Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman has stated that very few individuals achieve success by following a strictly linear career path.
"Career progression is not a straight line or a staircase," Wacksman told CNBC Make It. "Often, the greatest growth comes from accepting new assignments that challenge you in completely different ways."
According to Wacksman, most people benefit more from taking on unexpected roles or projects outside their core duties rather than confining themselves to a rigid, linear career trajectory without deviation. He suggested adopting an approach more akin to navigating a "career jungle gym."
Choosing a non-linear path does not necessarily mean leaving one's industry or even one's current company. Wracksman used his own experience as an example: he initially joined Zillow as Vice President of Marketing. However, around the time of his hiring, Apple launched the iPhone and its App Store. Despite having no prior experience with mobile applications, he was tasked with leading the company's new mobile real estate shopping initiative.
"At that time, Zillow had zero mobile presence," Wacksman said. "We were just a search engine for desktop computers." He admitted that, lacking mobile experience, he had to "figure it out." "This wasn't the job I was hired to do, but it was a fantastic learning opportunity—to apply the little experience I had from my career to a brand new field and find a way forward with great colleagues."
Approximately nine months later, in April 2009, Zillow officially launched its mobile application. Company data shows that following the app's launch, Zillow became profitable in 2010, with users viewing 20,000 homes per hour through the app. As of last November, according to data from the company and analytics firm Comscore, the app was the most-visited real estate application in the United States.
Zillow's stock price reached a yearly high of $68.85 per share on January 26. The company, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this past February, had a market capitalization of $9.78 billion as of Tuesday morning. However, the company has faced challenges recently, with the stock price now falling to $40.63 per share.
Analysts attribute part of the stock decline to Zillow's earnings guidance provided to investors on February 10, coupled with caution among real estate investors regarding industry changes driven by artificial intelligence. A CNBC report on April 7 also noted that both home buyers and sellers have retreated from the market due to the economic impact of conflicts involving Iran.
Career experts suggest that maintaining an open mind toward new and unexpected turns in one's professional journey is a wise strategy. Gorick Ng, a Harvard career advisor and author of the 2021 book "The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right," stated that while a set plan might seem like a safety net, it can also hinder success.
"A career path considered 'safe' today does not mean it will always be that way," Ng said. "The world is changing so fast that the job you will love might not even exist yet; the more you keep your head down on a set path, the more likely you are to miss opportunities."
Ng advises that students and early-career professionals, in particular, should proactively embrace unexpected opportunities. Otherwise, one might spend years chasing an ideal job only to "find that the career is completely different from what was portrayed."
New York-based executive career coach Terry Jones concurred. He said that preparing for these sudden career opportunities involves making the most of one's current position.
Jones recommends regularly asking oneself: "What can I learn here? What skills can I develop? What kind of network can I build here?" He advises striving to excel every day and understanding that as one's career progresses, networking becomes crucial.
Of course, this perspective is not meant to discourage taking direct, logical promotions on a career path. To evaluate if a step is worthwhile, Ng suggests asking: "Does this bring me closer to my own definition of success?"
"If yes, do it. If not, think twice before sleepwalking into a life you don't want," he added. "For most people, not taking a linear path is often the right choice. But never put all your eggs in one basket; don't treat one path as the only destination. Always maintain a side project—whether it's a passion, community service, or an employee resource group—to build skills, knowledge, and connections, thereby reducing the risk for your next career transition."
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