12.6.21
Why You Should Ditch the Idea of a ‘Career Ladder’ in Favor of a ‘Career River’
You’ve probably heard of the concept of a career ladder, and that climbing up its rungs is the direct path to success. But, what if that simply doesn’t compute for you? Does not aspiring to be a a C-suite employee, or even desiring to someday want your own manager’s job mean you’re not destined for success? The notion of professional success only being possible via a singular linear path is one that journalist and consultant Bridget Thoreson challenged in an August Twitter thread. In place of the career ladder, she offered a more flexible metaphor for advancement: the career river.