Naiman Labs newsletter #20. Advance your career

Hi everyone! Welcome to the 20th issue of Naiman Labs Newsletter!

Today I want to talk about one very HR and “managerial” topic that all professional should be aware of and keep it in mind. Your career. Are you tired of feeling stuck in your career? Do you wish you had more opportunities for growth and development?

One of the biggest reasons people leave their jobs is because they feel there are no opportunities for growth. In fact, according to McKinsey research, potential career advancement is one of the top 5 things that employees value most in their organization. A recent Gartner study even found that career management support is the number 1 most valued employee experience tool.

Want to read more about the reasons why people leave their companies? Check the issue #7 of my newsletter.

Why do we even have this problem? 🤔

Why do people feel like there are no opportunities for growth in their companies? It often boils down to a few reasons:

1. Managers may not consider career advancement important, and may only focus on monetary incentives to motivate while pushing their teams to do day-to-day job.

2. Companies may have job openings, but employees are not aware of them because they only search for candidates externally through hiring and active headhunting.

3. Companies simply don’t have any career strategy or career advancement approach considering it will come along with natural growth.

This is where career frameworks come in. 🔍

Essentially, career frameworks are a structured, well-thought-out approach to how different roles in a company are connected, and how employees can move from one role to another.

Designing effective career paths requires a lot of effort, time, and thinking. But the benefits are worth it. Here are some key steps to follow:

1. Define the career paths - Start by mapping out the various roles within the company and identifying how they're connected. Consider what skills are needed, how responsibilities will change, and what the prerequisites are for an employee to move from one position to another.

2. Establish assessment mechanisms - Determine how employees will be assessed for readiness to move from one role to another and ensure that the team and company are ready to accept this move.

3. Communicate the approach. It's great if a company has a career framework, but even better if they actively communicate it to their employees and candidates, so everyone knows what to expect and what is expected of them.

What’s your benefit? 🌟

The biggest benefit of a career framework is that it provides a clear growth path for employees. It answers the question that many people have: "What do I need to do to grow?" For managers, this means they can provide their employees with a clear roadmap for advancement. And for employees, it means they know what their career opportunities are and what they need to do to reach them.

So, if you're a manager or HR professional, take the time to design a career framework and communicate it to your team. It's not an easy task, but the benefits are worth it.

And dear professionals, make sure you ask about this. Make sure you know about the career processes in your company. Then you’ll know a lot about career opportunities. Usually companies have a lot of them, you just need to find them out.

💪 Pro tip: If your company puts a lot of effort in career process, it is valuable. Try to find out as many details as you can and use it for your own personal and professional advancement.

Keep in mind career growth is never guaranteed, don’t take career opportunities for granted. You need to show your growth, show your work, make an impact and yes, you usually need to be ready to do a bit extra compared to your current role.

Don't get left behind in your career. Invest in your growth today!

🙌 People management article of the week

Quick advice for all the people managers this week. Short article about pushing your teams beyond

💼 Career tip of the week

This week I want to share with you one of my favorite podcasts by Stanford School of Business. “Think fast, talk smart”. This is a great source of communication tips that will help you improve your approach to thinking, listening and talking to other people in various circumstances.

What I like the most is that they always consider the bigger picture, because our communication is never about talking or listening, it is way beyond that.

They have tons of various episodes. In upcoming newsletter issues I will share my favorite ideas with you. But for now: try this one. You can also find them in your podcast app of choice: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or AIRR.

⚙️ Productivity tip of the week

Don’t beat yourself up and don’t be a slave of your to-do list. Use it for your benefit.

That’s it for today. Enjoy your week and remember that you are the one responsible for your growth!

Have a great week ahead!

Vlad from Naiman Labs