In an age of accelerating change, traditional career paths have become more like shifting sands than solid roads. Roles evolve, industries transform, and life events disrupt our plans. In such a dynamic landscape, what determines long-term career success is not merely skills or credentials—it’s career adaptability.
What Is Career Adaptability?
Career adaptability, a concept central to Mark Savickas’ Career Construction Theory, refers to an individual’s readiness and resources for coping with current and anticipated tasks, transitions, and traumas in their occupational roles.
Savickas (2005) identified four core dimensions of career adaptability:
1. Concern – Becoming future-oriented and preparing for what lies ahead.
2. Control – Taking ownership of your career decisions.
3. Curiosity – Exploring possible selves and career options.
4. Confidence – Believing in your ability to pursue and achieve goals.
These are not traits one either has or doesn’t—they’re capacities that can be developed over time, and they play a pivotal role in navigating career transitions, disruptions, and reinventions.
Career Agility in Action: Two Brief Vignettes
Case Study 1: Reimagining Work After Redundancy
After a corporate restructure, Angela, a mid-career HR leader, found herself suddenly unemployed. Instead of jumping into job applications, she engaged in narrative career coaching using Savickas’ Career Construction Interview (CCI). Through storytelling, she rediscovered a theme of “building bridges” across cultures and people. This insight led her to reposition herself as an intercultural leadership coach—a path that aligned with her deep values and professional identity.
Angela’s journey demonstrated all four adaptability resources:
• Concern: She imagined a meaningful next chapter.
• Control: She initiated getting a coach to support her.
• Curiosity: She explored diverse roles beyond HR.
• Confidence: She trusted her transferable skills.
Case Study 2: A Gen Z Graduate in a Gig Economy
Jay, a recent graduate in media studies, was overwhelmed by the freelance economy. Rather than seek “the perfect job,” he applied Savickas’ principles by identifying core themes in his early life stories—such as improvisation, visual storytelling, and advocacy. These themes gave coherence to his portfolio career across podcasting, freelance video work, and part-time teaching.
Jay’s adaptability was nurtured through:
• Concern: Planning beyond short gigs.
• Control: Assembling a work-life mosaic that made sense.
• Curiosity: Testing creative platforms and roles.
• Confidence: Building a narrative of value through small wins.
Why This Matters Now More Than Ever
In a world rapidly changing and being disrupted, adaptability comes up as a top skill for the future of work. But adaptability is more than just learning to pivot. It’s about constructing meaning amid change. Savickas’ work reminds us that our careers are not found—they are authored. And like all good stories, they evolve.
Coaching Questions to Cultivate Career Adaptability
• Concern: What does a meaningful future look like for me?
• Control: Where do I feel empowered to make choices?
• Curiosity: What roles or industries intrigue me right now?
• Confidence: When have I successfully navigated uncertainty before?
A Final Thought
Career adaptability is not about having all the answers—it’s about learning to ask better questions of ourselves and the world. As Savickas writes, “People construct careers by imposing meaning on their vocational behavior and occupational experiences.”
In a world of uncertainty, meaning-making becomes a core competency. So rather than fear change, let’s equip ourselves—and those we serve—with the inner agility to meet it.
References:
• Savickas, M. L. (2005). The theory and practice of career construction. In S.D. Brown & R.W Lent (Eds.), Career development and counselling: Putting theory and research to work. Wiley.
• Savickas, M. L. (2011). Career Counseling. American Psychological Association.
