Why companies only show jobs and not career paths on their websites? Any idea? | Hacker News Reader

Why companies only show jobs and not career paths on their websites? Any idea?

6 pointslempz9 comments

Can you find a company's website which clearly shows possible career paths for their employees. No? Why not? Basically if I'm applying for a Software Engineer position I would like to know where I might be in 3, 5 or 10 years time. I might be able to change to management, sales or stay in engineering but I want to see what they expect from me and, if possible, real examples. Why do you think companies don't show this?

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I think this is because in a large company, the career paths could be endless assuming you have the skills needed to move into the new position, and in a small company they're limited by the size of the company. It's something you can discuss with them in the interview. At my internship with a 200 person group, my career advancement would have been "wait until boss gets promoted. Get boss's job. Else, move laterally."

However, you can determine some paths by the postings themselves. If there's multiple levels (level 1, 2, ...), or multiple paygrades listed (e.g. one of several grades depending on experience), you can kind of see where you're going.

You're not going to work for Henry Ford. In the best scenario, you'll be working for a Zuckerberg, who doesn't even know what a "career" is; in the worst scenario, you'll be working for a bunch of well-connected MBAs who need monkeys to pass a bucket X many times per day, and why would a monkey ever stop passing the bucket he's paid for passing?

Think about where you want to be, skill up and try to get there on your own TODAY, not in 5 years. Wall Street only cares about the next quarter, so that's what modern companies optimize for, and why workers are treated like they are.

If you're already asking where you think your career will be in 3, 5, or 10 years in relationship to a single employer, you're probably asking the wrong question.

Employers no longer care about your career. Any career growth you experience at a single employer is a side effect of making that employer happy.

This is a GOOD thing, because it acknowledges the fact that only you are in charge of your own career. So think about what you want in the next 5 years, and for which ever job you join, work towards the goals you set for yourself.

The career path for engineer is engineer. The mindset of most people at your company is going to be criminal-like desire for money and power while minimizing effort. If you share that desire then maybe you would fit those other roles. Don't think for a second that anyone at your company cares at all about your "career path." If you mention those words in the workplace you'll be ridiculed behind closed doors. Why don't companies show this? Because they're run by the shitty people.

My thought. If somebody does not have a job, all they look for is a job. Most people in this economy do not have the luxury of choice.

If they do have choice (lucky them), the salary offered will most often decide which job they choose. Not the career path.

Plus... think about it, how many people these days stay in a job for 10 years. How many people actually want to knowing they can progress faster if they jump ship every few years?

Yeah you aren't gonna be there that long. They know it. And you know it. So why pretend like you'll move to management when they already have managers? From Engineer to Sales? Not unless you suck, then they may move you around - I've seen that happen to some people a few times

I think this is the path for most "software engineers". You move up the ranking to Sr. or Principle then you have a choice between; 1) Management 2) Architect 3) Entrepreneur 4) Product Manager

All of them have their own ups and down so it all depends on what you love doing.

The best career path is to start your own, successful company.

Your career path is a series of individual choices.

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