The newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad interviewed Jos Akkermans about his research on career paths and his personal experience with career shocks.
Asked for his advice on dealing with career shocks, Akkermans explains: ‘Support from your environment, friends and family is quite important. But you could also develop the knowledge and skills to become more resilient yourself. If you are able to reflect on what happens and set (new) goals, that helps. Just as it helps to be proactive.’
Career shocks have fascinated Akkermans for some time now, and in 2018 he published his first paper on this subject. In the interview, he comments: 'I was struck by how much the academic world, HR professionals and coaches emphasized own responsibility for your career. That is essential too, but your career path is not one straight line to the finish. I thought: am I the only one who wants to explore the unpredictability of careers?'
It is important to study this topic in different cultural settings, says Akkermans. ‘In 2021, I coordinated a series of articles, which included one study on newly graduated professionals in India. It showed that arranged marriages are a big career shock for young women. I realised how important it is to research this topic cross-culturally. For instance, I didn't know that violent events like police brutality against black Americans can carry over into the workplace. American research from 2017 shows that black Americans, even those who have not personally experienced police violence, experience more stress and emotions as a result, leading to higher absence rates at work.'
Read the full article in Dutch on fd.nl (free if you create an account)