Careers take many different directions, and in 2024, I think the very concept of what a career is, is very different from perhaps the perception of previous generations. Where the common assumption used to be that a career path was quite linear and success would be defined by how far up the ladder you might progress, it is now much more likely that people will have multiple careers in their lifetime.
I had this very conversation with a contact over the weekend who started their working life in industry, then moved into teaching and now is training to join the clergy. The individual had clearly been successful in each career but wanted to explore and experience different challenges in their working life.
Where previously people may have had a primary career and then extracurricular interests, it is now more common than ever to take these interests and develop them into their second or third career.
All this means that career development and learning new skills have never been more important, and often they will not be directly linked to your professional life but will be broader and more holistic, thus allowing you to pivot into new career directions. Professional qualifications are clearly very important and still often launch a career, but how you then continue to develop your skills may continue through your professional body or other less traditional channels. Some skills will continue to need formal training, perhaps considering an MBA or System Accreditations, while others will be softer and less easy to define, like networking or sales skills.
Development could be through formal routes, gaining a new qualification for example, or more informal through perhaps coaching or mentoring.
Career progression will today more than ever be matrix and not linear; it could involve a secondment or even a completely different path. Being open-minded to where opportunities will come from and embracing them when they present themselves will often lead to an enriching career path far beyond just following that linear route.
National Career Development Month allows employers and employees to explore all these routes and shines a light on how people can develop and progress, but it is worth remembering that your career development opportunities are ongoing and not just limited to one month a year.
