What Is a Career Path? How to Create One the Right Way
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?
Types of career seekers
There are three major types of career seekers in need of career planning:
- Newbies just getting their careers started. These include recent graduates from community colleges, trade schools, and apprenticeship programs, as well as those with undergraduate and graduate degrees.
- Workers who have been trekking down a particular path but are looking to make a career change and forge a new path might need additional coaching, training, or advanced degrees.
- Individuals seeking to continue down their current career path are in need of career management support in order to keep from stagnating.
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
How to choose a career path
If you are thinking about changing your career or redesigning your career path and don’t know where to start, consider the following:
1. Zeal
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?
2. Expertise
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.
3. Personality
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.
4. Education
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.
5. Money
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.
6. Networking
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.
7. Informational interviews
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.
8. Mentoring
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.
9. Career coaches
These experts can help guide career seekers through their job search, provide resume writing help, and prepare candidates for interviews or promotions.
10. Internships
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.
11. Temporary job placements
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.
Examples of career paths
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.
Administration
- Administrative Assistant → Executive Assistant → Office Manager
Advertising
- Account Coordinator → Assistant Account Executive → Account Executive → Major Account Executive
Editorial
- Editorial Assistant → Assistant Editor → Associate Editor → Editor → Senior Editor → Editorial Director
Engineering
- Associate Engineer → Junior Engineer → Senior Engineer → Project Engineer → Engineering Consultant
Human resources
- HR Resources Clerk → HR Assistant → Recruiter → Training and Development Coordinator → Payroll or Benefits Specialist → HR Generalist → HR Manager → Assistant Director of HR → Director of HR → VP of Human Resources
Retail
- Retail Sales Clerk → Assistant Manager → Department Manager → Store Manager → Regional Manager
Sales
- Customer Service Representative → Internal Salesperson → External Salesperson → Major Account Salesperson → Regional Sales Manager
Best practices for creating a career path
To create a well-rounded, adaptable career path that reflects your ambition, follow these best practices:
- Identify your interests and strengths: Reflect on your skills, values, and passions. What types of roles and industries align with your natural talents and interests?
- Set short-and long-term goals: Define where you want to be in your career in the next 1, 5, or 10 years. Establish measurable milestones for progression.
- Prioritize growth areas: Analyze the gaps between your current skill set and the requirements of your desired roles, focusing on areas for improvement.
- Explore career clusters: Understand industries and roles that align with your skills and interests. Explore similar roles to assess lateral or vertical opportunities.
- Upskill regularly: Stay competitive by acquiring new skills, certifications, or credentials. Continuous learning shows initiative and opens doors to advancement.
- Seek mentorship: Connect with mentors who can offer guidance, insights, and feedback based on their own career experiences.
- Track and measure progress: Regularly assess how well you’re meeting your career goals and adjust your strategy as needed.
- Connect with industry professionals: Networking can provide job leads, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing opportunities. Attend events, join professional associations, and maintain active LinkedIn connections.
- Check for internal opportunities: Build relationships within your current organization by networking with leadership or cross-functional teams for potential promotions or lateral moves.
- Understand industry trends: Stay informed about the evolving demands in your chosen field, including emerging skills, tools, or certifications.
- Create a roadmap: Break down your career goals into actionable steps, including the roles and skills you need to achieve along the way. Plan for educational and experiential requirements.
- Incorporate flexibility: Be prepared to adapt your plan as opportunities, interests, or market conditions shift. Flexibility ensures resilience and ongoing growth.
- Request regular feedback: Engage with managers, mentors, and peers to get input on your performance and career development. Constructive feedback helps you refine your approach.
- Evaluate and adjust: Periodically review your progress against your career plan. Be prepared to pivot based on personal or professional changes.
What’s your path to success?
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.
