To further their career, employees are changing jobs more often, while others are being made redundant. In most countries now, one in three workers remain in a job for less than two years, revealing that the so-called "job for life" has all but disappeared.

Undergone or chosen, a job transition feels like a phase which has a financial and emotional dimension attached to it, and prompts us to take action.

As surprisingly as it seems, your reaction is more predictable than you might believe.

How comes?

Most of our decisions and behaviours are shaped by feelings and experiences stored in our unconscious.

In Money Magic, Deborah Price describes 8 archetypes , or patterns of behaviours that I find very helpful and insightful.

We all fall within one or more of the following archetypes : that is why I like using this concept so much when I try to find out and explain why we do what we do.

For now, let us see what the concept of archetype can tell us about the behaviours and attitudes that we tend to adopt during a career change phase.

The Innocent

The innocent archetype represents the part of us that wants to feel safe. The innocent tends to bury its head in the sand, in order to avoid seeing what is happening in the real world. If the innocent in you is very developed, you are likely to take a "passive" approach in your career advancement, rely on other people's opinions and feel overwhelmed by the job market and new information.

The Victim

The Victim archetype is our tendency to blame others and external factors (ie the economy, the boss, the competitors ...). In a job search scenario, the Victim archetype in you can find evidence that the same story (such as a succession of short term contracts, low salary, periods of unemployment) repeats itself and make you look for rescue. You will eventually find a job with someone's help and temporarily solve the problem ... only to see it showing up again and again.

The Warrior

The warrior is the part of us that gets things done. Decisive and resourceful in nature, the Warrior in you sets you in action mode and achieve results. A person driven by a strong Warrior archetype proactively looks for opportunities in his or her network, send CVs, and present himself or herself professionally.

The Martyr

The Martyr represents the part of us that likes to take care of others, often at the expense of ourselves. In the context of a job search, the perfectionist nature of the Martyr in you can push you to look for the perfect position (which may or may not exist) while its lack of boundaries can result in self sabotage, by accepting for example a role, so that you can satisfy your partner, children... 

The Creator Artist

The Creator Artist represents our tendency to appear authentic and original. The conflicted nature of a strong Creator Artist makes it hard to aim for the most lucrative positions. Someone driven by a strong Creator Artist tends to "struggle financially and professionally" by selling himself or herself short, despite having talent.

The Fool

The Fool archetype represents the tendency to make decisions on impulse and living in the moment. Like the Innocent, The Fool finds it hard to see the reality the way it is, but unlike the Innocent, it tends to take action. Compared to the Warrior which also takes action, the lack of discipline leads the Fool archetype in you to be easily distracted and potentially take the first job opportunity, as opposed to the one which could be more beneficial in the long term.

The Tyrant

The tyrant archetype represents our tendency to control people around us, and external factors. Think of the tyrant as a warrior with a fear to lose what has already been gained or won. When looking for a job, a candidate driven by a strong Tyrant tends to look for a powerful position and use manipulation to get it if needed.

The Magician

The Magician archetype is the wise, fairly confident and purposeful part of us. A candidate with a strong Magician usually approaches the job search with optimism and tends to look for a role matching his or her values and life purpose.

 

Every single one of us is a unique combination of those 8 archetypes. Some archetypes are simply more developed than others and I hope this short article allowed you to identify the 2 or 3 dominant patterns of behaviours you follow "by default". If you want to confirm your gut feeling, take the complentary Money Archetype Quiz.

Because it is not a question of "if you are going to change job" but rather "when you are going to change job", you should be aware of the main archetype(s) driving your behaviours and its associated positive and challenging characteristics if you are an employee.

We regularly discuss Money archetypes and the way they impact our relationship with Money and various dimensions of our lives, online and offline during Money Conversation Cafes. Attending a couple of them gives another perspective about our relationship with Money and you are more than welcome to join them!

Let me know if there is an question you want to be answered or explored. The more relevant the Conversation Cafes, the better!