Career Pathing 101: How To Switch Tracks

Individual careers are often unpredictable, and understandably so. How many jobs that are available today didn’t even exist when you were in college? Not only do we change quite a bit from the time we enter the workforce to the time we retire, but our world changes as well. Career pathing gives us the opportunity to reflect on all of these changes and to adjust our course as needed.

What is a Career Path?

Often, career pathing is used to describe the progression of career development within a company or organization. As opposed to the traditional, vertical career ladder, a career path recognizes the importance of horizontal growth opportunities as well. It is important for employers to be invested in the development of their employees. When employees believe their company is engaged in their career development and is working to ensure opportunities for growth, learning, and fulfillment are available, both productivity and retention increase.

However, sometimes the internal audit required in developing a career path causes one to realize that they may be on the wrong track. The average person will change career paths between 3 and 7 times in their life. While the prospect of changing careers can be intimidating, it is important to recognize when one path is no longer serving you.

Is It Time to Change Career Paths?

If you’re feeling stuck in your current career path, take a minute to outline your career goals. Ask yourself: What do I want from my career? What are my core values?

Are you getting what you want out of your career, or do you see a clear path towards it? If so, you might simply be experiencing a patch of burnout. It can be a good idea to talk to your managers about what you can do to continue to develop your skills and expertise, and how to start making your way towards the next step on your career path. Ask yourself what you can do to get reinvested in and excited about your job again.

If you’re not getting what you want out of your career, or something in your current path is conflicting with your fundamental values, it might be time for a switch. Ask yourself: What are my interests? What are my strengths and aptitudes? What skills have I developed that I can take with me to another role? Do I want to specialize more deeply in a certain area or am I looking to grow and take on management roles?

Once you answer these questions, you can begin assessing potential new career paths. Keep in mind where you might want to grow in the future. As you look at potential new roles, make sure you can see how they could logically progress to the next step in your path.

Thinking of a New Career?

If you’re thinking about a change in career paths, SideSearch can help. As a virtual job search platform built on making meaningful connections between top talent and employers, you’ll be able to demonstrate why your skill set is applicable in your potential new field. As the only 100% anonymous job platform, these conversations take place free of stereotyping or cognitive bias.

To take the first step towards career pathing, sign up and create your candidate profile today. Employers will come to you, providing access to new opportunities on your terms and putting you in control of your career path and your future.