Non-Western geographical contexts are under-represented in management studies. This paper discusses the lived career experiences of women in the Middle East region through the lens of the protean career concept, a career metaphor which has originated from the Western context. While global similarities concerning female individualism, agency and self-management are recognised, it is clear that the structural context in which careers unfold requires deeper attention and analysis. We advocate novel approaches to constructing theories specific to the unique contexts in which they take place. In using existing career metaphors, we suggest, existing career concepts may indeed describe and explain women’s careers in the geographical context of the Middle East. However, detailed empirical studies of an ethnographic nature would best serve in developing career theories specific to the different countries in this area and their respective unique contexts.