When you have a clear goal in mind about how you want your career to look like in, say, two years’ time, there is a lot that you can do to work towards and achieve your goals. You can for example take initiative and develop your skills in trainings or seminars. You could also reach out to your network to collect information on key responsibilities and average salary of a job position you would like to attain in the future. BUT. No matter how much effort you put into managing your (future) career, the environment you find yourself in will play a key role on how easy it will be to reach your goals. So, let’s talk about organizational career support. Here’s why you should hold your employer to a high standard and get the support you deserve.
What is organizational career support?
Put simply, organizational career support is the extent to which your employer offers support for your career development. A couple of weeks ago, we introduced you to the significance of career opportunities. Now, while they may seem similar, organizational career support goas a big step further than career opportunities. Organizational career support means that not only does the organization you work for hold cool job positions with interesting responsibilities and a good salary. It also accepts the professional and career development of its employees as one of their core responsibilities.
One obvious benefit of working in such a supportive environment is of course the increased employability and competence that you gain. But the benefits do not stop there. In fact, research suggests that people who work for organizations that support them in their career development, are more satisfied with their career and more motivated to do what is needed to reach their goals. Basically, being surrounded by a company culture that values the personal and professional growth of their employees, inspires you to strive and achieve your career dreams.
Does your employer support your career?
As with all career resources , here are two questions that you can reflect on to figure out whether your current employer offers what you need:
- Does your employer encourage your participation in trainings and development opportunities that are relevant to you? Is there a company culture that emphasizes learning?
- Does your employer organize ample networking opportunities for all employees (not just for the privileged few at the very top of the hierarchy)?
- Does your employer hold the managers accountable for facilitating the development of their team members (e.g., allow time off to participate in trainings)?
Are you a student? These questions also apply for you. Just ask yourself the same questions, but think about your university or your internship organization.
If at this point of the article you notice that your employer and manager are not actively supporting your career development, there are a few things you can still do.
3 Ways to get the support you deserve
1. Proactively ask for more support.
This should be your first step. Is there a specific training you would like to follow or a certification you would like to obtain? Then discuss it with your supervisor. To increase the chances that they will support you, make sure you are prepared to make a compelling case. Think about why you would like to participate in this training or obtain that certification. How would your team or your department profit from this? Oftentimes, managers are not necessarily opposed to the career development of their employees, but may not see it as their responsibility to actively point out development opportunities. Another way would be to contact the HR department and ask for more information on development initiatives, trainings, seminars, etc.
Taking initiative to ask for development opportunities shows that you are eager to learn and increase your competence in your field. This is a great trait of yours that not many call their own! So, do not hesitate, you have a right to develop yourself and your career further, and at this day and age, every organization should have the responsibility to actively support you in this if they want to keep competent personnel.
2. Look for support outside the organization
If you do not find sufficient support within your organization, have a look whether there are third-party organizations or associations that offer development programs or events that could help you achieve your goals. Sometimes, such associations may target one specific occupation and offer events around topics that are closely related to that specific occupation. Others are more specialized on specific skills (think soft skills !) that are useful across a variation of occupations.
3. Reconsider whether this is the right organization for you
You have talked to your supervisor and HR. You had a look at opportunities for career development outside your organization. But still, you feel that you are not receiving the support you want? Well, then it might be time to reconsider whether your current employer is the right one for you.
One way to figure out whether quitting is an option, think of what kind of career support you would like to receive. Then explore which companies offer such support. You can for example reach out to your network to get more information. Or you could search on LinkedIn for people who hold positions similar to yours (or your dream position) at a different company. Send them a message and ask whether they would be willing to chat with you about their experiences with the company. In general, talking to many different people is oftentimes the best thing you can do, as it allows you to get a well-rounded perspective – be it about a job position, a company culture, or ways to reach your goals.
Get the support you always wanted
We know that sometimes, small actions of reflection like the ones we suggest in this article, quickly slip our mind and before we know it, we forget about them altogether. If you need an occasional reminder, follow us on our Instagram and Facebook page – we use it as an interactive way to help each other implement the advice we suggest in our blog posts. And we love to hear about your experiences and thoughts!
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March 17, 2023This post is based on the following sources and academic articles
Hirschi, A. (2012). The career resources model: An integrative framework for career counsellors. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 40(4), 369–383.
Hirschi, A., Nagy, N., Baumeler, F., Johnston, C. S., & Spurk, D. (2018). Assessing key predictors of career success: Development and validation of the career resources questionnaire. Journal of Career Assessment, 26(2), 338–358. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072717695584
Jung, Y., & Takeuchi, N. (2018). A lifespan perspective for understanding career self-management and satisfaction: The role of developmental human resource practices and organizational support. Human Relations, 71(1), 73–102. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726717715075
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