Deciding where to take your career next is about more than just the immediate role, benefits, and salary; compensation is important, but it’s also important to consider what kinds of career growth opportunities you’ll have.
This matters because, in many companies, career growth is little more than an empty slogan. In the Leadership IQ study Career Growth Or Stalled Progress, we discovered that only 19% of people see a path to advance their career at their current employer. And only 18% of employees are always excited by their career growth and progress.
You can, and should, ask the hiring manager about the career growth opportunities the company offers. If they deliver highly-detailed specifics about a step-by-step career map, then you’re in pretty good shape. But don’t be surprised if you just hear vague language about wanting everyone to grow. In those cases, you’ll want to ask for three specific HR metrics.
Promotion Rate is a common metric that signifies the percentage of employees who receive promotions within a specific timeframe. Now, while promotions are an important aspect of career growth, there are other ways to advance professionally that don’t necessarily involve formal promotions, such as taking on new projects or responsibilities, shedding monotonous tasks, or gaining greater autonomy. However, it’s a good sign if the company to which you’re applying can access and share this metric.
Some companies track promotion rates a bit differently, with measures like Time to Promotion (the average period an employee waits to receive a promotion) and Internal Mobility Rate (the percentage of job vacancies filled by current employees). Those are related metrics that offer similar insights into a company’s commitment to career progression.
Another metric to ask about is Succession Planning Coverage, which is the proportion of key roles that have identified successors lined up. This metric indicates a company’s commitment to internal growth and promotion, although it also somewhat relies on the assumption that promotions are the primary means of career advancement.
Also, inquire about the number of new skills or competencies employees can acquire through the company’s training programs. The Participation Rate in development programs (i.e., the percentage of employees actively engaged in learning and development initiatives) can shed light on this aspect. Additionally, if the company has mentorship programs, the participation rate in these could be another useful indicator of the company’s commitment to career growth.
Not every company will track these metrics, let alone have easy access to them. And not every company will share their numbers. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t request them. First, requesting these numbers shows you’re serious about growing your career. Most people outside of HR aren’t aware of these numbers, so simply requesting them sets you apart. Second, if your request is rebuffed or the data is unavailable, don’t give up. Ask the hiring manager for specific examples of how their team members have grown or advanced their careers in the past year. A hiring manager may not have easy access to HR metrics, but they better be able to discuss the specific people on their team.
There isn’t a single perfect metric that will give you all the information you need. What’s critical is that you ask for and consider these metrics as a way to gauge the company’s commitment to career growth. Given the importance of career progression for job satisfaction and long-term success, these should play a central role in your decision to join a company.
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