Career Shocks and the Sustainability of Global Careers
A University of Western Australia study followed more than 150 expatriates through personal, organisational and institutional shocks — from divorce and restructures to downturns and immigration policy. Those who reset their goals, learned new skills, widened their networks or moved again ended up with satisfying long-run careers; those who waited it out did not. Company-sponsored expats responded proactively more often, largely because they had internal mobility and support to draw on.
When a restructure or life event knocks your plan off course, treat it as a prompt to review your direction rather than something to recover from quietly. Before the next shock arrives, work out which internal networks and mobility options you could actually use — especially if you don't have organisational sponsorship.
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