What exactly is career development? It is the support an organization provides to an employee’s professional growth and especially to employees' movement to a new position or project within the organization. This support often includes coaching, mentoring, skills development, networking, and career pathing.

The resulting processes lead to finding your footing in your professional life. Sometimes for the employee, the steps taken in career development are a means to an end: a better title, status, more money, and a sense of accomplishment.

The employer wants to see a career development path in their employees because it maximizes their investment, improves productivity, and ensures the best match between people and jobs”.

The key for the employer and the employee is to take proactive action. Progress doesn’t happen until someone does something.