How to get career advancement. Career prospects and risks: advice from modern youth. Career Reflections

22.04.2019

the result of a conscious position and behavior of a person in, associated with an official or professional growth.

Positional growth- change in the official status of a person, his social role, degree and space of official authority.
Professional growth- growth of professional knowledge, abilities and skills, recognition by the professional community of its results, authority in a specific form professional activity.

Business career- the progressive advancement of the personality associated with the growth of professional skills, status, social role and the amount of remuneration.

Career vertical- the type of career with which the very concept of a business career is most often associated. A vertical career is understood as an ascent to a higher level of the structural hierarchy (promotion, which is accompanied by a higher level).
Career horizontal- a type of career that involves either moving to another functional area of activity, or performing a certain service role at a stage that does not have a rigid formal fixation in the organizational structure; a horizontal career can also include the expansion or complication of tasks at the previous level (as a rule, with an adequate change in remuneration).

Business career management and career development

A person builds a career - the trajectory of his movement - himself, in accordance with the peculiarities inside and outside the organization of reality and, most importantly, with his own goals, desires and attitudes.

A business career begins with the formation of the employee's subjectively conscious own judgments about his labor future, the expected path of self-expression and satisfaction with work.

In the process of realizing a career, it is important to ensure the interaction of all types of careers.

Types of business careers

Career types and types

involves passing all the steps career growth(training, employment, professional growth, support and development of individual professional abilities, retirement) within one. This career can be specialized or non-specialized.

Interorganizational career assumes that the employee goes through all stages of career growth in different organizations... It can be specialized or non-specialized.

Specialized career differs in that the employee passes various stages of his professional activity within the framework of one profession. At the same time, the organization can remain the same or change.
Non-specialized career suggests that different stages the employee goes through his professional path as a specialist who owns different professions, specialties. At the same time, the organization can both change and remain the same.

The non-specialized career is widespread in Japan. The Japanese firmly adhere to the opinion that a leader should be a specialist capable of working in any part of the company, and not for any particular function. Climbing the corporate ladder, a person should be able to look at the company with different sides without staying in one position for more than three years. So, it is considered quite normal if the head of the sales department changes places with the head of the purchasing department. Many Japanese executives at early stages of their careers have worked in trade unions. As a result of this policy, the Japanese leader possesses significantly less specialized knowledge (which in any case will lose its value in five years) and at the same time has a holistic view of the organization, supported by the same personal experience... An employee can go through the stages of this career both in one and in different organizations.

Vertical career involves an ascent from one level of the structural hierarchy to another. There is a promotion, which is accompanied by an increase in wages.

Horizontal career- type of career. Which involves moving to another functional area, expanding and complicating tasks or changing a service role within one level of the structural hierarchy, accompanied by an increase.

Stepped career- type of career - combining elements of a vertical and horizontal career. A stepped career is quite common and can take both intra-organizational and inter-organizational forms.

Hidden (centripetal) career- the type of career that is least obvious to others, involving movement to the core, to leading an organization. A hidden career is available to a limited number of employees, as a rule, with extensive business connections outside the organization. For example, inviting an employee to meetings inaccessible to other employees, meetings of both formal and informal nature, an employee gaining access to informal sources of information, confidential appeals, individual, important instructions from the management. Such an employee can occupy an ordinary position in one of the divisions of the organization. However, the level of remuneration for his labor significantly exceeds the remuneration for work in the position held.

Business career models

In practice, there is a wide variety of career options, which are based on four main models:

"Springboard". Climbing up the corporate ladder occurs when they occupy higher and better paid positions. On a certain stage employee occupies the highest position for him and tries to stay in it for a long time... And then the jump from the "springboard" - retirement. This career is most typical for leaders in a period of stagnation, when many positions were held by the same people for 20-25 years. On the other hand, this model is typical for professionals and employees who do not set themselves goals for career advancement for a number of reasons - personal interests, low load, good team- the employee is satisfied with the position held and he is ready to remain in it until retirement.

"Ladder". Each rung of the career ladder represents a specific position that the employee occupies. certain time(no more than 5 years). This period is enough to enter new position and work with full dedication. With the growth of qualifications, creativity and production experience, the manager or specialist climbs the career ladder. The employee takes each new position after professional development. He reaches the top step during the period of maximum potential, and after that he begins a systematic descent up the career ladder with the performance of less intensive work. Psychologically, this model is very inconvenient for managers because of their unwillingness to leave the "first roles". Here you can recommend that you pay close attention to such employees - include them on the board of directors, use them as a consultant.

"Snake". It provides for the horizontal transfer of an employee from one position to another by appointment with each occupation for a short time, and then occupy a higher position at a higher level. The main advantage of this model is the ability to study all the functions of activity and management, which is useful for superior position... This model is typical for, since they associate themselves not only with a particular profession, but also with the future of the entire company. If the rotation of personnel is not observed, this model loses its significance and may have Negative consequences since some employees with a predominantly melancholic and phlegmatic temperament are not disposed to change the team or position and will perceive it very painfully.

"Crossroads". When, after a certain period of work, certification is carried out ( comprehensive assessment personnel) and based on the results, a decision is made on the promotion, relocation or promotion of the employee. It looks like it is typical for joint ventures.

Career and features of its formation

Career configuration by Driver

As seen from previous section in the process of work, the level of professionalism and status changes, but the combination of these changes in careers different people different things that give rise to the drawing of the individual career of a specialist. There are several typical career configurations.

Target career

Target career - an employee chooses a professional space once and for all, plans the appropriate stages of his advancement to a professional ideal and strives to achieve it.

Monotonous career

Monotonous career - the employee plans once and for all the desired professional status and, having achieved it, does not strive for career advancement in the organizational hierarchy, even if there are opportunities to improve his social, professional and financial situation.

Spiral career

Spiral career - an employee is motivated to change types of activities and, as they master them, moves up the steps of the organizational hierarchy.

Fleeting career

A fleeting career - moving from one type of activity to another occurs spontaneously, without visible logic.

Stabilizing career

Stabilizing career - a specialist grows to a certain level and stays on it for a long time, more than seven years.

A fading career

Fading career - an employee grows to a certain status, stops at it, then a downward movement begins.

Career types and stages

There are several fundamental trajectories of human movement within or, which will lead to different types career.

Professional career- the growth of knowledge, abilities, skills. A professional career can go along the line of specialization (deepening in one chosen at the beginning of the professional path, the line of movement) or transprofessionalization (mastering other areas of human experience, associated, rather, with the expansion of tools and areas of activity).

Intra-organizational career- is related to the trajectory of a person's movement in the organization. She can walk along the line:

vertical career - job growth;
horizontal career - advancement within the organization, for example, work in different departments of the same hierarchy level;
centripetal career - advancement to the core of the organization, the center of control, ever deeper involvement in decision-making processes.

Career stages

When meeting a new employee, the HR manager should consider the stage of the career that he goes through in this moment... This can help clarify the goals of professional activity, the degree of dynamism and, most importantly, the specifics of individual motivation. Imagine short description career stages by the following table:

Human needs at the career stage

Career stage	Age period	a brief description of	Features of motivation (according to Maslow)
Preliminary		Preparing for labor activity, the choice of the field of activity	Safety, social recognition
Becoming		Mastering work, developing professional skills	Social recognition, independence
Promotion		Professional Development	Social recognition, self-realization
Completion	After 60 years	Preparing for retirement, finding and training your own shift	Retention social recognition
Pension	After 65 years	Engaging in other activities	Search for self-expression in new sphere activities

Preliminary stage

The preliminary stage includes school, secondary and higher education and lasts up to 25 years... During this period, a person can change several various works in search of a type of activity that satisfies him and meets his capabilities. If he immediately finds such a type of activity, the process of self-assertion of him as a person begins, he cares about the safety of existence.

This is the period when the basis for both general theoretical and practical knowledge, a person manages to get a secondary or higher professional education.

Formation stage

Then comes the stage of becoming , which lasts about five years from 25 to 30... During this period, the employee masters the profession, acquires necessary skills, his qualifications are formed, self-affirmation occurs and there is a need to establish independence. The employee is concerned about safety and health issues. The appearance of a family for most workers, the birth of children, leads to an increase in the need for a higher one.

Promotion stage

The promotion stage lasts from 30 to 45 years old... During this period there is process of qualification growth, promotion... Accumulation occurs practical experience, skills, there is a growing need for self-affirmation, achieving more high status and even greater independence, self-expression as a person begins. During this period, much less attention focused on satisfying the need for safety, the employee's efforts are focused on increasing wages and caring for health.

Conservation phase characterized by actions to consolidate achieved results and lasts from 45 to 60 years old... Coming the peak of qualification improvement. There is a need to transfer knowledge to others. This stage is characterized by creativity in work, the peak of self-expression and independence, the need for respect increases. There is a growing need for higher wages and interest in additional sources income.

Completion stage

The completion phase lasts from 60 to 65 years old... The employee prepares for retirement, is looking for a replacement and training applicants. This is a period of crisis, physiological and psychological discomfort. The need for respect and self-affirmation increases. The employee is interested in maintaining the level of wages, but is seeking to increase other sources of income that would replace the salary of the given organization upon retirement and would be a good addition to the retirement benefit.

Pension stage

At the last one - retirement stage the career in this organization (type of activity) is completed. There is an opportunity for self-expression in other activities that were not possible during the period of work in the organization or acted as a hobby. financial situation... Such professionals are often happy to accept temporary and seasonal jobs in their organization.

Practice has shown that employees often do not know their prospects in a given team. This indicates a poor organization of work with personnel, a lack of planning and control of a career in the organization.

We talked about how to climb the career ladder, that is, about vertical career growth. This path usually means getting more high office than it was before. But does everyone need it? Many people like what they are doing in their position at the moment, and they want to develop in this area without additional managerial burden.

This career path is horizontal, that is, growth is not upward, but deep into the professional sphere, the acquisition and accumulation of such knowledge and skills, thanks to which the employee becomes an expert in his field. And often the path of an expert turns out to be better than vertical growth, since there is acute shortage specialists high level in the labor market, they are worth their weight in gold.

Horizontal growth in the professional field is considered much more difficult than vertical growth, since many things have to be abandoned: leadership ambitions, a certain social component, a quiet home pastime, large monetary rewards in the form of bonuses and bonuses in favor of professional growth. Rather, it is the path of a loner.

What do you need to do to become an expert in your field? Here are some simple tips.

1. Study the specialty in depth

It is necessary to accumulate knowledge in one field of activity for a long time. At the same time, they should not be superficial, but deep, expert, going beyond the usual knowledge of the topic under study. You will have to read a lot of professional literature and find information that is hidden from prying eyes.

2. Take work home

At the initial stages, it is better to take work home and on vacation: drawings, projects, technical part (tools, equipment, models). You must immerse yourself in your work with your head. Often you have to donate personal life and . Everyone knows that it is difficult to simultaneously develop all aspects of your life, and if you also want to become an expert in some area, you will have to deny yourself a lot, since you will have to devote the lion's share of your time to your work.

3. Attend seminars on technical issues in your specialty

For you, self-development trainings are not the main thing, and a meeting of experts on your topic and discussion of pressing issues is what you need. It is necessary to look for specialized trainings, communicate with professionals, enter into discussions with them, develop new theories and find joint answers to questions. If a recognized unique specialist announces a recruitment for his course or organizes a seminar, then you need to get to it. You must learn everything new in your specialty, communicate with like-minded people, understand the subtleties and specifics of your business.

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4. Live work for a certain period of your life

Sounds dangerous, but it is. For a certain period of your life, you must fully devote to your work: weekdays, often weekends, business trips, overtime, rush jobs. All for the sake of one thing - to become an expert in this field. You should be at work in the evenings thinking about the questions and problems that have arisen, trying new techniques. Specialist forums will replace your entertainment portals.

Remember the rule: to become an expert in any field, you need to devote 10,000 hours of pure time to this topic. And that's about three hours a day for 10 years, six hours a day for five years, or nine hours a day for three years.

5. Focus on the essentials

We decided to become the best in some area - go for it no matter what. If you are offered a big cash bonus at another job for completing the same tasks, or if you are entrusted with a new megaproject in your old place, the likes of which you have never implemented before, then feel free to choose the second one. The experience gained will give you much more in the future than a one-time pursuit of money.

You need to understand: in order to become, you need to focus not on money, but on your business.

An expert goes beyond the usual knowledge of the topic, he knows the answer to almost any question in his specialty. And if he doesn’t know, then he will spend all his free time to find him, and also take full responsibility for himself, since his reputation is at stake.

An expert never needs to be told how and what to do, he does not need to be controlled, he himself allocates his time and energy. Better toss him challenging tasks, especially something unique that excites his mind. He may not pay much attention on your character, your shortcomings or your social component. He lives in another world - a world interesting facts and subtleties, specific knowledge, unique professional skills that many cannot understand.

What did you choose: the path of an expert or a leader?

Career- this is the movement up the career ladder in the hierarchical systems of organizations. Promotion of position and level of responsibility. There are vertical, horizontal and diagonal career growth. Career growth "vertically" occurs in one company by moving to higher positions. Its advantages: work experience in one place; authority in the work collective, backed up by years of teamwork; higher loyalty and efficiency of an employee who has the opportunity to grow and satisfy his ambitions within the same organization. Disadvantages of vertical growth: as a rule, slow progress in the career ladder; managers are well aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of such an employee and are often not interested in his career; glass ceiling, which does not give the opportunity to reach the level of top management. Also, vertical career growth does not work in companies with a “flat” management structure. Diagonal career growth- a specialist constantly rises to the top, moving from one company to another, with each transition finding himself on a higher position. This growth is more dynamic, but it also has its drawbacks. Changing jobs too often, an employee runs the risk of gaining a bad reputation as a "flyer." Or he quickly runs into the limit of competence if his career growth is ahead of his professional one. Horizontal career growth usually expressed in a salary increase without a promotion when moving to another organization. It is believed that, together with professionalism and knowledge of the matter for successful career growth, the candidate must comply with the following the rules of careerism:

Be able to admit your own mistakes and not dwell on failures.
Set yourself short tasks that can be completed quickly, have a clear plan for the nearest achievements for the week, month, year.
Create your own team around you, a group of like-minded people, but be careful and not too trusting.
Create for yourself the image of a patriot of the company; work not as an employee, but as if it were your own business.
Do not be afraid to take on difficult cases and bring them to the end; work on yourself so that the difficult assignments of the management do not seem impossible.
Do not argue with the manager (not to be confused with rational suggestions), in particular, do not prove that flaws in the work arise due to his unprofessional orders.
Take care of yourself so that the facial expression matches the mood of the leadership (others), so as not to spoil the relationship.
Accept the ideas and opinions of the management as their own, support the initiative from above.
To be able to accept criticism of the management, to assure that the mistakes or mistakes made will not be repeated.
Be attentive to the personal affairs of the leader (others), do things pleasant for them, make sure not to cross the line between ordinary human attention and familiarity.
Be easy to communicate, be able to be ironic about your own flaws, but not really joke about those who don't particularly like it.
Do not forget that career advancement depends on what managers consider useful (appropriate, acceptable) (from direct to higher and higher), as well as colleagues and subordinates.

It is believed that career heights are best achieved in large company, since the person opens whole line steps waiting to be conquered. Usually in corporations, the hierarchy of positions is built quite clearly and there is a certain set of tools that contribute to professional advancement, for example, special development programs or a personnel reserve. With their help, the employee understands what actions he needs to take in order to get the desired promotion.

Unfortunately, not all companies can boast of such opportunities, since the needs of modern business often dictate the need for flat organizational structures. With such a control model in small companies there are three main levels of the hierarchy: top managers, middle managers and specialists, where the latter serve only as performers. This is done to speed up the exchange of information and maximize fast execution tasks, since the more complex the organizational structure is, the slower all business processes go. It turns out that in small teams, the prospects for promotion are significantly limited: if an ordinary employee has become a middle manager, then his next step is a director, and in order to take it, you need to first free up a place.

Of course, this does not mean that in such cases, the likelihood of improvement is completely absent. With a competent approach, it is possible to organize an effective growth system aimed at improving both professional and managerial skills.

For example, you can divide employee development into two types - career and professional. If we visualize this system on the coordinate axis, then on the horizontal there will be development in the role of a leader, vertically - as a specialist, and the graph will express the dynamics of growth in both parameters. Any career has a dual character - professional development and career growth, this is practiced all over the world. Those with ambition and managerial ability tend to position themselves accordingly. Of course, not everyone is so ambitious, there are people who are indifferent to the role of a leader, they are more interested in their professional projects, and they grow up as an expert.

V different companies in different ways, but the most a good model employee development is one that places emphasis on improving a person as a professional. It is possible to develop a system of grades, each of which will imply its own set of competencies, from a specialist to a manager.

Mastering new skills is a key condition for moving to the next level, as promotion always involves additional work tasks.

In parallel with this, the company needs to raise its own personnel, try to provide opportunities for internal promotion for each employee, so that in the future, next year or one and a half to offer him a raise. This applies to both specific positions and expanding the range of responsibilities, for example, work in internal projects of the company, in which colleagues of various specializations are involved. You can also involve employees in an initiative related to activities outside of work: participation in sporting events, team competitions, quests.

A big mistake is made by those organizations that do not pay attention to internal learning. It would be best to develop your own program, customized to the needs of the company and employees. It may include the basics of management, effective communication, as well as various industry courses - depending on the focus of the company and the current situation within the team. Such classes can be conducted both by the leaders themselves and by invited speakers. Such activities are very often very popular within the team.

1. Feel free to declare yourself

Often, employees do not express their desire to develop and expect that the management will sooner or later notice how talented and promising they are. If you want to advance in your career, then you need to put aside false modesty and speak directly to your supervisor or HR manager. Practice shows that usually the management thinks differently from the subordinates, and believes that if a person has any needs, then he himself will come to tell about them.

Modern business is very dynamic, and new directions often appear in companies. So do not be afraid to offer some ideas for development, from them an internal project may well be born, which will be entrusted to you. This applies to both employees already holding serious positions and novice specialists. There are frequent examples when employees who started their journey from starting positions achieved incredible heights.

2. Your development takes place here and now

Often top managers think that they have stopped in their development and that further growth is no longer possible. This is not true. As a rule, an employee is not a career management specialist and therefore cannot always objectively assess his prospects in the company. In the meantime, periods of "stagnation" usually only seem so. During the period of work in a specific position, a person is faced with similar tasks that, in ever-changing circumstances, require absolutely different approach, often even the opposite.

Therefore, I am sure that talking about a "career ceiling" for a top manager is irrelevant, in this role there is no limit to perfection. I repeat, today business is developing very quickly, often directors of some functions, long time being very successful and effective, as the scale of the business grows, they simply cease to cope, and the company is forced to transfer them to the positions of deputies, and to attract a candidate from outside for the role of top manager. It happens the other way around, active development companies and the expansion of the strategic horizon spurs the professional growth of managers, and they willingly take on fresh tasks and conquest of new heights.

3. Learning and growth

It is great if employers provide training opportunities at the expense of the company. Nevertheless, not all organizations are ready to invest in the professional development of their employees, so most of them are engaged in advanced training for their own money.

Since career development involves the constant development of new competencies, it is necessary to pay due attention to self-education. This advice may seem rather trivial, but practice shows that the most successful career stories occur with those who are "in trend" and manage to navigate the ever-changing world of business.

Today, people often change their field of activity, and the key condition is professional success is the ability to learn and quickly adapt to new realities. Therefore, you need to constantly expand your professional horizons: read business literature, specialized Internet portals, attend conferences, and also be interested in related fields. In addition, in the vast majority of areas there are autonomous areas that it is quite possible to master on your own, for example, with the help of master classes or online courses. Subsequently, the acquired skills can be implemented in the workplace, expanding the area of their responsibility. In many companies, by the way, additional bonuses are paid for this.

The absence of any movements within the profession, on the contrary, is an alarming sign that employers must pay attention to when hiring.

What is a career, and what is it like? Career- this is the result of a purposeful movement in their profession. Career determines the position of the individual in the organizational structure of the company. In our time, career achievements are a sign of a person's success. Very often, unfortunately, "achievements" are usually measured in terms of money and the amount of time spent. Therefore, the opportunity for rapid and productive growth is appreciated. And few people know that there are different types professional development is also considered a career.

There are two main types of career development - vertical and horizontal... It will be easier to understand this if you remember that any organizational structure of a company contains vertical and horizontal lines, according to which the main interactions are carried out: the movement of orders, the distribution of responsibility, the scheme of subordination. Career growth takes place along these lines. Let's take a closer look at each type.

Career vertical view

Vertical career- this is a movement up the structural levels of the hierarchy. Vertical movement comes from lower positions to leadership positions with a corresponding increase in salary and level of responsibility. This is a classic development case - from to.

A career rise is most noticeable in the case of vertical growth, so the concept of a career is most often associated with it. Building such a career does not have to be in one company, but always in one area. Sometimes raising positions requires mastering new skills and areas, while maintaining the mainstream.

An example of a classic vertical career in, say, the travel business: office courier, assistant account manager, senior manager, office director, etc.

Career growth horizontal view

Horizontal career assumes the professional growth of the employee as a specialist. This is an increase in the level of skill, an increase in knowledge and skills. And also the acquisition of specialized and unique skills that a small number of people (or no one) possess, which makes the employee very valuable and sometimes irreplaceable in his company.

As you move horizontally, the employee's responsibilities change, wage, the functionality expands, but the position in the structure, most often, remains the same. V this case the concept of a career ladder itself is not entirely applicable. An example of horizontal movement is a rise in the digits, scientific degrees etc.

Vertical growth is possible in any area. A horizontal career is most often the prerogative of creative professions (artists, programmers, journalists, designers). Not everyone is interested in administrative and managerial activities; many people want to improve in their chosen specialty without claiming to be a boss.

I came to the company to work as a content manager. After some time, the project manager quit, and I was temporarily appointed as his acting manager. Having successfully coped with the responsibilities assigned to me, the management decided to raise me to general director... I refused, because by this time I realized that financial and administrative matters were not interesting to me, and in the position of general director I would have to say goodbye to my specialty. I am a creative person, and making endless financial reports is a challenge for me. During the acting of the project, I was in a state of stagnation as a specialist in my field. At the moment, I have reached the highest result on the horizontal ladder and now I have stopped at the vertical development of my career. Personally, this is more interesting to me, although the management did not understand my decision. Elena, head of department

The second criterion by which career growth can be classified is where the career is made. There are inter-organizational and intra-organizational careers.

Development in one company

Intra-organizational career assumes that a person works and improves in one company for almost his entire life: from graduation educational institution before retirement. In this company, he studies, expands his skills, deepens his specialization, and grows professionally. This option was popular in our country in Soviet time however, such cases are now very rare. V modern world this practice can be found in Japanese and American companies.

Development in one area

Interorganizational career Is a career within the same field, but in different companies. Such a career is also called diagonal... With a change in position, an employee also changes the company. This form of career growth is very popular and loved, first of all, for its speed and efficiency. Indeed, within the framework of one organization, it is possible to wait for the release of the desired position for a very long time, while the transfer to another company, even with a slight decrease, gives a more tangible result. In many European countries it is believed that the place of work must be changed on average once every three years, without staying in one company.

The obvious disadvantage of diagonal growth is the need to adapt each time to a new team, the company's corporate policy, and other values. As soon as an employee finally joins the team, gets used to colleagues, already knows all the pitfalls and intricacies of relationships, how he has to leave again.

A diagonal career is most applicable in the case of vertical growth, that is, an official promotion. In the case of professional growth, its effectiveness is much lower and can only help to enrich experience, expand functionality. Yes, and there is no need to talk about speed here in principle - a horizontal career does not imply rapid growth, often this can even be a negative indicator (if speed is at the expense of quality).

Regardless of what career path an employee is following, management needs to provide him with prospects for growth, so as not to lose valuable personnel. In the case of a horizontal career, it is important that the efficiency and quality of work are somehow assessed, it is good if the development is spelled out in stages. This is quite difficult in creative professions, and the steps are very conditional, however, this allows a person, relying on them, to feel that he is moving and not standing still. In the case of a vertical career, it is necessary to provide prospects for promotion, especially the lowest in the hierarchy of employees, because they are unlikely to plan to remain as janitors or couriers for a long time. If there is no way to move an employee forward, then it is necessary to stimulate his activity, making it clear how important and valuable he is to the company.

So, summing up, you can see that there are several types of careers and you can grow in any areas of interest. In our time, the value of achievement and success has become widespread. Almost any psychological educational training contains a training block leadership qualities, developing a sense of purpose and ways to achieve success. A person of a different kind in such conditions feels his inferiority. And not because he is unable to be a leader, but because he is simply not interested in it. Not everyone likes to manage people, someone just loves to do what they do. And you need to understand that in this case, the term career is applicable and works.

I work as a tea master - I am leading a Chinese tea ceremony. Creative work. I've been doing this for 5 years and recently I thought about the fact that a lot of time has passed, and I don't seem to be moving anywhere. Realizing this is sad, especially if you enjoy the job. Imagine my joy when I read that there is not only a classic vertical way of career growth, but also a horizontal one - deep into the profession. After all, this is exactly what is happening with me! I think our profession does not have any special vertical perspectives. Where to go? Become a manager? But why, if it's not interesting! It is interesting to make tea, to have conversations with guests, and not to do administrative work. And all these five years I, naturally, improved in the profession, gained experience, expanded the boundaries. Now I am sure that the time is not wasted, and I move, but not upward, but inward. Elizabeth,