Simply put, a career path is a string of jobs and positions a person walks through during their professional lifetime, usually within one industry or company. Ordinarily, it starts at an entry level, and then, with experience and opportunities to take on more responsibilities or a leadership position, it grows. A career path depends on the person’s goals, skills, knowledge, and the opportunities that may be available within a particular career or industry.
Employers often provide career pathing as a framework of successive career paths whereby employees can take time to understand the potential progression route in the business and the skills, experiences, and milestones that will be needed to get there. Career pathing is one of the ways that would motivate employees to develop their skills in a way that could lead to a long-term career with the company, and it is associated with enhanced job satisfaction and lesser turnover. Career pathing is an essential component in talent management and workforce planning.
You may also be interested in learning about these terms:
Career Path
Leadership Development
Hard Skills
Career Development
