What’s Money Got to Do with It? Revisiting Career Resilience in Changing Times
Career resilience is often described as the ability to adapt, persevere, and move forward despite challenges. We tend to view it as a personal characteristic, something that can be strengthened through confidence, mindset, skills, and support. Yet resilience does not exist in isolation. Resilience is often influenced by the realities people face outside of work, including their financial situation.
When layoffs occur, contracts end, industries change, or people contemplate a new career adventure, financial stress can quickly become part of the equation. Concerns about paying bills, supporting family members, managing debt, or simply maintaining one’s quality of life can influence both career decisions and mental well-being.
As career development professionals, we frequently help clients build confidence, explore options, and develop action plans. All good things, and their importance is undeniable. What we may spend less time discussing, however, is how financial pressures affect a person’s ability to pursue opportunities, tolerate risk, or navigate change.
For example, let’s consider two individuals with similar skills, experience, motivation, and career goals. One has savings, manageable debt, and financial flexibility. The other is living paycheque to paycheque while supporting family obligations. Which person is more likely to seek additional training, consider a new career path, relocate for work, or wait for the right opportunity?
The difference may not be self-awareness, mindset, or resilience. It may be financial capacity.
Broadening How We Think About Resilience
Am I suggesting that career professionals need to become financial advisors? Certainly not. That’s not our role. What I am suggesting, however, is that we need to recognize career development occurs within the broader context of people’s lives, not just their aptitudes, interests, and aspirations.
Financial stress can also have implications for mental health. When individuals are overwhelmed by financial concerns, their decision-making, confidence, focus, and overall well-being can be affected. What appears to be resistance or indecision may actually stem from competing pressures that extend beyond career considerations alone.
As economic uncertainty continues to affect Canadians, we will need to expand not only how we think about career growth and possibility, but also how we define resilience in the future of work.
At the end of the day, when we leave money out of the conversation, we unintentionally overlook one of the most significant influences on career decision-making. By acknowledging those realities, we can better support clients in making informed choices, identifying areas of control, and building a greater sense of agency in uncertain times.
Perhaps the question is not whether financial well-being influences career resilience. Perhaps the question is whether we have been defining resilience too narrowly all along.
– By Anna Gordon, CCDP at Credit Counselling Society –
Image generated using ChatGPT.
There is so much more behind a career decision than we sometimes realize. I see this with my clients, internationally trained tradespeople who want to get certified but also have families to support. Taking time off to study or preparing a trade qualifier application can feel overwhelming when money is already tight. They want to move forward, and it is hard when they have to keep putting it off. Sometimes I hear, “I know I need to do this, but I need to work.” And honestly, that is not an easy situation to be in. Thank you for the article, Anna!