Work Has Changed. Has Your Career Caught Up?

modern career paths

If you’ve ever felt like your career no longer fits, you’re not alone. We’re in a new era of work—it feels like everything is changing. Work feels unstable to say the least. 

These changes ask us to look inward before we look outward. It forces us to look at work in a different light. 

This is the intersection I love exploring with my clients:

❶ Self-discovery (Who am I?) 

❷ Meaningful work (What truly matters? What kind of impact do I want to make?)

❸ Modern career/work design (How do I make it real?)

When these three meet, everything shifts— from confusion to clarity, from autopilot to alignment.

 All these three pieces of the puzzle are needed to figure out our careers, our future work.

Most of us were taught to build a career, not to design a life. We followed the formula—get the degree, get the job, climb the ladder—and hoped fulfillment would follow. But that formula was written for another era. 

Today, the world of work is changing faster than ever. Roles disappear overnight. New industries are born. Massive layoffs happen every day. Flexibility, creativity, and purpose are no longer “nice-to-haves.” They’re the foundation of a thriving life. Yet leaders of big organizations are not catching up under the short-term pressure they feel to bring in the arbitrary results expected of them. 

That’s why the most courageous professionals I meet aren’t just looking for another job—they’re redesigning what work means to them. 

Sometimes that means crafting a more meaningful role within their company. Sometimes it means building something entirely their own. In every case, it begins with knowing who they are.

This intersection—where who you are meets what you do—is where transformation happens. It’s not about chasing titles; it’s about creating a way of working that reflects your values, strengths, and sense of purpose. Because people are done, burned out, tired of getting laid off. Tired of being out of control in the future of their work and income. 

What I am hearing more is the fact that people are starting side gigs. 51% of Americans reported having a side hustle in the past year. (MarketWatch)

It was first doing Uber/Door Dash at the side to make more money, now it is more about taking on something you are good at and creating a side gig out of it. With the instability people feel, most people rightfully so, want to bring revenue home with something they can do on their own. They want to feel more in control. 

Actually we will talk about this in my monthly Career Q&A session. On November 12th, I’ll be sharing one simple way to start a side gig—even without a website. We will still have a lot of time to answer any other questions about your career and job search as we always do. 

It’s free, informal, and always full of “aha” moments. You’ll walk away with more clarity, new ideas, and maybe even the first spark of something that’s been waiting inside you for a long time. 

👉 Reserve your spot here. 

The intersection of Self-Discovery, Meaningful Work, and Modern Career Design is where the future of work lies. 

This is where work becomes human again.

Purposefully and Gratefully,

Ozlem Brooke Erol

I’ve always been an advocate for people who love to work, who want to live a meaningful life, and who long to contribute to the world in a positive way. We all deserve that.

Everything I do—reading, learning, writing, speaking, coaching, and consulting—is driven by one purpose: to uplift as many people as possible by helping them unleash their unique gifts, passions, and purpose. Our world desperately needs it.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to connect. Visit www.yourbestlifeinc.com for individuals or www.purposeful.business for organizations. Send me a message here or there. I always have a complimentary session to see if we are a good match to work together and understand your challenges. 

Also 

 all my offerings in one place (lots of free resources) 

 my instagram account

my YouTube shorts and channel.