I didn’t plan on a portfolio career.
It unfolded through 20+ jobs, setbacks, pivots, and a lot of self-discovery.
Some people design a portfolio career on purpose.
Mine evolved through pivots, missteps, grit, and growth.
I recently joined Laura Bennett on the Coach’s Corner Podcast (you can listen to the episode here) to talk about midlife clarity, what it really takes to build a career that fits, and how to navigate today’s job market.
We also unpacked my own career.
It wasn’t clean or linear.
There were detours.
From college dropout to the Air Force and back, from tech sales to public service, and from counselor to consultant to coach.
It took decades to realize what felt like chaos was actually a pattern.
A mosaic.
My portfolio career.
Looking back, I see my career in two big blocks:
The first stretch was chaotic and liminal; it built resilience.
The second brought stability. It used everything I’d learned on my journey.
When I found a job that finally fit, it blended my experience in psychology, training, proposals, team building, and sales to make real business impact for my company and my clients.
The Mindset That Changed Everything
The first stretch goes back to 1993,
I was 33. Just out of grad school with student debt and a 10% mortgage.
The economy was shaky.
Tech was booming.
And the internet, people warned, “was going to kill all the jobs.”
I was searching. Trying to make something, anything, work.
Then I read this line from Creating You & Co. by William Bridges:
“There may not always be jobs, but there’s always work to be done.”
That shift in mindset carried me through the next 15 years, and 20 jobs.
It helped me see my story not as scattered, but adaptive.
I wasn't behind, I was resourceful.
No matter the economy, I believed "There’s always work for me."
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From Strengths to Strategy
In business development, I wrote a lot of proposals. Each one needed two things:
1. Past Performance
2. Relevant Experience
That applies to career reinvention too.
It’s not enough to show what you’ve done (Past Performance).
You have to show how it applies to what the customer needs (Relevant Experience).
As I said on the podcast:
“If you’re going after a job, you’re in a sales role.”
The employer is your customer.
Your experience is the product.
And your job is to show how your background solves their problem.
Learn to name your transferable skills and tell stories of real impact.
That’s what opens doors. So there's always work for you.
Try This: Inventory your skills portfolio. |
Take a few minutes to reflect on these prompts as you consider your next chapter. Maybe you'll uncover the throughline in your journey so far, and what might come next.
What kind of work do people always ask me to do, even when it’s not in my title?
When have I solved problems, led change, or delivered value others noticed?
What common thread runs through my roles—paid or unpaid?
Now flip the lens forward:
What kind of work do I want to be known for next?
What might my mosaic of roles, projects, or income streams look like?
Your next chapter doesn’t require a master plan.
It starts with honoring the mosaic you’ve already built.
And trusting that the pieces ahead will find their place.
Ready to make sense of your career mosaic?
Let’s talk.
-Mark
Mark Wigginton, MS, Certified Professional Coach
Personal Coach | Career Guide | Mosaic Artist
📬 MarkW@FocusingOnResults.com
🌐 www.focusingonresults.com
🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn
P.S. If this message resonated with you, it might speak to someone else too. Forward it to a friend who’s ready for their next chapter—you never know what kind of shift a few words of encouragement can spark.
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