I have worked with college students, at-risk youth, adults with developmental disabilities, emerging IT professionals, and transitioning service members. As a military spouse(r), I just thought that I was taking the first job offered it me, which is why I had worked with so many different populations. It wasn't until we settled after military retirement that it dawned on me...the thing all the jobs had in common was that I was doing career development! It was my "aha moment." I didn't have 6 unrelated job titles, I had 1 career...career development.
That realization changed everything. What I initially saw as a scattered work history was actually a masterclass in understanding how different people navigate career challenges. Each population taught me something unique about resilience, adaptability, and the universal desire to find meaningful work.