What is a career path?

A career path isn't always a straight climb up a single ladder — it can branch, move sideways into a related field, or combine several specialties over time. What matters is that each step builds relevant skills or credibility for the next.

Common career path patterns

• Vertical: moving up within the same function, like junior engineer → senior engineer → engineering manager
• Lateral: moving sideways into a related role to broaden experience, like a marketing role moving into product management
• Specialist track: deepening expertise in one area over time without moving into management, common in fields like engineering, design, or medicine

Planning a career path usually involves identifying long-term goals, then mapping backward to the skills and roles needed to reach them.