Coincidence, Happenstance, Serendipity, Fate, or the Hand of God: Case Studies in Synchronicity

Abstract

Many counselors are aware that synchronicity-unpredictable instances of meaningful coincidence-can play a significant role in career opportunities, yet the phenomenon of synchronicity in the career literature is underrepresented. The purpose of this article is to discuss the occurrence of synchronicity in the career development process. A philosophical context is presented and provides a framework for understanding synchronicity. Through the presentation of 3 case studies, synchronistic themes are explored. Using various career counseling processes, each client developed an authentic identity and found meaningful work through an experience with synchronicity. Implications for counselors are discussed.Historically, professional counseling, and specifically career counseling, has its roots in the work of Parsons (1909). His trait-factor, three-step approach to making vocational choices assumed that knowledge of self and knowledge about the world of work lead to a wise vocational choice through the process of "true reasoning." Influences on his work and on subsequent career development theory in the United States were formed out of the western European worldview of the last century, which was grounded in scientific reasoning. This modernist tradition emphasized fixed reality, universal truths, and linear causality (Rosen, 1996).One tenet that shaped the direction of career counseling is the view that career development is linear, progressive, and rational (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 1998). The trait-factor approach developed in a deterministic system that assumed all factors were measurable and knowable. However, many counselors are aware that unknowable instances of coincidence, happenstance, and chance factors can play a significant role in career opportunities (Betsworth & Hansen, 1996). We propose that these factors point to the nonlinear and acausal phenomenon of synchronicity.

Tales of the unexpected: Integrating career shocks in the contemporary careers literature

“…Similarly, Miller (1983) underlined the importance of happenstance and started his paper with his own example of how a career shock impacted his career choices: He met a counsellor who inspired him and in the end chose to follow that career path. Since those early days, several papers have been published that further emphasise the important role of career shocks, such as Scott and Hatalla's (1990) work on chance and contingency factors, Williams et al's (1998) work on chance events and identity formation among women, Rojewski's (1999) work on career shocks among individuals with disabilities and Guindon and Hanna's (2002) work on synchronicity. Although their specific focus varies, each one of these papers emphasises the idea that career development is about much more than individual agency.…”

The relationship between career competencies, career identity, motivation and quality of choice

“…Many scholars, however, have argued that there is little research supporting the trait-andfactor approach as a viable way of fostering career development; especially its usefulness in fluid labour market conditions has been questioned, since matching assumes a degree of stability (Krumboltz & Worthington, 1999). Career paths have become unpredictable; therefore, it is no longer possible to make career choices in a purely rational and information-based way (Guindon & Hanna, 2002;Krieshok, Black, & McKay, 2009;Mitchell, Levin, & Krumboltz, 1999). However, despite these shortcomings, the model is dominant in effect studies.…”

Chaotic careers: a narrative analysis of career transition themes and outcomes using chaos theory as a guiding metaphor

“…Increasingly there has been a call for career development theories to reflect salient influences such as chance events (Bright, Pryor, Chan & Rijanto, 2009;Chen, 2005;Pryor & Bright, 2003a), planned happenstance (Mitchell, Levin & Krumboltz, 1999), uncertainty (Miller, 1995;Trevor-Roberts, 2006), spirituality (Bloch, 2004), serendipity (Stone, 2007), and synchronicity (Guindon & Hanna, 2002); and to arrange these into a more comprehensive framework which recognises the complexities of modern careers (e.g. Bright, Pryor, Wilkenfeld & Earl, 2005;Kahn, 2007;Savickas, 2001).…”