Shapeshifters might have families, mortgages, responsibilities. They operate within a capitalist system. And, no matter what, if they’re looking to help systems evolve, they need some sort of a grip or mandate for their work.

They need formal roles to be legitimised, paid, and held. And, they need some sort of continuous career prospect to cultivate their skills, experience and relationships over time.

With this come atypical career patterns.

1. Multiple hats: between employment and independence

Many shapeshifters cycle between salaried roles and freelance/consulting work. Not because they are flaky, but because their function often sits between categories. They’re unlikely to accept strict exclusivity – contracts that involve strict non-competes or IP clauses are likely to put them off. This is particularly because they tend to wear ‘multiple hats’. They may be

• Employed in a role somewhere, possibly part-time
• advising another organisation,
• part of a nonprofit collective,
• maintaining a personal project.

They need a fall-back so that they can stand up to their organisation: it is a material condition of their integrity. Not only financial, but relational, emotional, existential: they can’t be tied to one organisation, or even just one sector.

2. Peculiar rhythms: low tolerance for surveillance

They thrive under autonomy and break under micromanagement. Being atypical, they’re used to managing their own time. In fact, they’ve often had to learn the hard way what works for them or not. Whether it’s chronotypes, flows of the week.

Not to mention, because they wear multiple hats, shapeshifters often have to coordinate with multiple agendas, not just those of the organisations. And, maintaining those connections is mission-critical for them. As a result, structures made for ‘everyone’ can irritate them no end.

3. Strong support ecosystem: personal / professional integration

Very often, shapeshifters have something that gives them independence:

• a supportive partner,