Take Control of Your Career Path

Do you ever feel like you are managing yourself, or you want more from your manager, especially in terms of career progression?

A common challenge I hear from mid-career professionals is a variation on the question: What do I do next? How do I get to the next level? And why is my manager not helping?

Especially if you are a high performer who has advanced at a steady pace, well-regarded by your colleagues, this can feel like a crisis point. The trusty playbook that served you so well is suddenly not working. You feel lost.

I am fortunate to have a long and eclectic professional career behind me. I can create a narrative that makes sense when I need to, but when I lay out the facts alone, it is difficult to connect the dots: nonprofit performing arts, selling financial products to high-net-worth individuals, managing rural agricultural businesses, writing investor commentaries, running HR departments for global companies, to name a few key resume highlights.

A theme in these experiences has been my ability to mix and match elements of the job to create the most impact within the organization and leapfrog the traditional career progression. This skillset has also enabled me to pivot career paths relatively smoothly as my interests changed. I have approached my career not as an evolving novel but as a collection of exciting short stories; one concludes, and I dive into the next with certain themes and structural elements in mind but mostly abundant curiosity.

The business environment today is wildly dynamic. New technologies and macroeconomic factors are disrupting every industry and company. Once you rise to the level of manager or a higher-level individual contributor, your value lies in your ability to be proactive, strategic and agile, not to follow a prescribed path.

While it’s great to have a skilled, strong manager to guide you, it’s not a prerequisite for success; you can take control of your own career path. Here are some things to get you started thinking like a leader – mix and match to your heart’s content to tell the story that works for you.

1.        Understand the business objectives. Zoom way out from your own individual job description and make sure you understand what your business leadership values. What are the key performance indicators for your department, business unit, company? Is the chief strategic objective increasing market share, innovative product design, expense management, a specific geographic or consumer segment focus, automation of certain business processes? Pay attention in company meetings and read investor materials. Raise your hand to attend whatever conferences or training opportunities arise, even if they’re not directly in your scope.

2.        Talk to people whose jobs you admire, in your own company or elsewhere. “Informational interviews,” where you ask someone about their experience and journey and get advice are a great way to learn about roles that might interest you while at the same time expanding your own network and visibility. Two for one! Not sure what to say? Try a simple “Hi! I am interested in this job/industry and your journey looks really exciting. Can I buy you lunch/breakfast/coffee (it can be virtual over Zoom!) and learn more about your experience?” People love to feel like experts. They may be busy and not respond; don’t get discouraged. They will not think any less of you. And if someone does respond, you’ll learn a lot and maybe make a new friend or mentor. There’s no downside!

3.        Have an “owner mentality.” If this were your business, knowing what you know about the goals and the environment, what would you do? Don’t wait for someone to tell you what is required of you – have confidence in your competence and respectfully offer suggestions and thoughts. Offer to run with projects that are interesting to you and don’t be afraid to ask your manager to help you de-prioritize things that don’t move the business – or your career – forward. Learning to say no in a strategic way is as much a power move as saying yes to new opportunities, and critical to prevent burnout, which prevents productive functioning.

4.        Make a business plan with your manager. Maybe you are in a well-organized company with meaningful goals and milestones already, or maybe not, but in any case, it can help to think through the highest impact ways you can contribute and the outcomes you want to see each month, quarter and year. What are you working towards? Come prepared to a meeting with your supervisor to show that you are committed, thoughtful and serious and make sure their expectations are aligned. Check in regularly. It’s no fun to work hard on something and find out after the fact it wasn’t a high priority. 

5.        Make sure you get credit for your hard work. When you complete a project or achieve a goal, check in with your supervisor and any other relevant decision makers. It’s a good opportunity to get feedback, which is a critical part of growth and development, and also to make sure they’re fully aware of your contributions. You are your best advocate; if you don’t take advantage of opportunities to promote your achievements, you’re missing out.

If you’re looking for support on your journey or a non-judgmental sounding board that isn’t available to you at work, a coach can help. Reach out to RARA Coaching for a free consultation.