Unlocking opportunity: The role of serendipity & career coaching

Have you ever felt lost on your career path?

In her insightful book The Career Coaching Handbook, Julia Yates discusses the serendipity metaphor, which encapsulates career theories relating to luck and chance, including Mitchell et al.'s theory of planned happenstance and Gelatt and Gelatt's concept of positive uncertainty.

These theories suggest that, while the future is uncertain, we can prepare ourselves to make the most of it by remaining open to unexpected opportunities and ready to act when they arise.

A career shaped by opportunity

Take my own journey as an example.

At the age of 20, after completing a BA (Hons) in Psychology, I found myself moving from one waitressing job to another. I knew I wanted to do something different but wasn't sure how to take the next step.

A casual conversation with a friend who was temping at a local Jobcentre led me to apply for a similar role. As it happened, the temporary position was within the Employment Service Psychology Division, home to the Occupational Psychologists working in government.

What luck!

What began as a three-month placement evolved into a 12-year career, during which I qualified as a Chartered Psychologist and built a network of colleagues, experts and friends.

I then changed direction and spent several years teaching in primary schools before returning to Occupational Psychology to establish my coaching and consultancy business, drawing on the network and experience I had built throughout my career.

So, was it all simply serendipity that led me to become a psychologist?

Luck certainly played its part, but proactive decisions were equally important in recognising opportunities and acting on them.

The principles of planned happenstance

This reflects the theory of planned happenstance, which suggests that while we can't predict every opportunity that comes our way, we can develop the attitudes and behaviours that help us make the most of them.

Mitchell and colleagues identified five key skills:

• Curiosity – actively seeking out new learning opportunities and experiences.
• Persistence – continuing despite setbacks or disappointments.
• Flexibility – adapting to changing circumstances and remaining open to new perspectives.
• Optimism – believing that new opportunities are possible, even during uncertain times.
• Risk-taking – being willing to act despite uncertainty when an opportunity feels right.

How can career coaching help?

Career uncertainty isn't necessarily a problem to solve; sometimes it's an invitation to explore possibilities you may never have considered before.

Career coaching can help you develop these five skills by encouraging greater self-awareness, challenging limiting beliefs and helping you recognise opportunities you might otherwise overlook.

A coach can also support you in exploring different career directions, developing practical plans and building the confidence to move forward, whether your next step is carefully planned or arrives unexpectedly.

Another example of planned happenstance

My friend's career also speaks to the power of combining opportunity with action.

From a temporary six-week position at a Jobcentre, she consistently demonstrated curiosity, persistence, flexibility, optimism and a willingness to take considered risks.

Those qualities ultimately led her to become a Deputy Director and receive an OBE for her contribution to public service.

Her journey is a reminder that careers rarely follow a perfectly straight line.

Be ready for opportunity

Whether you're feeling uncertain about your next move or actively considering a career change, embracing positive uncertainty can help you approach your future with greater openness and confidence.

We can't predict every opportunity that will come our way, but we can develop the curiosity, resilience and confidence to recognise them when they appear.

Sometimes the next great opportunity arrives when we least expect it.

Being ready to recognise it and having the confidence to act can make all the difference.

References

Gelatt, H.B. & Gelatt, C. (2003). The Power of Positive Uncertainty: Making Creative Career Decisions.

Mitchell, K.E., Levin, A.S. & Krumboltz, J.D. (1999). Planned Happenstance: Constructing Unexpected Career Opportunities. Journal of Counseling & Development, 77(2), 115–124.

Yates, J. (2022). The Career Coaching Handbook (2nd ed.). Routledge.