What Early Talents Want (And What We Owe Them)
If there’s one great thing about working with early-in-career talent, it’s how much you learn just by talking to them.
Over the past month, I’ve sat down with more than sixty emerging professionals in sales development, sales, solution consulting, and operations. Their backgrounds are different, and their aspirations are wildly diverse, but one question came up in nearly every conversation: “How do I progress in my career?”
It’s a fair question. For many, it’s not just about promotions or pay grades; it’s about clarity. They want to know what’s possible, what’s expected, and what’s next.
As leaders, we are used to building elaborate strategies for markets and products. However, when mapping out careers for our teams, particularly early talent, we rely too often on improvisation, intuition, or vague encouragement. That’s simply not enough.
The Clarity Deficit
The world our early talents have grown up in is defined by transparency and gamification. Progress is always visible, whether it’s in a video game or a fitness tracker. Every level has a goal, a badge, and a pathway forward.
Then they enter the workforce…
Suddenly, progression becomes murky, titles vary wildly, timelines are inconsistent, and feedback comes sporadically, if at all. Career success? It feels like something others define in whispers, not something they can actively pursue.
The cost of this ambiguity is high: Frustration builds, motivation fades, and attrition rises. The very people we hired for their potential begin looking elsewhere for someone who will take it seriously. We can and must do better.
Four Ways to Create Career Clarity
Map the Landscape
Most early talents don’t expect a guarantee; they want a compass. Without clear visibility of where they could go, they’re left making assumptions or losing interest. A well-designed career path doesn’t promise every step in advance, but it shows the terrain: Potential next roles, lateral pivots, and development milestones to reach them.
It is not about locking people into rigid ladders; it’s about offering perspective. When team members understand the landscape, they start to see their role not just as a job, but as a platform for growth. Even if they choose their own route, they’ll walk it more confidently if they know the options ahead.
Ask yourself: Do my team members know the options available to them? When was the last time I reviewed those options with them? How often do I update our frameworks to reflect today’s realities, not last year’s org chart?
Make Growth Measurable
Progress without metrics feels like wandering. Most of us wouldn’t train for a marathon without tracking our distance or time; the same logic applies to careers. Defining what it means to be “ready” for the next role (skills, behaviors, impact) brings clarity and gives people control over their development.
Too often, advancement feels arbitrary. By making growth visible and measurable, we reduce anxiety and increase motivation. Think of it less as performance management and more as momentum design: Helping people see how each week, each project, and each new skill gets them closer to their goal.
Ask yourself: What are the tangible milestones for someone moving forward on my team? Am I giving people the tools to assess themselves or just hoping they’ll figure it out? Have I provided a list of the expected skills for their desired role?
Build Feedback Into the Rhythm
Annual reviews are too little, too late. Development conversations should be part of the ongoing rhythm between a leader and their team, not something reserved for performance check-ins. Small signals matter, especially for early-in-career employees. They’re still calibrating what good looks like.
Frequent feedback doesn’t mean more formality; it means more presence. Ask questions about aspirations, offer observations about strengths, and give micro-adjustments before misalignment becomes frustration. Career development is easier to steer when you’re already in motion, so don’t wait until someone asks.
Ask yourself: Am I treating development as a once-a-year event or an ongoing dialogue? Do I know what my team members want from their careers or what I assume they want? How could I align my feedback to the expected skills in their next role?
Connect Today’s Work to Tomorrow’s Possibility
Many early-career professionals want to know: “Why am I doing this?” That’s not entitlement, it’s orientation. Helping people see how today’s responsibilities contribute to long-term growth increases engagement, resilience, and ambition. It also reinforces the value of roles that might otherwise feel repetitive or tactical.
We need to be the translators of meaning. Explain how customer research builds storytelling ability, show how CRM hygiene reflects discipline, and link internal enablement work to influence and visibility. When people see their work as a step toward something greater, they show up with more intention, and they stay longer.
Ask yourself: When was the last time I explained how today’s work prepares someone for tomorrow’s role? Do my early-in-career team members feel their time is building toward something meaningful? What should I be doing differently?
We Are the System
Progress shouldn’t be a puzzle. As leaders, we don’t just guide people through the system; we often are the system.
When we fail to provide clarity, we leave people in the dark. When we make growth visible, measurable, and connected to purpose, we unlock not only potential but loyalty, trust, and performance.
That’s not just good for early talent. It’s good for all of us.
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