Navigating your career path can feel a bit like traversing the meandering yellow brick road. Dorothy took the gilded path to the Emerald City to find the Wizard of Oz, a person she believed had the power to better her life by sending her home.
However, career paths are typically not as clear (or gilded) as Dorothy’s road. We don’t always know how to find the best support in choosing our path.
If your current manager or company fails to promote your professional development, fear not: there are clear steps to follow to create your own career path and begin your career growth.
A career path comprises a group of jobs that an individual works on the path toward their career goals. Career paths tend to result in vertical growth, moving from entry-level to management positions, but they can also include lateral moves in which an individual maintains similar roles across disparate industries.
People looking to chart a course for their career path can employ career management software to visualize their career development plans.
Let’s examine what makes a career path and how to choose one, as well as review some career path examples.
Individuals can best navigate their career paths by creating career plans to map out relevant career clusters.
Career plans include short—and long-term goals that help an individual reach their ideal career. Meanwhile, career clusters contain groups of occupations and industries that share common features. Career clusters can help individuals understand the skills and knowledge that they need to develop to be successful in their chosen careers.
Between 1978 and 2008, Americans between the ages of 18 and 44 changed jobs an average of 12 times during their careers. A career pathway can help individuals determine how to move from one position to another within a career cluster.
But what about those who are just starting out and haven’t decided on a career or those who are dissatisfied with their current career path?
There are three major types of career seekers in need of career planning:
Deciding on a first career or a career change can be daunting, and like any major life decision, it’s helpful to break it down into small, bite-sized pieces
If you are thinking about changing your career or redesigning your career path and don’t know where to start, consider the following:
First things first, what are you passionate about? What do you spend your time thinking about when you’re at your current job or when you’re daydreaming? If you could shoot for that luminous spheroid of plasma in the sky, what would you aim for?
What is your skill set? Are you someone who sees the beauty in numbers, patterns, and proofs? Maybe you enjoy elucidating complex problems, or perhaps you love putting metaphorical ink to paper. All careers require both soft and technical skills, and it helps to determine what you already do well and what skills you need to develop further.
Who are you, and what is your personality type? Are you a strong-willed leader, a creative free spirit, or perhaps a strategic thinker? Personality tests are a good way to provide further insight or simply confirm what you already know.
You’ve identified what you like and what you’re good at. Now, to further develop your skills or learn something new, there are seemingly myriad classes to take to develop your skills.
What are your salary requirements? Determine your range of what you’d like to make and what you need to make. (Check out Rasmussen College’s quiz for insight into skills as they relate to job clusters and salary ranges.)
Tip: No matter which industry you work in, you should feel that your salary expectations are within reach. Learn how to ask for a raise so you're prepared to have that conversation when the time comes.
Build your network. Start with people you know: friends, family, colleagues, classmates, and acquaintances, and then work on expanding. Connect with your peers at local events, follow thought leaders in your field of interest on LinkedIn, reach out to contacts from your network, and join relevant associations and professional development groups.
These are an absolute must for anyone looking to clarify or verify their career interests. Speaking with people who currently hold the position you are interested in will provide you with valuable insight that you may not be able to get anywhere else. They will be able to give it to you straight, warts and all.
These long-term relationships are often one-on-one, coach-driven, or group-based and focus on supporting the development and growth of those seeking mentorship. Increasingly, organizations are using mentoring software to design, recruit, match, and manage mentoring initiatives.
These experts can help guide career seekers through their job search, provide resume writing help, and prepare candidates for interviews or promotions.
These are especially beneficial for career seekers just out of school or about to graduate with a degree or certificate. One can usually seek out internship assistance through their university or school. Likewise, companies often advertise internships through their career pages.
Freelance platforms and staffing agencies can be a great way to get your feet wet in your desired field. Freelance platforms help connect businesses to freelancers, and staffing agencies help place candidates in short- or long-term openings across industries and positions.
The following are a few examples of career paths that individuals could traverse while working in advertising, engineering, HR, and sales. These are not exhaustive lists of career options along individual career paths.
They are meant to provide a general idea of what a career in varying fields might look like.
To create a well-rounded, adaptable career path that reflects your ambition, follow these best practices:
Career paths empower people to take control of their professional development, ensuring they are not just drifting from one job to the next but intentionally moving toward a fulfilling and successful career.
By defining clear goals, identifying skill gaps, seeking relevant experience, and continuously adjusting plans based on personal growth and industry trends, you can proactively shape your career.
Confused about what's next? Check out how to know when it's time for a career change.
This article was originally published in 2019. It has been updated with new information.
The greatest investment you can make isn’t in fancy new technology or high-profile...
by Lauren Pope
What do you want to be when you grow up?
by Izabelle Hundrev
Thinking about getting into the editing industry but have no idea how one gets into the field...
by Grace Pinegar