Nechia Khuzwayo | Senior Account Executive | Tribeca Public Relations | mail me |
We are often taught to think of a successful career as a straight line. Study something, find a job in that field, gain experience, move up, and keep going. But many careers do not always play out this way. This may be more useful than we realise.
Someone can start in social media, move into data and analytics, find themselves working in marketing, and eventually build a career in public relations. On paper, these moves may look disconnected. In practice, each one changes the way you think, the questions you ask, and the way you approach your work.
Connecting the dots over time
Steve Jobs once said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards”. This idea applies just as well to careers. Skills that seem unrelated at the time can become surprisingly valuable later, particularly when they begin to work together.
I have experienced this in my own career. I studied BCom Information Management, with a particular interest in data analytics, and started my career as a data and reporting specialist in a Social and Innovations department. Along the way, I found myself learning more about social media management and digital communication. These areas were not necessarily part of my original career plan.
Today, I work in PR and communications, with much of my role focused on media relations. On paper, these may seem like very different paths. However, each one has given me something I use in the next chapter of my career. My understanding of data helps me think about insights and measurement. My social media experience helps me understand audiences. Furthermore, my current PR experience has strengthened my ability to communicate and build relationships.
Looking back, I realise that the twists in my career have not taken me off course. Instead, they have helped me build a much broader skill set. They have also contributed significantly to my professional growth.
Versatility creates value
For me, that is where the real value of versatility comes in. It is not simply about knowing how to do different things. It is about understanding how those skills can work together. People who have worked across different disciplines are often able to see connections others miss. They understand a problem from more than one angle.
This matters because workplace challenges rarely stay solely within one department. A reputational issue can become a social media issue. A marketing decision can create a communications challenge. Data can reveal something that changes an entire campaign. The more you understand how these areas connect, the more useful you can be beyond the boundaries of your job title.
Of course, versatility should not be confused with being unfocused. There is still value in developing real depth and expertise. But depth and range are not opposites. In many cases, they strengthen each other.
This combination can also support professional growth because it allows people to apply existing knowledge in new contexts. A skill developed in one discipline may become a differentiator when applied in another. Over time, those connections can expand both capability and career opportunities.
Rethinking the non-linear career
Perhaps this is the better way to think about a non-linear career. It is not a series of detours. Instead, it is the gradual accumulation of perspectives, skills, and experiences that become more valuable when combined.
A career does not have to make perfect sense while you are building it. Sometimes its value only becomes clear when you look back. You may then realise that the path you thought was inconsistent was actually teaching you how to see more of the bigger picture.
Ultimately, professional growth does not always follow a predictable route. The experiences that appear unrelated today may become valuable building blocks tomorrow. What feels like a career change may therefore become another layer of expertise.
The goal is not necessarily to follow a perfectly straight path. It is to keep learning, develop depth, remain open to new disciplines and recognise the value that different experiences can bring when they come together.
