Career progression no longer looks the way it once did. The idea of climbing a single, linear ladder over the course of decades is being replaced by something far more dynamic, personal, and real: the squiggly career.

Today, career growth can mean changing industries, exploring new roles, taking sideways steps, returning after a break, or discovering strengths in places people never expected. And for many employees, those unexpected moves are often the most valuable parts of their journey.

In this two-part blog series, we’re sharing real employee stories that highlight the different paths people have taken throughout their careers. From career pivots and internal mobility to moments of uncertainty that led to growth, these stories show that success doesn’t always follow a straight line.

We’ll explore the workplace cultures, managers, and opportunities that have empowered employees to take chances, develop new skills, and grow in ways that work for them.

Let’s get into part two, featuring squiggly career stories from Anglian Water Services, NFU Mutual, Impression, HEINEKEN UK, and Zoonou.

Anglian Water Services

When it comes to careers at Anglian Water, the starting point is our people. Every career here is personal — shaped by individual ambition, curiosity and the choices people make. It’s not about following a set path or reaching a fixed destination, but about finding what success looks like for you and having the space to go after it.

We’re here to support that. Through career conversations, development plans and the right tools, we help create opportunities for people to explore, grow and move across the business. And it’s something we see happening every day — in the last 3 years, 41% of our vacancies were filled by our current employees, showing our people actively building their careers across different teams and opportunities.

But ultimately, the best careers are the ones people take ownership of. We encourage our people to stay curious, talk about what they want, and take an active role in shaping what comes next. Internal moves and progression happen when people take that lead — and we’re there to support them along the way.

Below, one of our team members shares more about his squiggly career journey.

“I started my working life at 17 at the Royal Mail in Enfield, where I’m from. I spent five years learning the ropes in all weathers, at all times of the day and night.

From there, I moved on to electronic tagging ex-offenders all over London, which was a massive eye-opener. After 12 months, I wanted to do something different again and targeted a driving job for Warburtons because they’d just opened a new factory in Enfield. In the interview, it turned out I didn’t have the HGV licence they needed, but they were so impressed they offered me a role in the bakery ops team anyway. I knew absolutely nothing about bread, but by the time I left, I’d written the training manuals and handouts for the whole site.

After my wife became pregnant, we decided to move out of Enfield to Harwich in Essex to bring our son up by the coast. The commute back to Enfield was killing me, so after six months, I took a role meter reading on behalf of Anglian Water. 18 months later, I was made redundant, but because I’d worked hard to build a great relationship with the team leader, he put in a good word for me for a role in debt recovery. I got the job and officially became an Anglian Water employee in March 2008.

I spent eight years in debt recovery, using my frontline customer service skills to build quick rapport and help thousands of customers find ways to pay. Eventually, dealing with enormous, unrecoverable debts became appalling and stayed with me — it was making me ill and I knew I needed out. I decided to pivot to Water Recycling Operations at Colchester. I knew nothing about it, so I crammed a technical paper on advanced digestion like I’ve never crammed in my life, and completely blabbed my way through the technical questions to win the job. I spent my first few weeks walking round the sludge treatment centre gagging and heaving, seriously reconsidering my life choices, but I adapted.

Realising I felt stunted in my old role and didn't want to go back to shift work and standby, I took another leap. Today, I'm a Senior Safety Advisor, navigating the complex world of construction regulations and processes — a brand-new area of the business where I knew nothing when I walked in.

Every major career shift meant rebuilding my knowledge base from scratch — whether it was advanced sludge digestion or DSEAR regulations (which I thought sounded sexy but had no idea what it stood for at the time).”

- Rob, Senior Safety Advisor

NFU Mutual

From opting out of the traditional university route, to teaching, to shifting careers entirely within the same organisation, Climate Change Analyst Lucy’s story shows how growth often comes from the moments where things don’t go to plan.

Like many people at the start of their careers, Lucy didn’t have a clear picture of where she was heading. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I took a year out instead of going to university.”

That decision marked the beginning of a journey shaped more by exploration than expectation. After briefly starting an apprenticeship, Lucy quickly realised it wasn’t the right fit. “I did nine days and hated every minute of it… so I handed my notice in.”

Rather than seeing that as a setback, she recalibrated and moved into teaching – a role she would stay in for several years. “I really enjoyed the five years I did it, but I didn’t want it to be a long-term career for me.”

After transitioning into an actuarial role, Lucy once again found herself questioning whether she was on the right path. “About 12 months in, I decided it wasn’t the career for me… it just wasn’t something I was energised by.” It wasn’t an easy realisation, especially given the commitment tied to the role. But rather than staying in a position that didn’t feel right, she chose to explore other options.

“Where I’ve ended up now probably suits me as an individual much more.” That decision to step away from a conventional path was a turning point – and an example of how important self-awareness can be in shaping a career.

Encouraged by her manager, Lucy began exploring different areas and opportunities. “He said, go and speak to people in different areas… see what might pique your interest.”

Those conversations opened doors she hadn’t previously considered, ultimately leading to a move into the climate change team. “I managed to do a little bit of a sidestep into a secondment… and here I am now, still very happy. You aren’t tied into that little silo… you can start in one place and move.”

In her current role, Lucy has found a balance that aligns with both her skills and her interests. The work combines analytical thinking with collaboration across the business, offering the variety she was previously missing. “The variety really suits me in this role. And it’s got a good moral feeling to the work… a sense of purpose… and that’s something I was lacking before.”

Looking back, Lucy is clear that her journey hasn’t followed a conventional path – and that’s exactly what has made it valuable. “It doesn’t have to be linear – you don’t need to know what you want to do now… maybe know what skills you enjoy because that can be a better indicator.”

In fact, some of the most rewarding parts of her career have come from roles and opportunities she didn’t even know existed. “I didn’t know the job I’m in now was possible when I started… the role didn’t exist back then.”

For anyone at the start of their career – or questioning where they’re heading next – Lucy’s advice is simple: stay open, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to change direction. “If you think you know what you want – or even if you don’t – there are opportunities to be exposed to much broader horizons.”

Impression

“My career at Impression began in the SEO department, where I progressed from an SEO Executive to a Senior SEO Strategist. While I loved the problem-solving and stakeholder relationships, my long-term ambition lay elsewhere. I was studying for an MSc in Psychology online in the background, planning a gradual shift into a more people-focused role, such as learning and development, in five to ten years — with no plans yet of how I would achieve this.

Impression’s culture of internal mobility meant my ‘squiggly’ career path was fast-tracked. Outside my day-to-day SEO work, I had been able to get involved in internal training and support our Impact initiatives across wellbeing, CSR, and EDI. Recognising this passion and addressing a business need, our People Team opened a secondment to lead our L&D offering. They specifically wanted internal talent who truly understood the agency's DNA.

Thanks to this unexpected opportunity, I transitioned into my current role as Technical Training & Impact Specialist five years earlier than planned! Impression didn't just facilitate the move; they actively invested in my pivot with external training and unwavering trust. From day one, they gave me autonomy to experiment and deliver L&D initiatives which have led to real business change. It’s a testament to what happens when an agency truly empowers its people and believes in their potential to grow in unexpected directions.”

- Katie, Technical Training & Impact Specialist

HEINEKEN UK

As the UK’s leading beer, cider and pub company, HEINEKEN UK offers a wide range of career paths across engineering, sales, business development, digital, customer service and beyond. 

Having been with the business since 2014, Taylor’s squiggly career story proves that success doesn’t always follow a straight line: 

“I’m part of a generation that was told university was the only route into a corporate career. So, when I had to leave uni after my first year due to personal circumstances, I thought ‘this is it – goodbye career prospects!’. Twelve years and six roles later within HEINEKEN UK, I now know that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

My path has been driven by curiosity, taking me from telephone sales to eCommerce and into recruitment. As a Talent Acquisition Partner, I worked closely with different teams and leaders, giving me real insight into the breadth of roles across the business and inspiring me to explore my next move.

In 2024, I made another squiggly move, this time into a Product Analyst role in our Digital & Technology function. It felt completely outside my comfort zone, but looking back, I’d felt that way about every role I’d taken on. What I’ve come to understand is that my strength lies in being a people person, building relationships, asking the right questions and staying curious. Nearly two years in, my role is far less about technical tools like Python or Azure, and far more about understanding, communication, and connecting people.

I’ve been fortunate to work for a company that pushes you to try new things and back yourself. The support, mentorship and people who’ve championed me along the way have made all the difference. Careers don’t have to follow a straight path, and every new ‘squiggle’ broadens your perspective. So, if you’re thinking about trying something different, go for it – you’re probably far more ready than you think.”

Zoonou

“When I joined Zoonou almost eight years ago, I was the company's first ever marketing hire. Since then, my role has changed quite a bit, though not always in the way I expected.

About four to five years ago, I was asked to lead both the sales and marketing teams. It definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone. If I'm honest it wasn't the right role for me in the long term, but I'm really glad I said yes.

The biggest thing I took away wasn't how to lead a sales team. It was the confidence that came from other people believing I could do it, even when I wasn't completely convinced myself.

That experience taught me a lot about myself - where I add the most value, what I really enjoy (and what I don’t!). I really don’t think I’d be the Marketing Director I am today without it.

My career hasn't been a straight line, and I don't think it needed to be. Sometimes the roles that teach you the most are the ones that aren't quite the right fit. And, having people around you who trust you enough to give you those opportunities can make all the difference.”

- Cass, Marketing Director 

“My path to joining Zoonou was not a linear one, as I meandered through various tech roles throughout my career. However, most of my career has been spent in analytics, analysing web traffic and running optimisation tests to improve user journeys and KPIs.

I was fortunate to gain many transferable skills throughout my career, and learned that what I enjoyed the most was finding problems. While this was necessary in an analytics role, this wasn’t enough for me, and so I sought a new role in testing, where I now find myself as a Software Test Analyst at Zoonou. Now I have the opportunity to utilise my error-identifying skills and passion for finding problems in a new career, not a million miles away from my previous one.”

- Alex, Software Test Analyst

“I’ve never been someone with a five-year plan - my career has definitely taken the scenic route. I started out as a croupier in a casino before swapping the UK for five years in Malta, where I picked up some wonderfully random jobs along the way. Handing out leaflets for wine tastings on the ferry terminal is probably one of the more memorable ones.

Back in the UK, I found myself working across all sorts of industries, from fake veneers, hoovers and washing machines to investments, banking, complaints and customer service. One thing never changed though: I was always solving problems and helping people. I've always had a natural interest in computers and technology, so moving into software testing felt like a surprisingly natural next step.

The real turning point came when I found accessibility testing. It brought together everything I enjoy; problem-solving, technology and making a genuine difference. There's something incredibly rewarding about knowing the work I do helps make digital products usable for everyone, and even better when you can actually see the positive impact it has on people's lives. Looking back, every twist, turn and slightly random job along the way was leading me here to Zoonou... even if I didn't have a clue at the time.”

- Bex, Accessibility Test Analyst

“Before joining Zoonou, I spent ten years working in Local Government, starting my career as a Customer Service apprentice. Over time, I began taking on more technology-focused responsibilities, including updating and maintaining Learning Management Systems. This naturally introduced me to the world of software testing.

It didn't take long for me to realise just how important testing and quality assurance are. Seeing first-hand the impact that well-tested systems can have on users reinforced the importance of putting people at the centre of product development. As my confidence grew, I started carrying out my own research into functional and user acceptance testing, looking for ways to improve and streamline existing processes.

Having worked primarily within the Social Care sector, I also became increasingly interested in web security. Protecting sensitive data is critical, and I found myself wanting to understand more about the controls and safeguards that keep information secure. This curiosity led me further into the technical side of technology, particularly around access control, authorisation, and how security measures are implemented to prevent risks before they become real issues.

I'm still far from a tech wizard, but since joining Zoonou I've been supported every step of the way. The team has helped me connect the dots, build my knowledge, and grow my confidence. I'm enjoying every minute of the journey, learning something new every day, and I can't wait to look back in six months and see how far I've come!”

- Natalie, Junior Security Analyst

“My career has definitely been more squiggly than straight. After graduating with a degree in Film and Media, I started out in marketing within the travel industry. In 2021, I made the leap into the world of tech, joining Zoonou in a marketing role to learn something completely new in software testing. 

Over time my passion shifted, I moved into a People & Culture Coordinator Role, where I started to learn and developed the confidence to lead initiatives around our B Corp journey, sustainability, and community impact, (thanks to the people around me who believed I could do it!). Today, as Workplace & Compliance Lead, my role is one I never imagined when I graduated, and that's what makes the journey so rewarding.”

- Ashleigh, Workplace & Compliance Lead