Navigating Career Planning and Progression
Maybe you’re ambitious and have corner office dreams. Maybe you are ready to move on from your current role. Perhaps your promotion request has been dangling over your head too long and it’s time to get that salary increase somewhere else. All of this is considered “Career Progression” which is literally moving forward in your career. This doesn’t necessarily mean “movin’ on up” even though it can include promotions but even changes in roles, scopes, changes that increase personal and professional development.
Figuring out your Career Planning and Progression is hard for anyone, and even if you’re following modeled paths they’re all different because it’s all about you and your desires. Asking yourself “what do I want to do when I grow up” is just as ridiculous at 17 as it is at 37 and you need to keep asking, evaluating, and measuring against an invisible future. I don’t know about you, but that can feel terrifying.
Some Neurodivergent Watch-outs:
If you suffer from Time Blindness, Imposter Syndrome, Motivation Challenges, Social Skill and Communication Issues, you may feel like your career progress is lacking. You may have once made a plan and never went back, or it’s just thrown way outta whack. That’s okay, we can always start again, which will also probably be a recurring mantra through this for a while.
Aside from a good mantra, this post will discuss Planning specifically, but paired with Career Tracking, and Mentorship you got this.
A Map
First and foremost, understand that you’ll likely do this process every few years. Our lives change. Our desires change. We change. So think of this as an atlas where you’re starting at one spot, you have several paths to follow, but you can make plans and adjust at any time.
Wherever you are in your career, it’s a good idea to come up with a “plan.” Yes, that nebulous word of a plaaaan. But where does one start? …at the end.
What does “Success” look like?
Success is a funny word thrown around career planning, and our lives a lot. And, it’s ever changing. What I thought was “success in my 20s” looks very different to “success in my 40s.” Asking: “what does success look like to you?” is a bit top-down thinking but if you want to start with the big broad question go for it.
If that’s too big, let’s go bottom-up. Need a reminder on Top-Down vs Bottom-Up brains? Check this post.
Consider the following:
What’s important to me right now: Time, Money, Family, Friends, Travel, Education, Comfort
If Money and Time were without limit, what would I do everyday?
What do I like doing with my hands? What do I hate?
What do I like doing with my brain? What do I hate?
What are 3 things I’m super good at?
These are the three things a job MUST have/do for me:
There are the three things that would make me immediately leave:
What is something I want to learn or grow with?
If you’ve been working for a bit, ask yourself this too:
Do I like the field I’m in now? My Industry? My Role?
Do I want to be remote, hybrid, or in an office?
Am I willing to get a new degree or certification or skill to change jobs?
While that may feel like a lot of questions, but answer whatever you want however you want. If mind mapping helps, draw it by hand or an online app (like this one: Diagrams.net or a program like Canva). Write a story! There are many bullet journal templates as well (Check this JashiiCorin Video around 4 minutes for career stuff). Record yourself in audio memos, TikToks, or Selfies. Additionally, as you have more experiences, it’s easier to identify what you don’t like and solidify your values, especially in your career.
Here’s a hypothetical example of someone after their first job vs 20 years later, knowing more about their likes and non-negotiables.
“I’m living a small, quiet flat in a walkable town where I can go out in the evenings and do things like ride my bike on trails or have coffee with friends at local shops. When not exploring at home, I’m off traveling or adventuring around the globe, meeting new people and learning about cultures. While I’m working, I want to learn more about marketing and community management but I also want to continue to develop digital products, except mobile. I’ll eventually end up at a bigger company as a manager launching digital games targeting six figures. I want lots of pets.”
“Flexibility is most important to me. I like working at my own pace, whenever I like and to be able to be there for my kids whenever I’m needed. I also need health benefits and enough money to pay for needs (mortgage, schooling, childcare, etc) while saving for retirement and family adventures. I want to continue to be in a business leadership position (Director or above). Deal breakers: not being heard by senior peers, dangling promotions, or micromanagement. I really enjoy managing teams and want the opportunity to mentor further and have a lasting effect throughout my company, not just business. Going forward, I want an industry change to Travel Tech and or a role change to Strategy or Chief of Staff options.”
And repeat! I recommend keeping your map pretty open and accept things that align with what’s most important to you. This example stayed true to roles connected to Marketing, work/life flexibility, and global connection.
“Walk Straight by Winding Along”
-A Zen Koan by Watanabe Roshi
You did the thing! Great! Now you need to DO the thing…walk that map you made. As you wind along your path, remember to stop periodically and evaluate where you are in your current job against your map. Are you on the right trail? Have you perhaps veered too far off in a good way? Or a bad one?
At least once a year review you current Career Progression map and if/when you have to do your yearly personal evaluation either at work or personally.
Henry says “here, take this!”
While I appreciate AI helping me check my map, it can in fact sometimes be like Google Maps asking you to make a left turn across five lanes of traffic. You need a real support system such as a coach, an industry affinity group, employee resource group, or a mentor. Check out my post on Finding A Mentor That Fits.
Do Accommodations Help - Pushing back on perceptions
This is a personal decision; however, when it comes to progressing your career consider what might be holding you back. Often times, it can just be someone’s perception. Reminder, many neurodiversities and other disabilities as a part of the American Disabilities Act and you have a legal right to reasonable accommodations and protections.
Below are actual things Leadership folks have said to me about neurodiverse individuals and reasons for limiting their progression:
“That person is a shitstarter and just says the wrong things in group meetings.” (Impulsivity)
“They don’t have the gravitas to lead.” (Social Skills)
“They can’t hold a conversation unless it’s about code.” (Hyper Focus)
“They never deliver on time. It’s like they do what they want, when they want and that’s unacceptable—they need to get on the same line as everyone else.” (Time Blindness)
“They’re just weird…and make people uncomfortable. I can’t have them in that meeting.” (Emotional Intelligence)
I may have written what trait the commenter was referencing; however, next to all of these should be noted: Discrimination and Ablism. Notice the focus on difficulties or issues versus a focus on strengths. Many organizational leads and managers are not trained on strength-based team building, training, and coaching. Often times, these perceived challenges can be partially mitigated with disclosure and accommodation as well as additional support from mentors and managers.
Be aware that these things may also be said about you no matter what—sometimes people just suck. If you or one of your support stakeholders hears these things, push back: clarify and ask for tangible feedback such as examples against promotion guidelines, seek instances where business was effected negatively, or if formal complaints have been filed you should have been made aware but ask for theem. Check your employee handbook, reach out to your Accommodations group, and seek that support as needed. Review these actions and again, check it against your map.
Some Final Tips to keep checking your map
Maybe you feel like you’ve just joined the cartographer guild of your life—is that a bad thing? The last thing I’ll remind you about making your map, is remembering to hold yourself accountable and check in with it every once and while.
If you don’t have a built-in reminder, use technology. Add a reminder to your favorite system. Add it to your calendar 365 days from now or that you will check out your map on March 17th, 2027 at 9:01am. Be specific about what you will do as well: “I will read my Career Progression map, check it against my last 3 wins and losses at work, and decide if I will continue forward or rewrite what I’m doing.”
Body double with a friend or ask your mentor to review your map with you. Ask whatever ERG or industry group you’re in to make this a New Year’s meet up event.
You got this. Henry believes in you.
