4) Navigating Career Pathing and Progression: A roadmap to advancement through skill development and Mobility

By Nipuni Weerasuriya

“In a typical organization, career path helps employees to understand what is expected of them based on the positions they occupied. This also allows them to participate in managing their career progress. “- Joshua Oluwasuji Dada (Journal of Construction Business and Management 2 (2), 15-23, 2018)

In today's dynamic and competitive job market, career growth and progression have become a top priority for employees. A crucial aspect of this journey involves career pathing, which refers to the deliberate planning and development of skills and experiences to advance in one's career. In this article, we will delve into the importance of career pathing, provide guidance on how employees can advance in their careers through skill development and mobility opportunities, and explore the benefits of adopting such a proactive approach.

 

“Career pathing is the process of aligning opportunities for employee career growth with organizational talent priorities. This process may include by mapping their career direction based on vertical, lateral and crossfunctional roles. Career pathing is driven by the individual's skills, interests and career objectives. It also serves as a catalyst for employee participation in learning and development programs that fulfill the current and future needs of the organization.” (Gartner Human Resources Glossary)

 

Importance of Career Pathing

Career pathing involves more than just landing a job; it's about crafting a strategic plan to navigate your professional journey. By identifying short- and long-term goals, employees can align their aspirations with the opportunities available within their organization. This proactive approach empowers individuals to take control of their careers, adapt to changing job landscapes, and enhance their overall job satisfaction.

 

Implementing career pathing

 

Creating a career path can be initiated through an employee development initiative or taken on by an individual striving for advancement within their company. Regardless of job level, from entry-level to senior management, career paths can be designed to align individual aspirations with organizational objectives. While the essence of career pathing revolves around personal growth, it's prudent for HR professionals and leaders to adopt a holistic view, as the insights garnered can steer succession planning and identify skills gaps.

 

A well-structured career path encompasses key elements:

• Clearly Defined Trajectory: Offering a definitive route for employees' career progression, encompassing potential promotions or alternative avenues for growth.
• Professional Enrichment Opportunities: Providing avenues for skill enhancement, including access to training, education, mentorship, and regular performance evaluations
• Progress Monitoring Mechanism: Incorporating a means to monitor and measure advancement towards set objectives.

 

Two prevailing methodologies for career pathing are:

1. Career Ladder (Formal Path):

The conventional career ladder caters to a structured environment where employees follow a linear trajectory, advancing through promotions from their current role to higher positions. This approach is reminiscent of the concept of a "corporate ladder."

 

2. Career Lattice (Informal Path):

Suited for flat organizational structures, the lattice approach emphasizes lateral movements and empowers employees to explore diverse roles to facilitate their professional evolution. This might encompass switching departments or even conceptualizing and proposing new roles that align with company objectives.

 

                                                      (Source: www,aihr,com)

Integrating career pathing strategies into existing employee development initiatives can involve recalibrating program emphasis or introducing new elements, such as leveraging employee surveys to gather insights.

 

Skill Development: The Foundation of Progression

• ·    Self-Assessment: To begin the journey, employees should assess their current skill set, strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Understanding where you stand allows you to focus on skill areas that require improvement.

 

• ·      Identify Industry Trends:  Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies. This knowledge helps identify in-demand skills and potential gaps in your expertise.

 

• ·     Continuous Learning: The key to career growth is continuous learning. Embrace online courses, workshops, and certifications to acquire new skills. Online platforms offer a plethora of resources that cater to various skill levels and learning styles.

 

• ·   Soft Skills Matter: In addition to technical skills, soft skills such as communication, leadership, adaptability, and problem-solving are equally important. These skills contribute to effective collaboration and overall professional growth.

 

Mobility Opportunities: Expanding Horizons

“Talent mobility is a talent management and talent development strategy. More specifically, it’s the process of moving existing employees to new roles or departments within the same company. So, instead of hiring new talent to fill open positions Organizations fill those positions with their current employees.” – betterup.com

 

• ·      Horizontal Mobility: Consider moving laterally within your organization. Exploring different departments or functions exposes you to diverse experiences, enhancing your skill set and marketability.

 

• ·       Vertical Mobility: Climbing the corporate ladder is a common aspiration. Vertical mobility involves taking on higher-level roles, which often requires a mix of leadership skills, subject-matter expertise, and a track record of performance.

 

• ·   Cross-Functional Projects: Participating in cross-functional projects exposes you to various aspects of the business. It also showcases your ability to collaborate and adapt to different work environments.

 

• ·         Geographical Mobility: In a globalized world, being open to working in different locations can offer unique growth opportunities and cultural experiences.

 

Benefits of Proactive Career Pathing

• ·       Increased Job Satisfaction: Being in control of your career path fosters a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. You're more likely to enjoy your work when it aligns with your goals.
• ·        Enhanced Employability: Regular skill development makes you more attractive to employers. Demonstrating a commitment to growth showcases your adaptability and potential.
• ·      Job Security: With a diversified skill set, you become a valuable asset to your organization. Your ability to contribute in various roles and situations can safeguard your position during organizational changes.
• ·         Higher Earning Potential: Advancing in your career often comes with increased responsibilities and compensation. The combination of skills and experience can lead to more lucrative opportunities.

 

Pathways to success: Inspiring stories of achieving success through strategic pathing and progression

 

Starbucks: Starbucks is known for its emphasis on career growth. A barista can advance to a Shift Supervisor role, then to Store Manager, District Manager, and beyond. The company provides training programs, mentorship opportunities, and tuition assistance for higher education, supporting employees in their journey to higher-level positions.

 

                                                (Source:www.engineering.atspotify.com)

Spotify: Technology career track - The Swedish music streaming service is one of the largest tech companies, with over 400 million monthly users. Spotify strives to ensure that as their employees grow their careers, they bring a more significant impact in the company. 

 

Dropbox is a modern file hosting service platform that securely stores files. It enables users to collaborate, share and sync the files with friends, family, and coworkers from any device. 

As a renowned SaaS company, Dropbox' engineering career framework is divided into two components; 

·         Level expectations define the different levels' roles, functions, and expectations for the impact. 

·         Core and craft responsibilities - the specific behaviors associated with an employee's position.

 

(Source: Linkedin)

Songkick: Career growth framework - Most concert lovers are familiar with Songkick. This concert discovery platform is owned by the multinational entertainment giant Warner Music Group. However, there is a reason why the company is labeled as a good place for people to kickstart their careers, and here's why. To complete the career growth framework, Songkick divided the roles and responsibilities into two pieces: 

·         “Developer and individual contributor" steps consist of the developers who build and maintain software and the individual contributors who are technically the experts. 

·        "People management" steps are for the people in leadership positions responsible for growing the teams. 

 

Carta: Previously known as eShares, Carta is an equity management and ownership platform. Carta's engineering career framework has eight levels and an additional level for interns. These levels are similar to other tech companies with just a little tweak

 

(Source: Linkedin)

Career pathing and progression are not just buzzwords; they're essential strategies for thriving in today's competitive job market. By continually developing skills and exploring mobility opportunities, employees can stay ahead of the curve and enjoy a fulfilling and successful professional journey. Remember, success is not solely determined by the job title, but by the personal growth, learning, and accomplishments achieved along the way. So, take charge of your career path, set goals, and embrace the exciting journey of growth and progress.

References:

Carter, G.W., Dorsey, D.W. and Cook, K.W. (2011). Career Paths. John Wiley & Sons.

Baum, T. (2009). People and work in events and conventions : a research perspective. Wallingford, Uk ; Cambridge, Ma: Cabi.

Qualtrics. (n.d.). Career Pathing: Your complete guide to business success. [online] Available at: https://www.qualtrics.com/au/experience-management/employee/career-pathing/ www.zavvy.io. (n.d.). Creating a career progression framework for employees (based on expert insights) | Zavvy. [online] Available at: https://www.zavvy.io/blog/career-progression-framework.

Schamp, A. (n.d.). Here’s the latest version of our Engineering Career Framework. [online] dropbox.tech. Available at: https://dropbox.tech/culture/our-updated-engineering-career-framework

Randall, A. (2018). Building a Growth Framework. [online] Medium. Available at: https://blog.songkick.com/building-a-growth-framework-2464435e9e46

starbucksjobs.ro. (n.d.). Development at Starbucks. [online] Available at: https://starbucksjobs.ro/en/development-at-starbucks/.

www.linkedin.com. (n.d.). LinkedIn Learning | Login. [online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/learning-login/.