AIMS

This paper seeks to understand the dynamics of career systems by exploring how the study of other complex systems can shed light on the complex careers that are becoming increasingly the norm. We begin by defining career systems as a set of work roles and the influx of people occupying those roles, within an organization or in "boundaryless" industries. Then, we explain numerous patterns in career systems --described as "self-organization"-- through rigorous metaphors drawn from studies of "self-organized criticality" (Bak, 1995) and adaptation in interconnected networks (Kauffman, 1993). Implications for strategic human resource management and careers research are identified.