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Free Lesson
Why Non-Linear Career Paths Are Winning in 2026
30 min
Jun 9, 2026 10:00 AM
What you'll learn
Why the straight-line career stopped working
What's shifted in graduate hiring, why fewer people are climbing traditional ladders, and what's replacing them.
What a non-linear path actually looks like
Real examples of portfolio careers, side projects, and unexpected routes into work, with what made each one land.
How to build a non-linear path that still makes sense
How to make choices that add up to something, even when the shape of your career doesn't look like anyone else's.
Why this topic matters
The straight-line graduate career, scheme to promotion to management, is shrinking. Entry-level roles are fewer. Middle management is being cut faster. At the same time, more graduates are freelancing, building their own things, and stringing together unusual routes into work. This lesson explains why non-linear paths are winning right now, and how to build one that actually adds up.
You'll learn from
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Amira Al-Shabazz
Chief of Staff, Breakthrough Social Enterprise