What is a career path? Definition, examples, and steps for paving yours

A career path is the sequence of jobs or positions through which an individual progresses in their professional life. It represents the various stages and positions that a person may move through as they advance in their career.

Why does having a career path matter? One of the best ways to prepare for your dream job is to create and follow a career path. A career path is a specific set of jobs that prepare you for upward growth in your industry. 

Imagine this — you’re thinking about your career goals and how fulfilled you’d be in your dream job. Think about what success looks like for you and how you’ll feel on the first day of your ideal role.

Have you ever mapped out the steps you need to take to prepare yourself for that job? What qualifications will you need before applying for that position? What types of companies need that position?

Knowing these requirements ahead of time will help you prepare for that job. This may include a college degree, a special certification, or on-the-job experience.

Here you’ll find the definition of a career path, along with examples and the skills you need to map out your own career journey.

Key stages or elements of a career path may include:

• Entry-level positions: These are the initial roles someone takes on when starting their career in a particular field. They often require less experience and expertise.
• Mid-level positions: As individuals gain experience and skills, they may move into mid-level positions that involve more responsibility and may require specialized knowledge.
• Senior-level or management positions: With further experience, individuals may progress to senior or management roles, where they are responsible for decision-making, leadership, and overseeing teams or departments.
• Executive or leadership roles: At the top of the career path are executive or leadership roles, where individuals have significant responsibility for the overall direction and success of an organization.
• Specialization or expert roles: Some career paths involve becoming a specialist or expert in a specific area, where individuals focus on developing deep expertise in a particular skill or domain.
• Entrepreneurship: Some individuals choose to follow a career path that involves starting and running their own businesses.

Within these areas, there are two common kinds of career paths—an organizational career path and a personal career path.

Organizational career path

An organizational career path (also known as a career ladder or vertical career plan) is a career path that you create with your direct manager. The goal is to climb a career ladder within a company. 

While many career paths lead to management positions, there are several for those who don't aspire to management.

Many organizations have already developed a career path framework for their employees. Here's what the process may look like: You create a career path with your manager. Together, you will establish career goals for you to meet. These goals will prepare you for the next step in your career path, including:

• Helping with special projects
• Taking an online course
• Earning a certification
• Mentoring colleagues
• Shadowing a colleague for a day 

To stay on track with your career path, you should review your milestones and goals often. You also need to review your career path with your direct manager at least quarterly. 

Personal career path

A personal career path is one that you create for yourself. It's based on a self-assessment of your skills, interests, hobbies, values, and passions. A personal career path can lay the foundation of your career without being restricted to one organization. 

If you’re ready to create your career path, start by making a list of the skills you’re good at, followed by your interests and hobbies. Then write down the things that matter most to you. 

Look at everything on your list and think about the industries that could benefit from your talent. For example, if you’re great with children, consider a career path in education. If you prefer healthcare more than teaching, look into a career path for pediatric nurses or doctors.

You can also take a career path quiz or a personality assessment to find out the best careers for you.

With a personal career path, you have complete control of your career development. A personal career path may require more work, but it can be very rewarding. You have to take the initiative with research, planning, and networking. 

Why is a career path so important?

Companies that offer that career clear career paths are much more attractive to employees. This is especially true now that the workforce is shifting to more remote work. 

Employee turnover can be pretty expensive, too. When you factor in the costs of recruiting, hiring, training, and onboarding, replacing an employee can be costly. One study found that career development programs will save companies a significant amount of time and resources. 

1. Increased employee engagement and satisfaction: Employees are more likely to stay with a company when a well-defined career path is in place. Employees are also motivated to grow within a company when there's a well-understood career path. 
2. Improved retention rates: When employees see opportunities for advancement within their organization, they're less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. This can significantly reduce turnover rates, saving companies the time and expense of hiring and training new employees.
3. Better succession planning: A well-defined career path can help organizations identify and prepare future leaders. This ensures a smooth transition when key employees leave or retire.
4. Enhanced employer brand: Companies that offer clear career pathways can attract top talent. These companies are often seen as more employee-centric, which can improve their reputation and make them more appealing to job seekers.
5. More effective talent management: With a clear career path, HR and management can more effectively identify gaps in skills and experience, allowing them to strategically invest in employee development. This can lead to a more skilled and capable workforce.
6. Reduced employee turnover: A Glassdoor study found that having a lack of career growth leads to employee turnover. Employees who don't receive a pay increase or change in title after a few years are more likely to resign.

The importance of career pathing for individuals

As you can see, establishing different career paths is critical to organizations. But what about individuals? Creating a career plan for yourself is a strategic move that can have numerous benefits. Here are 10 benefits of creating a personal career plan:

1. Direction and focus: A career plan helps you set clear goals and objectives, providing you with a sense of direction and focus in your professional life.
2. More targeted decision-making: When you have a clear career path, it becomes easier to make decisions that align with your long-term career goals.
3. Skill development: Identifying your career goals helps you understand the skills and qualifications you need to achieve them. This guides your professional development and continuous learning.
4. Motivation and confidence: Having a career plan boosts your motivation and confidence as you see a clear pathway to your desired career.
5. Career satisfaction: A career plan can lead to greater job satisfaction as it allows you to pursue roles that align with your interests and values.
6. Financial planning: By planning your career, you can also plan your finances better. You'll know when to expect promotions or job changes that might increase your income.
7. Adaptability: Career planning makes you more adaptable to changes in the job market. You'll be prepared to acquire new skills or shift your career focus if needed.
8. Work-life balance: Career planning enables you to consider and strive for a balance between your work and personal life.
9. Long-term success: Career planning sets you up for long-term success by helping you strategically build your career over time.
10. Control over your career: Ultimately, a career plan gives you control over your career rather than leaving it to chance. You become proactive in shaping your professional destiny.

Remember, a career plan is not set in stone. It should be flexible and adaptable, changing as you grow and as the job market evolves.

4 types of career paths

There are four types of career paths—knowledge-based, skill-based, entrepreneur-based, and freelance. Every kind of career path caters to a specific set of qualifications that help you perform your job.

Knowledge

Knowledge-based career paths allow you to use the knowledge you acquired over time to do your job. Employees in human resources, marketing, and accounting all follow a knowledge-based career path. Other examples include IT professionals and engineers.

Skills

Skill-based professions need an understanding of how a specific job function operates. These are often physical, hands-on, or service skills. Many of these roles fall in the construction industry, as well as performers, artists, and restaurant chefs.

You may notice that many positions are cross-functional. Your job may need a combination of knowledge-based and skills-based work. This is the case with lawyers, doctors, and administrative personnel.

Entrepreneurs

An entrepreneur solves a problem or a specific need by selling their own product or service. An entrepreneur can work independently or start a company and hire employees. Many startups, including BetterUp, began with an entrepreneur solving a problem for consumers.

Freelance 

People hire independent contractors (or freelancers) to perform a specific job or project. Freelancers offer many services, including graphic design, consulting, home repair, and photography.

16 examples of career paths

The key to having a solid career path is identifying the skills and experience needed for the positions in your career path. You won’t be guaranteed a senior manager role just because you’ve been a manager for two years. You have to demonstrate specific skills that show that you’re ready for the next step in your career.

Knowing what lies ahead in your career path can help you focus on the right skills. 

Job responsibilities, qualifications, and a company's needs change so much in today's workforce. You can't set a career path and expect your career to just run on autopilot. Keep an open mind and adapt to changes where necessary. 

The current work climate requires employees to be flexible in their roles. An Executive Assistant may need the skills of a project manager to do their job. Upper management across industries needs to have a basic understanding of Human Resources. 

It's important to stay on top of your industry trends and adapt to these changes. Stay proactive. Talk to others in your field to learn about how your career path is evolving. 

Here are some examples of career paths that you can explore.

Accounting: Staff Accountant > Senior Accountant > Accounting Manager > Senior Accounting Manager > Firm Partner

Administrative: Administrative Assistant > Executive Assistant > Office Manager > Event and Conference Planner > Event Manager > Director of Events

Advertising: Advertising Sales Agent > Advertising Sales Manager > Account Manager  > Account Executive > VP of Advertising

Construction: Constructive Services Associate > Site Manager > Construction Manager > Facilities Manager > Project Manager 

Customer Service: Associate > Team Lead > Manager > Senior Manager > Director > Chief Operating Officer

Writer/Editor: Staff Writer or Journalist > Associate Editor > Editor > Senior Editor > Editor-in-Chief

Education: Para-professional > Classroom Teacher > Curriculum Administrator > Assistant Principal > Principal > District Superintendent

Engineering: Junior Engineer > Senior Engineer > Project Manager > Senior Project Manager > Engineering Consultant

Human Resources: HR Coordinator > HR Manager > HR Director > VP of HR > Chief of HR  

Lawyer: Summer Associate > Junior Associate > Senior Associate > Partner > Managing Partner

Marketing: Marketing Coordinator or Marketing Specialist > Marketing Manager > Director of Marketing > VP of Marketing > Chief Marketing Officer

Nursing: CNA > IPN > ADN-RN > BSN-RN > MSN > DNP

Restaurant: Host/Hostess, Prep Cook, Server > Service Manager > Assistant General Manager > General Manager

Retail: Sales Associate > Team Lead > Assistant Manager > Store Manager > District Manager > Regional Manager 

Salesperson: Sales Rep > Territory Manager > District Manager > Regional Manager 

Alternative path: Sales Rep > Account Manager > Key Account Manager > Director of Business Development > VP of Sales or Client Success

How to create a career path in 12 steps

Creating a successful career path within or outside of an organization involves careful planning, self-assessment, and proactive engagement. Here are steps to develop and advance your career through career planning.

1. Start with self-assessment

Begin by identifying your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This self-evaluation will help you understand your current skill set. Also, clarify what aspects of your work bring you the most satisfaction and align with your personal values.

2. Research the career paths that interest you

Familiarize yourself with the organizational structure and the various departments. If building a personal career plan, research the growth opportunities and levels that exist in this new realm. Seek insights from colleagues and friends who have advanced in their careers in a similar way to understand potential pathways.

3. Set clear goals

Next, define your short-term and long-term career objectives. It's important to ensure that these goals align with your personal values and aspirations.

4. Identify and develop new skills

Identify the skills required for your desired career path and invest in continuous learning to acquire and enhance these skills.

5. Expand your network

Building relationships with colleagues, mentors, and leaders within and outside your department is crucial. Don't hesitate to seek advice from experienced professionals in your field.

6. Speak with your manager or coach

Have open and honest discussions with your supervisor or coach about your career aspirations. Make your interest in career development known to relevant stakeholders.

7. Leverage existing training and development programs

Utilize resources offered by your organization, such as training programs, workshops, and courses. These opportunities can enhance both your technical and soft skills. Additionally, you can explore online or in-person courses to level up your skills and fill any gaps.

8. Identify opportunities

Regularly check for internal or external job postings and volunteer for projects or tasks that align with your career goals.

9. Seek out mentors

Find mentors within or outside of the organization who can provide guidance and share their experiences. Learning from others who have successfully navigated similar career paths can be invaluable.

10. Remain adaptable and flexible

Embrace changes in the organization and industry, and be willing to take on challenging assignments that broaden your skill set.

11. Evaluate and adjust

Periodically evaluate your progress against your career goals and be willing to adjust your goals based on changing circumstances and personal growth.

12. Advocate for yourself

Lastly, communicate your achievements and contributions to relevant stakeholders. When the time is right, be prepared to negotiate for promotions as well as new and advancement opportunities.

5 skills to cultivate your career path 

As you progress through your career path, you will develop specific skills that prepare you for the next role. Some skills will be industry-specific, while other skills will be more common across all industries.

The following skills will contribute to the success of your professional development.

Adaptability

As mentioned before, every job during your career path may not be a step up on the career ladder. Sometimes a lateral move will be just as impactful as a vertical movement will be. It’s vital to remain adaptive and open to changes in the trajectory of your career.

Communication

Communication is a vital skill for anyone on their career path, no matter the industry. When you grow in your career, you won’t just communicate with your teammates anymore. You may be communicating with C-level executives, external clients, potential employees, partners, etc.

Effective communication will prove that you’re not only ready for the next role in your career, but you’re also able to communicate as a strong leader. 

Leadership

There may come a time in your career when you evolve into a position that requires you to lead a team. Having strong leadership skills will help you cultivate your career path. Think about the managers and mentors that you’ve had. What qualities did those leaders have that made the most significant impact on you? What leadership styles do you want to adopt for the teams that you’ll lead?

Problem-solving

As you will find in most career paths, the work you do will evolve from task-based work into strategy-based solutions. Problem-solving skills will help you with that transition.

Take the problem of high turnover for example. A Human Resources Coordinator may solve this by recruiting two new Marketing Associates. The Director of Human Resources will suggest strategies that the coordinator will execute. Developing strategies that solve problems will be essential through your career path development. 

Time management

Time management won’t always be about how much work you can get done in a day or a week. Employers also evaluate the results that you produce within a given amount of time. The way you prioritize and delegate tasks will be an example of your time management skills.

There are several online resources that help with time management. You can check out the dozens of books about time management too. 

Start working on your career path today

It’s never too early to start thinking about your career path. It’s never too late either! If you’re excited about growing in your career, creating a career path is the perfect first step. You can also learn more about career paths from career books. 

Start by assessing your current skills, interests, and experience. Then think about your ideal career. The jobs and skills that you need to move from your current position to your ideal role will make up the steps in your career path.