For a long time, we believed that a career was something that happened to us within organizations: as long as we performed our work well, remained loyal, and demonstrated commitment, career progression would naturally follow. This narrative shaped expectations and behaviors for decades. Today, however, it no longer reflects the reality of the labor market or current organizational dynamics.
As a career manager and recruiter, I observe every day the impact of this mismatch with today's labor market reality. Professionals frustrated by a lack of career progression and organizations surprised by unexpected departures often share the same root cause: implicit expectations that were never discussed or aligned. This is where the concept of the psychological contract becomes central. Defined by Denise Rousseau (1995), it refers to the set of unwritten expectations that regulate the relationship between employee and organization. It is not formalized, yet it profoundly influences commitment, motivation, and retention decisions. The issue is that this contract has changed and continues to evolve, without many organizations and professionals being fully aware of this transformation. Careers have become more dynamic, less linear, and more individualized. Douglas Hall (2004), in introducing the concept of the protean career, emphasizes that responsibility for one's career has progressively shifted to the individual. Assuming this responsibility does not mean developing one's career in isolation or in opposition to the organization; it means recognizing that a career is a process of co-construction, in which the professional plays an active role, even within an organizational structure.
In the book Be the CEO of Your Career, which I co-authored with Cristina Pimentão, we argue precisely this idea. Being the CEO of your own career means taking responsibility for the decisions, direction, and choices made throughout your professional journey. Even within an organization, every professional should clarify their goals, communicate their ambitions, invest in their development, and consciously align expectations.
The theoretical evidence reinforces this approach. Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) demonstrates that sustained motivation depends on autonomy, perceived competence, and a sense of purpose. These factors cannot be entirely delegated to the organization. They can be supported by the organizational context, but they require the active involvement of the professional. When career management is entirely externalized, demotivation, stagnation, and a decline in commitment emerge.
In recruitment, this difference is particularly visible. Professionals who take an active role in managing their careers make conscious choices, communicate their value more effectively, and adapt more easily to change. By contrast, those who expect the organization to define their path tend to experience every transition as a disruption rather than as part of an ongoing process of career construction.
From the organization's perspective, responsibility does not disappear; it evolves. Human Resources and leadership are responsible for creating the conditions that make co-construction possible: promoting regular career conversations, providing structured feedback, ensuring transparency about genuine opportunities, and supporting skills development. No policy, however, can replace individual initiative. Careers do not develop by decree; they require conscious choices, deliberate action, and daily commitment. In this context, the role of leadership is critical. Leaders are expected to be facilitators of development, capable of engaging in career conversations and aligning expectations, but they are not (nor should they be) the "owners" of their team members' careers. Career management happens through dialogue, shared responsibility, and clarity, not through rigid promises or predefined career paths.
The new psychological contract requires maturity from both parties. Organizations are expected to provide consistency, transparency, and support, while professionals are expected to demonstrate ownership, responsibility, and awareness of their choices. Ultimately, no one builds a career alone, but no one builds it for us either. Moving forward begins with a simple yet demanding question: what role am I playing in my own career? Clarifying what we want, talking about it, continuously learning, and acting with intention does not guarantee an easy career path, but it does guarantee a conscious one. In a constantly changing labor market, true security lies not in the promise of external stability but in the internal capacity to adapt, choose, and build. A career is built when we stop waiting and start acting with courage, responsibility, and a vision for the future.

Article written for Human Resources Portugal.