What is Career Management (Why It Matters)?

Many employers feel that their career prospects are fully in the hands of their employers. Less than one in three employees knows how to develop their career over the next five years.
But that can’t be farther from the truth. It is you who should be in charge of your career management — and steer this process in the right direction.
What is Career Management?
Career management is a continuous process of planning and adapting your professional development to meet your future goals. In other words — it’s everything you do to ensure you’re progressing vertically (e.g., to higher-up positions) or horizontally (e.g., by expanding your skill set and pay grade).
The point is you’re thinking ahead about where you want to be in the next two, five, or ten years and take steps to achieve those career objectives. Here are a few quick career management examples to help you better visualize the concept:
- Finding a mentor or internal sponsor who helps you create a career roadmap and guides you on your journey.