If opportunity knocks, take it

By ANGELA McCARTHY

How often do people tell you it was just a stroke of luck that a job came their way?

It's more than luck. The opportunity presented itself - and more important, some bright spark acted on it.

Most career paths are affected by chance or unplanned events, says Dale Furbish, president of the Careers Practitioners Association of New Zealand.

"It is how we respond to these events that affects our career."

Academics give it a title you might think an oxymoron - "planned happenstance". The theory runs that unforeseen events - from redundancy and injury to chance conversations on buses or at meetings - are a normal part of life and can create major opportunities if people are open to them.

Most of us, however, stick to safe and predictable paths, seeking standard goals as we go - more responsibility, money, power and status.

An American psychologist and specialist in career counselling, Professor John Krumboltz, is one of the three original authors of the theory of planned happenstance, first written about in 1999.

It is driven by five qualities: curiosity, persistence, flexibility, optimism and risk-taking.

Mistakes come with the territory, says Krumboltz. Failure is an important part of learning and may lead to an even better outcome.

For some people, it comes naturally. Take Chris Southern. While he hasn't heard of the theory, it fits with his philosophy on life.

The 30-year-old, who has a doctorate in chemical and wastes engineering, looks out for opportunities. So far, he has worked in research, engineering and business roles and is doing a nine-month retail trainee management programme with BP Oil.

However, he nearly didn't do his PhD because he needed sponsorship but couldn't secure any in his area.

But when he heard about a PhD fellowship with sponsorship in a different area of chemical engineering, he took a punt and applied.

The change moved him right out of his comfort zone, a fear which he believes holds most of us back.

"I reckon 80 per cent of our population only go where they're comfortable - and as a result, go nowhere."

His next stroke of luck was an approach by a company, while he was working for HortResearch, offering a management and shareholding role that included mentoring.

Then a special unplanned event happened - a baby.

"And shares don't pay for baby food," he laughs.

He found a technical services engineering role at Castrol Oil, which involved product management and marketing as well as engineering. He was there a year before making his latest career move into retail management training.

"I don't believe in career planning. I think we have to develop a work path and go with it, but not stick to a strict plan. Opportunities show up and you have to be ready to take them on."

Southern derives career satisfaction from developing diverse skills rather than building up status within a single company. He sees himself as a person with a variety of skills, rather than a chemical engineer or a retail trainee manager.

"You're dreaming if you think you can get a qualification, then stay in one job for the rest of your life. It is best to accumulate as many skills as possible."

This focus on multi-skilling is important, says Furbish. "People can be disadvantaged by looking at themselves and their careers in a linear, status-based fashion."

Phoebe Hayman is another person who has taken a versatile approach to her career, making the most of opportunities.

The 23-year-old photographer, design assistant and production manager for Kate Dowman Couture was originally studying law.

While it was a random event that caused a reassessment of career and life - a drunk driver put her in hospital - she was able to make changes because she wasn't afraid of them. On reflection, she realised she wasn't enjoying law and dumped those studies to enrol in fashion, then photography, at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design.

In her third year she put herhand up for a one-off wedding photography job. That led to part-time work and deepened her interestin wedding photography.

In her fourth year, in a bid for more exposure, she approached Kate Dowman Couture wanting to exhibit wedding photos in return for free photography. By chance, photos of the shop were urgently needed and the deal was on.

"It was brilliant timing," says Hayman.

Textbook planned happenstance: she had developed the skills, and went out and created the opportunity.

Then one day when Hayman was dropping off proofs, she found Dowman totally bogged down in production and offered to help.

Now she works full-time for Dowman, doing commercial shoots, helping with wedding gown designs and overseeing the production and marketing side.

"It's great because it combines my interest in fashion design as well as photography."

She still runs her own weekend wedding photography business, which involves attending two to three weddings most weekends, particularly in summer.

"I re-look at my future constantly, without fear of change," she says. "I believe strongly that we all have choices. We just have to take the choices when they come."

The fine art of taking your chances

Think of times an unplanned event has affected your career: pregnancy, redundancy, a change of town, a chance meeting with a friend, a flyer on a cafe wall advertising a job or course.

Did you take advantage of it? If not, think of ways you may be able to recognise and take advantage of a similar event in future.

Professor John Krumboltz, who ran a two-day workshop for career counsellors in Auckland last year on making the most of planned happenstance, suggests:

* Develop new interests, which may expose you to chance events that lead to new study or job possibilities as well as new networks.

* Take a broader focus with networking and information interviewing so you look at the industry and environment, not just the job.

* Get in touch with people through clubs, internet sites, phone calls and striking up conversations.

* Think positively about unplanned events or interruptions. Ask what can be gained from the experience.

* Challenge your own reticence. If you're thinking, "I'll do that later", ask yourself, "What if I do it now?"