Biographical confusion

How does one manage biographical confusion? 

The past is a different country - they do things differently there. LP Hartley was absolutely spot-on. 

It can be difficult to explain biographical transitions and new roles - at what point did one stop working on one thing and then start on another? How did that come about? When did one start to retrain? These are all difficult to encapsulate in a brief profile. 

In the past, people's career choices rarely evolved. Now, changing career or disciplinary pathways appears to be quite common. But one has to manage this well because the confusion that may be generated may be quite detrimental to one's interests. 

I don't think that anyone needs to explain why they shifted gears. Everyone should have the freedom to shift gears when they are able to do so and do it at their own pace. But it can be challenging to rationalise this for others. 

There are so many people today who are retraining later on in life. They may have already finished with one career and are embarking on another. They may be undertaking academic training in a new field in their late 30s and 40s. 

I think a lot of people feel uncomfortable about the transitions that they undergo in life, and feel ashamed to acknowledge these. 

I would recommend that people think about their transitions carefully - because they may need to clarify and explain their experiences. In retrospect, I think I can say that I would have chosen a much more careful approach - and avoided any engagements or projects that would have muddied the process. Clarity is good. But it can be difficult when you are trying to figure things out yourself.