Employee Career Development Path Planning
The corporate development career path planning is an important management function practised by renowned enterprises all over the world. It is a win-win situation for both the organization as well as the employees. While a person can enhance his/her skills by opting to walk the organizational development career path, the organization too can leverage the enhanced skills of its employees to reach its goals.
A separate development path is charted for each level. For example, a business development executive follows a business development career trajectory and a departmental head/manager takes the leadership development career path. This article provides an overview of the career development programmes in the corporate world.
Leadership Development Career Path
A leader, as the saying goes, “knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” He is not there in an organization just to give orders to the people but to critically assess the ‘present’ and respond to the upcoming changes by making the manpower future-ready. Even they need to undergo training and hence, the organization designs a leadership development career path for its most deserving leaders. A well-planned leadership program equips a person with the following skills and abilities:
Improved productivity
Employee handling
Risk management
Change management
Enhanced understanding of corporate culture
Team building
Improved decision-making
Influencing and negotiation
Communication
Managerial skills
Technical skills such as data analysis
Career Path for a Business Development Manager
Career progression path of a business development manager is very lucrative. A perfect blend of sales and marketing skills can be observed in the career path for business development managers. Apart from that, planning, strategy development, analysis and negotiation are also required in the career path for business development managers. To pursue the career path and development as a business development manager, one can opt from various categories such as Sales, Marketing, PR, Finance, Strategic Management or other related sectors. It is suggested to enhance your career path for business development manager after acquiring some experiences in the above-mentioned sectors.
Skills Required for Career Path Growth as a Business Development Manager
The following skills are required for a budding business development manager to flourish the career progression path:
Gain detailed knowledge about business operations.
Try to develop research skills. Research skill is very important as far as the career path and development as a business development manager is concerned.
Analysis of the business is also very important.
You have to develop your communication skill to a higher level.
As a business development manager, you have to represent various things in front of many unknown people. Rich communication skills play a very significant role in creating a career path for employees as business development managers.
Creating a Career Path for Employees
An advancement roadmap is termed as the career path of a certain company. Creating a career path is one of the key reasons for the development of a particular company. Career paths are created for the following reasons:
To preserve the efficient employees
To make the employees realize their requirements in the company
To draw the attention of top achievers
To enhance the collective ability, experience and variety in the workforce
To architect an employee-friendly atmosphere
To gain an advantage over the competition with the other employers in the market
Creating a Career Path for Employees Can Be Done in the Following Ways:
Periodical update of the organizational chart
Job positions must be properly defined
A complete roadmap for each and every skill must be tracked
Requirements of training should be identified
Training and development programmes must be architected
The entire career path programme must be documented properly
Plan the career path growth for each employee
Did You Know?
According to a survey conducted in 2018, 98% of employees prefer to join companies that provide career path growth opportunities.
More than 80% of current employees are looking for online skill development programmes.
As per IBM, behavioural skills still top the list of criteria that global enterprises look for in their employees. Thus this is given a priority while designing a corporate development career path.
The above article focussed on discussing various development paths in light of many important sectors. If you want to pursue your career path for business development manager, leadership development manager, etc., the article may be the Bible for you!
FAQs on Career Development Path: Strategies for Success
1. What exactly is a career development path?
A career development path is the structured journey you plan for your professional life. It's like a roadmap that outlines the sequence of jobs, skills, and experiences you need to achieve your long-term career goals. It involves more than just promotions; it includes training, new responsibilities, and continuous learning to help you grow professionally.
2. What are the essential steps to create a personal career development plan?
Creating a personal career development plan typically involves five key stages:
- Self-Assessment: Identifying your personal strengths, weaknesses, interests, and values.
- Career Exploration: Researching different job roles, industries, and companies that align with your assessment.
- Goal Setting: Defining clear, achievable short-term (1-2 years) and long-term (5+ years) career objectives.
- Strategy & Action: Creating a concrete plan with steps like learning new skills, networking, or seeking specific projects.
- Review and Adapt: Regularly checking your progress and adjusting your plan as your goals or circumstances change.
3. Why is proactively planning your career development important?
Planning your career development is important because it puts you in control of your professional future. Instead of passively waiting for opportunities, you actively create them. It provides direction and motivation, helps you identify and fill any skill gaps, and makes you a more valuable candidate for future roles. A well-thought-out plan ensures your growth is intentional, not accidental.
4. Can you give some examples of effective career development strategies?
Certainly. Some of the most effective strategies for career development include:
- Seeking a Mentor: Finding an experienced professional who can provide guidance, advice, and support.
- Continuous Learning: Regularly taking courses, attending workshops, or earning certifications to keep your skills current.
- Building a Network: Developing professional relationships to share knowledge and learn about new opportunities.
- Job Shadowing: Observing someone in a role you're interested in to understand it better before making a move.
5. How is a career path different from just getting a promotion?
A promotion is a single event—moving up to a higher-level role. A career path, on the other hand, is the entire strategic journey. It can include promotions, but it also involves lateral moves to gain different skills, taking on special projects to build experience, or even changing companies to better align with your ultimate goals. A promotion is one step, while a career path is the whole map.
6. What common mistakes should I avoid when planning my career path?
One of the biggest mistakes is not having a plan at all and just letting your career happen. Other common errors to avoid include choosing a path based only on salary while ignoring your personal interests, failing to adapt your plan when the industry changes, and neglecting to continuously build new skills after you land a job.
7. How can I find opportunities for career growth within my current company?
You can find growth opportunities by being proactive. Start by expressing your career aspirations to your manager. Volunteer for challenging projects that stretch your abilities. Look for chances to take on new responsibilities, even small ones. Also, identify the skills needed for higher-level roles in your team and start learning them now.
8. Why is having a mentor so helpful for career growth?
A mentor is incredibly helpful because they offer a perspective you can't get from a textbook. They provide guidance based on their own real-world experiences, including their successes and failures. A good mentor can help you navigate challenges, expand your professional network, and see the 'bigger picture' of your industry beyond your day-to-day tasks.
