Why You Shouldn’t Pay Attention To Career Milestones

We all have a different dream career. We all have a different idea of how we’re going to get there. We all start at different positions. And above all, we all have a different idea of success.

So why, when it comes to career advancement and working your way toward the top, are the expectations always the same? Career milestones are handed down like a motivating factor, or a way to track your progress through time. 

But what about those who don’t fit into the brackets? Are they falling behind and failing? Absolutely not. In fact, we don’t think you should pay much mind to ‘career milestones’ at all. 

We Have Different Responsibilities

Sometimes you can only work part time because you’re a carer, or you’ve got kids at home. Some people are working and studying at the same time and just trying to make ends meet. We’ve all got different responsibilities and priorities, and defining someone’s career by milestones they’ve met simply isn’t fair. 

Having a Different Skill Set is Good

If we all had the same skills nothing would get done! That’s why it’s so crucial that an employer hires various people from different backgrounds with different experience on their resume. 

When we’re different, we can bring many more ideas to the table and have much bigger discussions. If everyone thought the same way and had the same skills to apply, life would get very boring. So, if someone appears to have a more ‘professional’ resume than you do, don’t compare yourself for too long. 

We’re All Ambitious in Our Own Ways

We don’t have exactly the same goals as other people because we all have our own set of ambitions. Life is what each of us make it, and sometimes that means staying in a junior role so we have more time for a fun and creative side hustle! If someone else doesn’t agree with this career goal, don’t pay it any mind; stay on your own side and retain that belief in what you’re doing. When you’re happy, no one should be able to stop you from raking in the feeling. 

You Can Change Your Mind at Any Time

If you feel you’ve been working away in the wrong job for a long time, you don’t have to stay in it. Framing this decision as ‘giving up’ is only going to be harmful to you. You’re allowed to change your mind and try something else, especially if you’re deeply unhappy! 

If you’re feeling like this right now, it might be of use to reach out to career coaching services and ask for some professional advice on where to go next. Having an action plan can prevent that lost feeling from becoming overwhelming! But as long as you’re happy with changing your career and ‘starting again’, don’t let a pre-arranged set of career milestones hold you back. 

Career milestones can be very fun to tick off, but don’t take them too seriously either.