Insights
Non-linear careers: asset or liability?
For Climbers and Pivoters alike, strategic role moves can strengthen your position—if executed with intent.
A career advice column explores whether zigzag careers—moving across different roles and industries rather than climbing a single ladder—are viable in creative fields. The consensus: non-linear paths aren't inherently risky. What matters is demonstrable impact, sustained relationships, and the ability to articulate how each move built your capability or network. The real red flag is frequent short stints (under one year) that suggest underperformance or poor fit.
Tacktica's take
This reframes a real concern for Singapore's mid-to-senior professionals. If you're a Pivoter considering a move into fintech, product, or strategy, you're not starting from scratch—your prior roles are evidence of strategic thinking, not scattered ambition. The key is how you narrate the thread: each move should show deliberate skill-building or network expansion toward a coherent direction, not panic or drifting.
For Climbers, this matters too. Not every step needs to be upward in title. A lateral move into a high-impact project, a stint in a peer function (ops, strategy), or even a temporary role abroad can strengthen your leadership credibility later—provided you stayed 18+ months, delivered measurably, and built real relationships. The SG corporate context often rewards "depth" in one company; use that to your advantage, but don't mistake it for the only path to Director level.
The acid test Kat Wong offers is blunt and useful: can you explain why each move mattered to you, and can your network vouch for your reliability? In Singapore's tight professional circles, reputation travels fast. A coherent story and strong relationships beat a pristine CV.
Key takeaways
- Articulate the logic of your moves: each role should connect to a skill, network, or strategic goal you value
- Avoid the red flag: don't do back-to-back short stints (under 12-18 months) without a clear reason
- Lean on your network: in SG's dense professional ecosystem, relationships and reputation are your insurance against CV scepticism
- Reframe pivots as intentional: shifting from banking to fintech or operations to strategy isn't a detour if you explain the thread
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Tacktica Insights summarises and comments on public reporting; each post links to its source. Summary and analysis are Tacktica's own. · All insights · tacktica.com