A career is a step ladder that takes more than passion to climb. Just knowing what your ultimate goal is doesn't help even a bit, and that unknowingness slowly clouds the judgment and halts career development altogether. Thankfully this is not a rare situation and many find them at the same crossroads where you are now. Which also means, there are real solutions to this predicament, and today we will discuss one of them called Career Path.

A career path is a simpler version of a career, where instead of aiming for the end goal, we are aiming for something that is achievable and within our reach. It’s like a cluster of smaller goals that eventually lead to the bigger one, and those bigger ones finally locate the end goal that you were looking for. Which means no one needs an end goal to start a career path. Just go with the flow, achieve small goals, celebrate, find a new one, and celebrate again after achieving it. Doesn’t it sound fun than chasing a singular goal for 10 or even 20 years?

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Creating a Career path is much easier than you think. Just follow these six simple steps and you will find out exactly what to do next:

1. Self-Assessment: Find where you currently stand, what you are lacking in terms of skills or education, and what are their values.

2. Set Goals: Simply ask yourself, “Where do you want to be in the next 2 or 5 or 10 years”. Once you have an answer, that is your goal.

3. Research Roles: Find exactly what your current and desired role asks for. 

4. Map Your Steps: Locate the exact skills and responsibilities needed for the desired goal, and start writing them as steps.

5. Plan Development: Figure out which training or course will help you achieve your steps on hand.

6. Review Regularly: Always review your career path as you make progress. It is not a fixed plan, and it always evolves with you.

Here is a simple format of a Career path that you can use. It has multiple subsets with simple two to four columns of information. Use whichever feels right to you, or you can create your very own career path template using ours. Just keep it simple and consistent, and as always, believe in yourself.

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There is no end to the kind of career one can pursue. But, it all starts from rock bottom. It may feel a bit confusing at first, so let’s have a look at the three most popular job scenarios using the career mapping template:

1. Marketing Career Path Example

   1. Entry Level: Marketing Assistant

   2. Mid Level: Marketing Specialist

   3. Senior Level: Marketing Manager

   4. Leadership Track: 

      1. Marketing Director

      2. VP of Marketing

      3. Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

2. Software Development Career Path Example

   1. Entry Level: Junior Developer

   2. Mid Level: Software Developer

   3. Senior Level: Senior Developer

   4. Leadership Track: 

      1. Engineering Manager

      2. Director of Engineering

      3. CTO

   5. Expert Track: 

      1. Senior Developer

      2. Principal Engineer

      3. Distinguished Engineer

3. Human Resources (HR) Career Path Example

   1. Entry Level: HR Assistant

   2. Mid Level: HR Generalist

   3. Senior Level: HR Business Partner

   4. Leadership track: 

      1. HR Manager

      2. HR Director

      3. Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

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Finding the right career shouldn’t be this difficult. But thanks to AI replacing jobs, COVID lockdown, working from home, and many more, the job market has become harder than anything we have seen. That’s why creating a career path is just so important to actually finding your end goal. We don’t know when career switches may appear, but at least short-term goals means you know what to do next even if something crazy happens. 

Frequently asked questions

Q1. Why should I create a Career Path?

Ans. A career path is not just important, but a necessity. It defines clear goals, which are much easier to achieve. And pursuing one achievable goal at a time means more productivity, engagement, and no distraction which all improve growth opportunities.

Q2. Why should employers map a career path for their underlings?

Ans. Planning a career path directly gives a motivational boost to your employee, because now he knows that there is someone great looking out for him. This doesn’t only reduces the mental strain on the freshers, but also stops them from leaving the company and staying long-term.

Q3. How to map my career path If I don’t know what my end goal even is?

Ans. That is the biggest quark of the career path, you don’t need your end goal. Accessing your present self allows you to find your current goal, and achieve it. Once it’s done, you can access yourself again and find a different goal this time. In short, a career path is not an end goal, but a cluster of small ones that lead to one.

Q4. When should I revise my career path?

Ans. Do it at least once a year, or when something big happens like a promotion, resignation, role change, or anything similar. Career path ain’t fixed, it evolves with you, and always will.

Q5. How can I use the career path template effectively?

Ans. The best way to use a career mapping template is by defining your present goal, skill gap, desired role, and actions that you should take to reach it. Always make sure to keep it simple. The point of a career path is its simplicity, anything weird or complex will defeat its purpose.

Sources

1. What Is a Career Path? How to Create Your Own | Coursera

2. Career Path Definition and 12 Steps to Pave Yours (+Examples)

3. How to Find Your Desired Career Path | Indeed.com India

4. Career Path: Definition and Role in Professional Development

5. Your Step-By-Step Roadmap to a Career in Tech | Zero To Mastery