The pandemic, economic uncertainty, and recent layoffs have brought many people to career — and thus, identity — inflection points: life’s “what now?” or “fork-in-the-road” moments when people must decide where to go, what to do next, and who to become.
Embrace Ambivalence When Making Big Career Decisions
Career inflection points are moments of potential change and transition that often evoke feelings of ambivalence: the simultaneous experience of positive and negative emotions about something. Whether prompted by sudden, external triggers (e.g., promotion opportunity or job loss) or creeping stressors that reach a tipping point, career inflection points are opportunities to reevaluate not only career decisions, but also ourselves. The studies the authors have conducted on careers, identity, and ambivalence, along with the work of other scholars, have led them to conclude that you can harness ambivalence at career inflection points to craft a more authentic and fulfilling career. Here, they discuss the effects of ambivalence — and how to use yours to your advantage.