In the relatively static society before modernism, many of us inherited or took up a single life long position in the workforce, either because we weren’t confident of navigating an untreaded path or because of something even more basic: we lacked information about other options. However as always, the truth perhaps lay somewhere in the middle.

The recent knowledge explosion catalyzed by the power of the internet, the opening up of economies and the consequent flattening of the world has now changed all that. Even a generally reticent Indian, no longer shies from overtly admitting that more money and faster growth are as important as the challenge and excitement of the job.

As the idea of personal choice and self direction pick up in the 21st century, careers are shifting from a chronological resume of past jobs and achievements, to the pursuit of dreams moving forward.

The concept of an unfolding career and planning for it, it appears, is finally gaining root.