Offer a Career, not a Job

Offer a Career, not a Job!

I have been helping both employees and companies navigate today’s competitive workplace. Many organizations are challenged with hiring and retaining key employees. Developing a career is certainly not a linear process, but in today’s workplace, both the employee and the organization need to be aligned with their expectations and career opportunities.

As an employee, you are looking for a place that will support you in your role, but also provide challenging assignments to grow your career. As an organization, you are looking for performance in the current role while growing the employee’s future value to the organization.

So, as an employer, are you offering a career or a job? Here is how you can tell the difference:

Your Industry – Is your industry exciting, growing and open to innovation and change? Can you articulate to a potential hire, how the industry is changing and what the long-term opportunities are in the industry for someone to grow their career? Sometimes we take our industry for granted. I come from the Environmental Consulting & Engineering industry where much of the work can be routine, but there are always many new and exciting industry trends that will bring opportunities to focused career developers. Find those things in your industry that excite and motivate the best and brightest candidates.

Your Organization – Do you have a learning, creative and promotional organization? Can you offer employees a great starting point and also support their advancement through their career? Don’t fall into the trap of keeping someone in their role for too long. Employees need to see upward mobility, otherwise they will look elsewhere. I recognize that not all employees hired to your organization will advance through your organization, but find those who you appreciate and can grow, and focus on their career aspirations. Look for ways to recognize your employees not for “years served”, but through promotions, industry recognition and achieving their career goals. Just because someone has been with an organization for 30 years, does not mean they have reached their career aspirations.

The Role – Is the role connected to your core business or is it part of your strategic agenda? Do you have realistic goals and can you provide the necessary support to the employee to be successful? Employees want to know they are connected to the organization and that they are a meaningful contributor to the core business or your future vision. Also, do you have a good manager who will direct and encourage the new employee, both in their current role and their career? No one has been in their same role throughout their career. So, both the organization and the employee need to recognize one role will not define your career. 

Employees today are looking for industries and companies that will allow them to grow their career.  Careers are not made up of a single role, but an employee will be more attractive to industries & organizations where they can see opportunity to reach their career aspirations.

See more career advice in “Own Your Career-No One Else Will”, by Paul R. Goudreault. Available on Amazon and at your local book store.