At a get-together with former colleagues last week, a photo from a joint business trip to the Pentagon reminded me of how often I have asked myself after more than 20 years in the profession: How would my path have developed if I had made completely different decisions?
In my seminars at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, I always discuss the same basic question with students: What factors shape our careers? According to theory, there are three: your own choices, your network and chance. For me, too, all three have a clear effect: I originally wanted to enter the world of banking straight after graduating from high school. However, because I didn't look for an apprenticeship in time, I started studying law. Later, as a lawyer, I realized that I didn't want to spend all my time dealing with the legal problems of others and switched to the corporate world.
At E.ON, it was mainly superiors and lucky coincidences that determined my path. Networking and opportunities led to positions in various departments and later new positions at LichtBlick and Vaillant. It wasn't until 2018 that I once again made the conscious decision to switch to a completely different role as a managing director in HR consulting - and ultimately to set up my own executive search boutique.
Today, I can clearly see that networks and chance give many careers their special twist - they usually have a stronger influence than your own conscious choice. As long as you're happy, that's not a problem. It only becomes difficult if you want to completely reorient yourself - because companies like to continue careers. When hiring new employees, they look for people who have many years of experience in the area in question.
