Corporate Ladder vs. Career Pathway

Oh how the times have changed.  Back in the day, you got a job after college or high school and you worked your way up the company ladder.  People used to work  for 30+ years and retire from the same company.  Getting a promotion did not happen without years of experience.  In other words, a part of earning more responsiblity and more pay meant just being there for a certain amount of time.  This process may sound painful to you if you are in the X or Y generation. 

These days, it's a whole new world out there.  Gen X and Y will have an average of 3-5 years with a company before moving on to another one.  They are not moving up the ladder, they are designing a career pathway which hopefully goes uphill.  This may sound a little more comfortable, but there are some drawbacks.  When you design a pathway you have no example to follow.  Your destiny is your own and there is no manual or user's guide.  The good thing is, you are constantly growing as an individual.  Adding tools to your toolbelt and gaining experience in several different areas.

When working with people of different generations, be mindful of these two methods.  If you are younger, be respectful of those that have put their time in to earn their positions.  If you are older, keep in mind that several job changes are not always an indication of instability but could in fact be a sign of determination for personal growth and a search for something more challenging.

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