Defining Career Purpose

I find career progression maps extremely effective. They answer one of the most prominent questions I get in interviews: "What does career progression look like in your org?" A well-defined career map: 1. Helps designers identify what they need to work on 2. Clearly sets expectations on career progression 3. Connects the dots between hard and soft skills 4. Sets the tone for assessing performance 5. Provides clarity and alignment I created this simple product design progression map to help you understand some of the key areas we assess when building design teams. For simplicity, it's broken down into 4 areas: - Ownership - Collaboration - Craft - Research Larger design teams sometimes break this down even further and include specifics like communication, impact, mentoring, design systems, prototyping, and so on. The map covers core career levels from Junior to Lead without going too granular on IC vs. Management pathways, as these differ greatly from one company to another. Use this map to: - Assess where you are in your journey - Find areas where you may benefit from growing - Help build your organization's design career map If you found the map useful, consider reporting ♻️ Find the link to a full Notion template you can copy for your organization in the comments below 👇 #productdesign #uxdesign #uiux

Almost every time I speak with juniors or college students, I get asked the same question: “I’m not sure what field I want to work in. How do I decide what to do?” It’s a completely normal feeling — and honestly, I’ve been there too. When I first entered college, I had no clue what specialization to take or what career path to pursue. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to have it all figured out right away. What you need is a plan to explore and narrow it down. Here’s what I tell anyone who asks: 📍 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 List a few things you genuinely enjoy or find intriguing — like writing, data analysis, designing, or public speaking. Don’t worry about how they translate into a career just yet Action Step: Write down your interests without worrying about how they translate into a career. The point is to recognize your natural inclinations. 📍 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Try out your interests through short-term activities like joining a club, taking a beginner’s course, or volunteering for a project. Give it 2–4 weeks and see if you enjoy the process Action Step: Try something for 2–4 weeks and assess: Did you enjoy the process? Did it feel meaningful? 📍 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘁 Reach out to people working in fields you’re curious about. Ask about their day-to-day work, the skills they use, and what they enjoy or dislike about their roles Action Step: Message 3 professionals on LinkedIn and politely ask for a 15-minute chat. Most people are willing to help if you’re genuinely curious and respectful of their time. 📍 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 Identify the skills you want to develop rather than getting stuck on job titles. Whether it’s data analysis, storytelling, or management, skills are transferable and will shape your career regardless of the role Action Step: Pick one skill you’re curious about and spend an hour a week learning or practicing it. 📍 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 Your first choice doesn’t have to be your final choice. Reflect every few months to see if you’re still enjoying your current path. It’s okay to change directions as you learn more Action Step: Set a reminder to reflect every 3 months: Are you still enjoying your current path? If not, what’s next? The Bottom Line: You don’t have to know your exact career path at 20. Just focus on exploring, learning, and building foundational skills — the clarity will follow. To everyone feeling overwhelmed — take it one step at a time. And remember, not having it all figured out is okay — it’s part of the journey. What’s one career option you’re currently exploring? Share below — I’d love to hear your thoughts!👇 #CareerAdvice #CollegeTips #FindingYourPath #SkillBuilding #CareerExploration #EarlyCareerInsights

If you are a student of Cybersecurity, a teacher of Cybersecurity, or an employer of Cybersecurity talent you should really spend some time looking at the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cyber Career Pathways Tool. This tool shows all the positions within the various career fields in cyber, shows what positions lead to future positions within the career fields, and lists all the knowledge, skills, and capabilities required for each position, including recommended credentials. If all three groups better aligned themselves to the NICE Framework, I believe there would be a lot less frustration surrounding employment in the industry. Check it out, it is a very cool tool! https://lnkd.in/dg6YzcjE

Work shouldn’t cost you the things that matter most. Too often, people sacrifice their health, relationships, and happiness for their jobs. On Thanksgiving let's get that balance right. But the most successful professionals understand this simple truth: Work and well-being can coexist. Here are 5 principles to create a fulfilling work-life balance: 1. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 → Define your work hours and stick to them. → Protect your personal time like it’s a crucial meeting. 2. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 → Focus on high-impact tasks and let go of unnecessary ones. → Don’t let fake urgencies derail your priorities. 3. 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 → Choose roles or policies that allow for remote or flexible work. → Flexibility isn’t a perk—it’s a necessity for well-being. 4. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 → Speak up about unreasonable workloads or toxic cultures. → Companies that prioritize well-being listen to employee feedback. 5. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 → Choose roles and employers that align with your personal mission. → Success without fulfillment is a sign to reevaluate. Your work shouldn’t cost you your joy or health. What strategies help you balance work and life? Let me know in the comments below 👇 --- ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost for your network. ➕ Follow Dr Alexander Young for more tips on leadership, workplace culture, and career growth.

One of the single most important issues in coming years is job transitions. This fascinating research examines not just job adjacency and required skill development for transition, but also bridging, directionality in job migration, and more. Insights include: 📊 The Power of Real-Time Skills Data. Analyzing real-time job posting data provides much more current and granular insights into labor market dynamics compared to traditional occupational classifications and surveys. This is especially valauble during rapid shifts like COVID-19. 🎯 Skills Space Method's High Accuracy. The "Skills Space" method for measuring similarity between skill sets, shown in the diagram, achieved 76% accuracy in predicting actual job transitions. This is impressive for such a complex prediction task and suggests the method captures something fundamental about how people actually move between jobs. 🔄 The Asymmetry of Career Paths. Job transitions are fundamentally asymmetric - it's often much easier to move in one direction between jobs than the other. For example, it may be relatively easy for a Finance Manager to become an Accounting Clerk, but much harder for an Accounting Clerk to become a Finance Manager. 🌉 The "Bridge" Nature of Transferable Skills. Generalist skills act as "bridges" between specialist skill clusters. This provides important insights for career planning - developing transferable skills makes it easier to move between different specialized domains. 🎓 Pathways to Specialized Roles. The analysis reveals clear skill-based pathways into specialized domains, showing how workers can strategically develop skills to transition into complex roles. For example, a Sheetmetal Trades Worker's skillset shows high similarity to an Industrial Designer role, offering a pathway from a high-automation-risk job to a low-automation-risk specialized position. 🆘 Crisis Response Through Skills Matching. The model helps workers displaced by crises like COVID-19 find new roles by identifying transitions that leverage their existing skills, target growing rather than declining occupations, and focus skill development on high-value gaps. This is valuable research. We need much more in this vein, and for this to be applied at all levels of the economy from national and international policy down do individual education.

Work-Life (Im)balance is awful framing Just “work some work, live some life.” It’s vague. No numbers. No goals. For someone with a tech background, this framing makes no sense. I wanted something better: • Logical • Goal-oriented • Exact numbers for balance So, 6 years ago, I reframed it: 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵-𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 There are two clear goals in life: • Live a healthy life as long as possible. • Leave a meaningful legacy (work, family, projects). Your legacy isn’t just work, it’s everything you create and leave behind. Your health gives you the time and energy to do it all. It’s measurable and balanced: • 84 hours per week for Health • 84 hours per week for Legacy It also has a logical split: • The Self (Health) • The World (Legacy) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 (𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳): • Sleep • Exercise • Nutrition • Self-care 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 (𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱): • Work • Projects • Learning & Research • Family, Friends, Events, Household 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 & 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 A student might invest more time in learning and less in work or projects. A parent might invest more in family time. 𝗠𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘁 (𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲) 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 (~𝟴𝟰 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀/𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸) • Sleep: ~49h • Nutrition (+Family): ~7h • Self-Care (+Family): ~7h • Exercise (+Learning +Family): ~21h 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 (~𝟴𝟰 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀/𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸) • Work: ~42h • Family & Household: ~14h • Learning (+Commuting): ~7h • Projects (Coding & Creating): ~21h This works for me, but everyone’s balance is different. What about you? Are you happy with the traditional Work-Life split? ------------

Do not outsource your career My mentor always emphasized a crucial mantra: "Do not outsource your career to your employer." This resonated deeply – a job is what your employer provides, but your career growth is your responsibility. If your employer is invested in your growth, consider it a bonus. For young professionals navigating the corporate landscape, the key is to take ownership of your career – a distinct entity from your job. This involves understanding your aspirations, mastering the intricacies of your industry, and, crucially, mapping the trajectory to reach the pinnacle. The following steps are outlined to help you take proactive ownership of your career. Strategic Planning: Develop a strategic plan for your career. Identify your long-term goals, the qualifications needed, and the steps required to achieve them. This plan serves as a roadmap guiding your professional choices ensuring that you do not merely coast through your firm and also get to the pinnacle faster than your peers. Resource Utilization: Acknowledging that resources, including time and money, are limited, underscores the importance of strategic decision-making. Invest in training, courses and conferences that align with your career goals. I remember investing 2 months' salary into a course that I knew was needed to move into Senior Executive Management and it did work, I was promoted 6 months into passing my exams. Mentorship: Seeking mentorship is a powerful tool for career growth. Learning from someone who has navigated a similar path can provide valuable insights, guidance, and a support system to help you make informed decisions. Saying Yes or No: Understanding your career goals allows you to evaluate job opportunities both within and outside your organization more effectively. You can confidently say yes or no based on whether the opportunity aligns with your overarching career objectives. Cross-Functional Mobility: Don't hesitate to explore cross-functional opportunities within your organization. Discussing career goals with HR and exploring different departments can help you find the best fit for your skills and aspirations. Continuous Learning: Embrace a mindset of continuous learning. Stay informed about industry trends, new technologies, and evolving best practices. This commitment to learning enhances your adaptability and competitiveness in the job market. Networking: Building a professional network is essential. Engage with professionals in your field, attend industry events, and participate in networking activities. These connections can open doors to new opportunities and perspectives. Reflection and Evaluation: Periodically reflect on your career journey. Evaluate whether you are on track with your goals and adjust where necesary. Regular self-assessment ensures you stay aligned with your aspirations. Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. How have you owned your career, and what lessons have you learned along the way?

Feeling Stuck in Your Career? It Could Be a Competency Gap! 🚀 A few years ago, I worked with a team member, who was frustrated about being stuck in his role. He was technically skilled but couldn't figure out why promotions were passing him by. 💥That’s when we turned to competency mapping. 🔍 Together, we identified the key skills his position and future roles required—things like communication, leadership, and strategic thinking—which are critical competencies for growth. While he excelled in technical work, his communication skills needed refinement to step into leadership. By aligning his personal development with these competencies, we created a clear roadmap for his growth. Within a year, he sharpened his communication skills and was promoted to Team Lead. Competencies aren't just about what you’re good at now, but what you need to master for future success. Think of them as the blueprint for your career development. 💡 Key Competencies You Should Focus On: 💢Technical Expertise: Mastering the core skills required for your current role. 💢Communication: Expressing ideas clearly and collaborating with teams. 💢Leadership: Guiding teams and driving performance. 💢Strategic Thinking: Seeing the big picture and aligning with long-term goals. 💢Collaboration: Problem-solving and creating synergy within teams. 🔑 Key Action Points: 🖊️Identify the competencies needed for your next career step. 🖊️Compare your current skills with those required competencies. 🖊️Develop a plan to close any gaps through learning and experience. Feeling blocked in your career? It might be time to assess your competencies and create a growth plan. 📝 Start mapping your competencies today and take the first step toward unlocking your potential! #CareerGrowth #Leadership #CompetencyMapping #PersonalDevelopment #LifelongLearning #SkillDevelopment #LeadershipSkills #CommunicationSkills #ProfessionalGrowth

How to move from “doing your job” to feeling inspired by it? Here’s my framework for building a career that creates impact + fulfillment. 𝟲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿.👇 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 ↳What drives you beyond the paycheck? Define your "why." ↳Create a strong purpose statement to inspire you. 2️⃣ 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 ↳Think long-term! This gives you direction and helps you prioritize what's important. ↳Set short and long-term goals. 3️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 ↳Work out the  milestones and map out steps / actions. ↳Keep yourself accountable but stay flexible—you may adjust as you learn and grow. 4️⃣ 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘀 ↳Challenge any beliefs that make you feel unqualified or unworthy of your ambitions. ↳Self-coach or work with a mentor to overcome these. 5️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 & 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 ↳To make an impact, grow as a leader. ↳Build credibility in the market as the "go-to" value-creator. 6️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 & 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 ↳Create a differentiated value proposition. ↳Invest in your warm network and build new networks that support your purpose and vision. When we have full clarity on the impact we want to make and how to make it, we are motivated and inspired daily. ✅ If you're at a career cross-roads, send me a message and let's discuss. ✅ I've coached 300+ professionals, helping them navigate their careers with purpose + impact. --- ♻ Repost to help your network.

I’ve met countless professionals who stayed in roles that drained them...not because the work was fulfilling, but because leaving felt like admitting defeat. The mindset was: “If I walk away, people will think I couldn’t handle it.” So, they stayed. Even when the role was unaligned with their strengths. Even when they felt undervalued, underappreciated, and stuck. Here’s the irony: many of us end up spending enormous amounts of energy proving we can succeed in jobs we don’t even want. From a strategic standpoint, that doesn’t add up. What if, instead, that same energy went into identifying the roles that align with your values, your leadership strengths, and the impact you want to make? That shift changes everything. ➡️ You move from surviving to thriving. ➡️ You rebuild confidence in your career identity. ➡️ You create momentum toward opportunities that energize, not deplete, you. Staying in a misaligned role doesn’t prove competence. It only delays growth. Redirecting your focus toward aligned opportunities? That’s where leadership truly flourishes.