Should I discuss my developer career with my boss?
The biggest source of frustration at work for developers and IT professionals is the feeling of career stagnation. Also, many developers complain about a lack of opportunities in the workplace to keep their skills up to date.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, you can't wait for your manager to start talking about opportunities for advancement. In order to advance professionally, you need to initiate a series of conversations about your professional development.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for those critical conversations so that the outcome is a roadmap for the ascension you desire:
What IT career do you want to do?
As you outline your conversation, consider interests and passions, projects, and responsibilities that you think would benefit you the most.
Don't limit yourself to aspiring to a specific role or position, at least not initially. Limiting the conversation to a specific position may prevent you from discovering untapped opportunities for advancement.
Paint a picture of what you want by talking in broad terms about your passions and goals. Because your managers have a better view of the business - including future IT projects, technology upgrades and staff rotations - the CTO or Head of Development may propose a temporary transfer or create a new opportunity just for you if you are flexible and your vision is successful can sell.
Enter the conversation with openness and curiosity, and be ready to ask questions. Think of career development as a process that works best when you engage in regular conversations.
Interview guidelines for your orientation interview
Start your meeting by letting your manager know that you don't want to leave the company. Make it clear that you'd like to create an action plan to help you take the next step up your career ladder—whatever that might be.
After sharing your goals, ask him about your current performance and what you need to be ready for the next level. It's about uncovering any gaps in your skills or experience that might be holding you back.
Unless your manager is a master of constructive feedback, we suggest you ask them what success at the next level looks like, or describe the characteristics and behavior of someone who might be a great senior developer or tech professional. It can be easier to get the ball rolling if you ask for an objective view.
Use this as a framework and turn the conversation around by asking what you still need to work on. Discuss ways to improve your skills.
“If you only get vague answers or your manager has a poor image of you, ask for specific examples of behavior and emphasize your desire to improve,” we suggest. "If you show yourself to be vulnerable and want to change, it may help change your manager's opinion of you."
When you've listened and discussed a few ideas, make a commitment. If it is appropriate to ask for a promotion, do so; but more likely, your action plan will include specific steps you and your manager take to advance your career, such as having you work on system designs, attend a boot camp, or mentor younger developers.
It is essential that you come back to the plan in a month or two and ask for feedback. Ultimately, your manager's reactions and consequences will help you determine if you will be able to achieve your career goals at your current company or if you need to look for opportunities for advancement at other organizations.
