them, and not letting them take over.

A practical tip we explored was regularly recording your successes—at work and at home. It sounds small, but it builds a powerful habit of self-recognition.

  1. Networks: People Helping People

Careers don’t happen in isolation.

We talked about thinking of your network in three ways:

  • People who help you succeed now
  • People who support your development
  • People who open up future possibilities

And perhaps most importantly:

Focus on what you can give, not just what you can gain.

That mindset shift makes networking feel more human—and far less transactional.

  1. Future Possibilities: Stay Curious

The final skill is about lifting your head up and looking ahead.

  • What could your career look like?
  • What skills might you need next?
  • Where are you curious, but not yet confident?

In a world that’s constantly evolving, curiosity isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s essential.

Turning Insight into Action

What made the lunch and learn work so well wasn’t just the content—it was the opportunity for people to try it out there and then.

Reflecting. Writing. Sharing. Thinking.

And that’s exactly what the Amazing If resources enable on a much bigger scale. Whether it’s a podcast on your commute or a five-minute exercise between meetings, it’s all designed to fit into real life.

A Final Thought

Squiggly careers aren’t about having everything figured out.

They’re about:

  • Paying attention to what matters
  • Building skills that keep you adaptable
  • Taking small, meaningful actions

And perhaps most importantly, giving yourself permission not to have a perfectly straight path.

Because in today’s world, the squiggle isn’t the exception.

It’s the norm.

Blog by Sharon Senior, Executive Director at North West Employers, July 2026