Bloch (2005) suggests that a person’s career path is characterized by unexplained routes and obvious, with many interruptions. I think this idea is something that my small group has explored many times when it comes to making career decisions. It’s hard to know or be able to predict the changes that will arise in the future and how those may impact a career. The author also talks about how sometimes small events lead to major career changes and cause a phase transition from order to chaos.

                Currently, I can relate to the phase transition from order to chaos. My husband and I bought our first house in Duncannon which is roughly an hour and a half from Lancaster, which is where I used to work.  It would not have been effective for me to commute that distance 5 days a week to keep my job, even though I was very happy there. I found a similar position with another company, close to home. The change has been difficult and the company I currently work for is nothing like my previous job. I am not happy at all with this job so I am feeling a large amount of chaos. I have decided to start applying to other companies in the area until I find something that fits my needs better so I can regain that sense of order.

                The article also discussed several implications for practice. The one that stood out the most to me was helping the client understand that “rushing” into another job to fight off the chaos may leave the client in an unsatisfied state. I found this interesting because people work to earn money, and need money in order to survive. I don’t think that people always have the option of weighing their options or waiting for a better career choice to come along. Most people jump into an available career because there are bills to pay and mouths to feed. I ended up, dissatisfied in my current job because I knew that I had a house payment, car payment and other bills that needed to be paid. I wasn’t able to explore all my options or wait for an extended period of time. I needed to get rid of the chaos of being unemployed. I agree that my decision is very unsatisfying, and I am hoping that I will be able to find better employment in the near future.

Bloch, D. P. (2005). Complexity, chaos, and nonlinear dynamics: A new perspective on career development theory. The Career Development Quarterly, 53(3), 194-207.