Causes of Career-Defining Moments

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to develop a typology of career-defining moments in order to better understand the nature of this phenomenon. A career-defining moment is a point in time that substantially alters the trajectory of one's career. We conducted interviews with a diverse group of 18 executives to learn about their career-defining moments. A typology of five distinct categories of career-defining moments and their respective subthemes emerged from the interviews. The five major types of career-defining moments are as follows: (a) anticipated transition events, (b) unanticipated transition events, (c) insight experiences, (d) relationship experiences, and (e) spiritual experiences. This study adds to the theoretical understanding of career experiences and provides a foundation for a largely untapped stream of inquiry for future researchers. Career-defining moments are important as they influence future career decisions and have a tremendous impact on the individuals making those decisions and their organizations.Although I'd financed much of Zappos myself during its early days, we had raised tens of millions of dollars from outside investors. As with all VC's Sequoia expected a substantial return on its investment but the recession and credit crisis put Zappos and our investors in a very precarious position. In early 2009 we were at a stalemate. I controlled the majority of the company's shares, so the board couldn't force a sale of the company. But on the five person board, only two of us were committed to Zappos's culture. This made it likely that if the economy didn't improve the board would fire me and hire a new CEO who was concerned only with maximizing profit . . . However Zappos wasn't just a job-it was a calling.Hsieh, 2010, para. 7

The crucible of early career psychiatry

“…This may be especially true of career defining experiences. 2 Such experiences may be represented as a crucible in the shaping of a professional identity. Literally, a crucible is a receptacle that contains a substance that can withstand heat to extreme temperatures.…”

“…Insights frequently arise from adversity or an awareness of a need to focus or turn our attention elsewhere. 2 The inward process of introspection helps us to better understand ourselves and respond to challenges and complexity, 3 and may apply to psychiatrists at all stages of the career trajectory. Shared reflection is a means to sustain each other and act as a balance to cynicism and burnout.…”

Antecedents and Outcomes of Callings for University Students: An Examination of Mentoring and Insight Experiences

“…As described later, insight experiences are defined as life events or episodes that offer a moment of comprehension, here related to one's career. Insight experiences have been recognized as a type of career-defining moment for adults-an experience that can offer a sense of clarity and point individuals toward a specific, meaningful career path (Ensher et al, 2017). Here, we extend this research by examining whether university students may also encounter insight experiences that contribute to their development of a calling.…”

Beyond Logic and Intuition: Development and Validation of a Career Discernment Scale

“…The interviews were part of a larger study on career-defining moments (Ensher, Nielson, & Kading, 2017). The interviews focused on career decisions made by the respondent and the different ways they approached the decision.…”