During the last 12 years of my corporate career my sales team was a key part of a company that grew an average of more than 25% per year.  Needless to say the organization grew at a rapid pace along with the sales revenues.  We hired people and grew the number of employees at a pace of about 10% a year.  And, there was a lot of interest on the part of our employees to grow with the organization. A frequent question directed to me was “What is my career path?”

It was not always clear what really motivated the employee asking the question.  Was it about seeking input to create their career path?  Was it about making more money?  Was it about achieving greater status?  Or, was it all of the above?  The employee seldom seemed to understand the real importance of this question for their future.

My response to this question was to ask two questions: “Where do you want to go?  What do you want to become?”  I wanted them to know that their career path was up to them, and, that I would do whatever I could to help them.  First they would have to set a goal and then I would help them to find the path to achieve their goal.

I spent some time explaining to the employee that any business situation is dynamic and ever changing so it would be necessary to understand that a career path must be a flexible plan.  Most companies’ priorities are their bottom lines.  Employee careers are more a function of the goals and aspirations of the employee than those of the company they work for.  I told them that, in most companies, managers typically have only a little to do with the career path of the employees.  They are simply not equipped or expected by the company to manage employees’ career paths.  The employee has to demonstrate initiative and interest in a path they have chosen.

With technology and the global business environment changing so rapidaly these days the answer to this question is critical, difficult to answer and, most importantly, it's up to the individual.  Next time, I will offer an approach to consider.