6 Reasons Employers Are Unprepared To Support Your Career Goals

Forbes

2 days ago

Young Asian businesswoman leading
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The rules of career management are being rewritten. You can no longer rely on your employer to place a premium on your professional development and career advancement, not only due to budget cuts but also because of the lack of knowledge employers have about their employees' specific needs. As such, this responsibility now lies directly in the hands of employees themselves. While organizations may offer training, resources, and guidance, the days of one-size-fits-all career development programs are long gone. And that's a good thing.
This shift is both a challenge and an opportunity. Understanding why it has occurred and how to leverage the following six alarming realities employers are unprepared to support your career goals will determine whether you thrive or put your future at risk.
Even the most well-intentioned employers struggle to design a personal development path perfectly aligned with your ambitions. Why? Because no one knows your inner world as well as you do.
Organizations often operate at a macro level, focusing on company-wide industry trends and group goals. While these frameworks serve the greater organization's growth objectives, they cannot address the nuances of your unique strengths, aspirations, and challenges.
Employers can't read your mind, nor is it their responsibility, it's yours. Yet, most employees are not willing to boldly share their career goals for fear of derailing the political capital or momentum they have created. To determine your growth path, you as an individual must develop a deep understanding of what you need professionally and personally to thrive. Ask yourself: 'Have I invested enough time understanding my own strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities to chart my path forward?'
Before you point fingers at your employer, take a moment to reflect on yourself. Do you know who you are and what you truly want? Many employees chase external validations, such as promotions or salaries, without understanding if these align with their personal values or beliefs.
Personal growth begins with introspection. In fact, when I've asked mid-career professionals the question, 'What are you chasing?', some of the most common responses include: happiness, survival, belonging, security, harmony, peace, respect, validation, self-trust, calmness, regaining faith in my abilities, and self-worth. Yet, while they know what they are chasing, they don't know who they are or what they stand for. As a result, they struggle to act confidently toward what they really want because much of what they have achieved has been the result of following a predefined path for years.
I've learned that it takes time and immense focus for someone to uncover their unique passions and strengths. This requires an intensive process of unraveling internal and external factors, something an employer is not responsible for, especially when their priority is on financial goals and objectives. Now that employees are consumers with options, one of their most important choices begins with investing in themselves to understand the skills and capabilities they bring to the table.
Employers are under immense pressure to drive growth, shareholder value, innovate, navigate volatility, and survive in highly competitive landscapes. Most career development initiatives are designed to address organizational priorities, not individual aspirations.
For example, your employer might provide training programs to adapt to new technologies or meet immediate skill gaps. While these programs are valuable, they may not align with the long-term, personalized vision you might have for your career. In fact, as employers invest more in AI as a professional development tool to offset the cost of third-party vendors, employees must be aware of the risks of AI-driven standardization. This could dilute one's unique skills, capacities, and talents if the sole purpose of the tool is to emphasize skills that primarily benefit the organization—not the employee.
The management of an employee's career goals is more complex than any organizational blueprint, especially when you consider a company with thousands of employees. It's reflective, adaptive, and deeply personal. To succeed, you must go beyond company resources and create your own plan for growth.
When items 1-3 are at play, it's hard to enforce personal accountability for one's career goals. Yet, this is the world we now live in—if your objective is to get ahead of change before circumstances force it upon you. Gone are the days of waiting for your performance evaluation to discuss your career goals. By the time that happens, hundreds of growth opportunities may have already passed you by.
Those with thriving careers are the ones who take matters into their own hands. They hold themselves accountable by continuously evaluating:
Accountability makes you the owner of your career, especially when the workplace and its demands are evolving faster than ever.
An important aspect that oftentimes goes overlooked is one's diligence to budget for personal growth and career goals. Investing in your career is no longer an option, it's a non-negotiable priority. We can no longer assume the degree you earned 10 years ago has a distinct competitive advantage anymore.
I've learned time and again that the talent spectrum is getting flatter. It's no longer just about years of experience; it's about whether one has the skills, the will, and new ideas to solve today's challenges and realize growth opportunities for the present and future.
Consider creating a dedicated line in your personal budget for career growth. When you make a financial commitment to yourself, it reinforces the idea that your growth is a top priority. It also solidifies that you are finally investing in yourself for the greater good.
Owning your career goals doesn't mean navigating them all on your own. To continuously grow and evolve, you need the right people around you. It means using resources wisely and thinking strategically about the growth opportunities you pursue.
Surround yourself with mentors, peers, friends, and family members who inspire and challenge you. The people you choose to associate with can either propel you forward or hold you back. Your circle of support should align with your goals and aspirations and share your hunger for growth. Stay close to the leaders and lifters and move away from the loafers and leeches.
Growth requires you to assemble the right ecosystem of resources. Don't limit yourself to 2-3 resources you need at least 10-12 to continuously fuel your momentum and keep moving forward.
Owning your career goals is neither simple nor fast, but it can be an incredibly rewarding journey if you put your mind to it.
Never ask yourself again, 'What is my employer doing to support my career goals?' Instead, ask yourself, 'What am I doing to sustain the career path I desire?'