Everyone has career growth aspirations. Some may not see themselves growing vertically within an organization, while others may hope to one day be the CEO.

Regardless of the type of development you are looking for, it’s important to find an organization that values developing its internal talent. In a strong job market, employers have to provide career paths to their employees if they want to retain and attract talent, but not all leaders are equipped to have these conversations.

According to a 2024 survey by INTOO and Workplace Intelligence, an alarmingly high percentage of employees 46% don’t believe their managers know how to help them with their career development. It’s important that employees are proactive and transparent about their goals and that managers are coaches ready to support their team’s ambitions.

How managers impact career growth.

Managers are not always comfortable discussing career aspirations with their teams, and there may be several reasons why.

Some managers may be concerned about losing their talent or worry that it will create more work for them if an employee gets promoted and transfers out of the department. More commonly, a manager may be reluctant to have these conversations for fear it will place an unrealistic burden on them to help their employees grow.

In other cases, it might be simpler with the manager not knowing how to help an employee grow and worrying they might overpromise and underdeliver.

A strong leader will ask career development questions almost immediately to start the talent planning process regardless of whether the employee is ready. By not shying away from asking these questions, it starts a dialogue and creates comfort for the employee to openly share their career goals.

Strong leaders give honest feedback to help employees understand their weaknesses and continue developing toward their career goals. They also advocate for their employees when openings become available or for leading projects with high visibility in the organization.

Employees impact on their own career growth.

As an employee interested in upward mobility, it’s important to communicate what and where you see yourself going in the company. Talking about ourselves and our career aspirations can feel awkward.  It may feel strange to share future goals that involve leaving the team or department, but these conversations are a healthy part of the manager and employee relationship.

Employees who are honest about their goals and career aspirations can gain an ally in their manager. It’s important though to be open to feedback and take constructive criticism as an opportunity to continue growing toward those goals.

Managers can become an employee’s greatest support when opportunities arise as they are likely to have established relationships within the organization and can provide direct influence for promotions. When an employee has been transparent about their goals, it will not come as a surprise when they apply or express interest in a new opportunity.

Of course, communicating about career aspirations is a crucial part of growth but managers will be much more likely to advocate for the employee that leads out on projects, delegates as needed, and has good relations with coworkers. Managers may not want to put their name or credibility on the line for an employee that they don’t think is ready.

Managers will advocate for the employees they trust and can see themselves partnering within a peer-to-peer work relationship.  

HR can help with career growth.

Leverage HR. Often, HR has relationships with leaders and can help vouch for an employee who has reached out about opportunities. HR may also be able to provide resources available for upskilling or expanding knowledge through learning and education programs.

With HR having a unique perspective on the organization, there may be times when they can consider cross-training opportunities or job-sharing initiatives to promote career growth in new areas.

Getting HR involved doesn’t always mean someone is in trouble (seriously!) and can be especially beneficial for employees who are unclear on possible career paths.

HR may be able to brainstorm ideas for approaching these conversations with their manager or work directly with the department to implement best practices around individual development plans and continuous feedback.

Many organizations offer opportunities for sitting on cross-functional committees or groups to help shape the organizational culture that HR will have insight into. While these extracurriculars are excellent channels for gaining insight and helping to shape policy and initiatives, they can also offer great exposure to executives and can be seen as being engaged and invested in the future of the company.

Invest in Yourself

It is cliché to say but we’re going to say it anyways because sometimes we need to be corny to get our point across: Believe in yourself! Yes, that means advocating for yourself and taking the initiative to continuously improve.

It’s easy for us to look at our resume or our work ethic and think “I am the best option for this promotion.”, but trust us, you are not the only option. Be prepared to take on new challenges, expand your business acumen and knowledge, and learn new skills.

Set goals for yourself and don’t back down from sharing these goals with your manager. Find a mentor that you can learn from and have candid conversations with about your work and career development.

Always ask for feedback – there is no better way to increase your self-awareness than to seek feedback. Use this feedback to leverage your strengths and proactively address your weaknesses.

Adopt a Growth Mindset

We all know those people, the ones that you want on your team when you know what hits the fan. The ones that always seem to figure it out or come up with a solution to a difficult problem. We may look at them with envy or admiration.

Yet, having a growth mindset is not an innate ability to handle challenges better than the average person, no, a growth mindset is the ability to reframe the lens through which we see challenges.

When we face challenges in the workplace with a growth mindset, we accept that there will be difficulties but that we will learn and grow from them. This type of mindset does not go unnoticed by leadership and the great thing is that even if you’re naturally someone with a fixed mindset, you can reshape it with discipline and resilience.

Learn to deepen your consciousness around your natural tendencies in the workplace and challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone. Accept the perceived risk and counter it with the knowledge that you will learn and grow regardless of the outcome. By continuing to approach your work this way, you will be amazed at how much your confidence increases.

Take Initiative

If you’re feeling stagnant in your career, take the time to reflect on what else you could be doing so that it can flourish. The right opportunities are not always right in front of us. When looking for a new opportunity, be sure to share your desire for upward mobility to ensure you are finding the right fit.

Rather than comparing yourself to others that you perceive as being more successful in the workplace, start a conversation with them and learn about the steps they take, practices they use, and their habits. Stay focused on your goals and have the patience and determination to see them through.