⚙️ Gear or 🌱 garden

Believe it or not, I do think the career ladder has its uses.

They’re just very, very specific.

The ladder works best as an approach for advancement within a company, where you, your boss and leadership can agree on what progress should mean for someone in your role.

For example, this 28-page, specific and clear rubric from the Association of Public Health Laboratories outlines how someone can advance through managerial positions, from Front Line Supervisor to Associate Director.

It’s not fair to expect employees to guess what skills they need to develop in order to grow, or to assume people will understand exactly what responsibilities come with a new role. Once again, clarity is kindness.

Join me next month for a free webinar and live Q&A on the Career River for journalists.

All too often, though, it’s unclear how to advance your career, or even what roles you could move toward. This is when it’s time to ask: does my workplace treat me like a gear, or a garden?

⚙️ Gear: Your workplace is most interested in how you fit into the existing corporate machine. Your performance is evaluated mostly on your outputs, and there is little or no emphasis from management on your professional development or interests.

This is not necessarily a bad place to be, depending on your preferences at this particular moment. Paddlers focused on how they can best put their skills to use, or people who value predictability, may well enjoy the chance to contribute toward the company’s mission.

🌱 Garden: If you’re actively looking to grow, you want a workplace culture that prioritizes nurturing employees over draining them in the name of productivity. Does your manager ask what you’re interested in and find opportunities for you to develop your skills? Does your workplace offer clear expectations around what progress looks like? Evaluations focus on how you’ve progressed toward your career goals.

Navigators and Provisioners seeking a new direction or interested in building new skills will benefit from a garden approach, along with anyone looking for a pathway toward new roles.

If you find that you’re being treated as a gear or garden but you long for the other approach, the first thing you can do is ask your manager for assistance. After all, the squeaky gear gets the grease.

If you’ve exhausted your options to find the support you need in your current job, then it may be time to look elsewhere for the fulfillment you crave.

Happy navigating,
Bridget

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💡 Navigator tip: Make a “ta-da” list

Lauren Katz shares this advice she found helpful to track work accomplishments: Instead of a to-do list, make a “ta-da” list. She makes time each month to write down the outcomes of her projects and her successes at work, so whenever she needs to describe what she has done she can pull out her list: ta-da! 🪄

🔗 Links:

Career Ladder Editable Template (Association of Public Health Laboratories)

Job Hunt January: Clarity is kindness: Try a hiring hotline and other tips for employers (Explore Your Career River)

Riding Your River: Unlock your next career move with this key question (Explore Your Career River)

Flex your BICEPS 💪: Six core needs we all deserve our work to serve (Explore Your Career River)