Penna: Everyone Should Have a 'Snakes and Ladders' Career

It is never too late to change your job, no matter how far you are into your career, says careers expert Bev White.

Speaking to delegates at the Women in the City's Future Leaders Award breakfast symposium, Penna Career Services' managing director told the audience that you can change jobs around eight times throughout your time of employment and, in fact, making mistakes along the way can shape you to become a great leader.

"Your journey to success is shaped by having a 'Snakes and Ladders' careers path," said White.

"It is never too late to move into a completely different field and to do something that you love to make you inevitably happy. When we are children, our choices are usually shaped by what our family or friends choose or suggest for us. However, it may not be something we will inevitably enjoy, several years down the line."

'Snakes and Ladders' is a popular British boardgame where players have to race to the finish line. However, depending on the roll of the dice, the player can be boosted by rising up a ladder or falling down several places via a snake.

White used the example of a client of hers who had spent her entire career in investment banking. After being made redundant, her client said that while she had been miserable in that sector, she had a lifestyle to maintain and found it hard to think about how she was able to do something she likes while also paying the bills.

When asked what she really was really passionate about, the client said she was into competitive sailing. Eventually, she ended up finding a job as a chief operating officer for a luxury yacht group and was moving to Monaco.

"It's all about having the courage to listen to what we love and seeking out opportunities. We all of course have to pay the bills, but it is possible to find a career you'd really enjoy if you understand what you are about and really explore how to make a job change possible," she said.