re: 5 Years Outlook For A Given Career

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I am a software developer (technical consultant) at a consulting firm that specializes in logistics.

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Does this consulting firm not run a pyramid model with high turnover and new college grads entering at the bottom of the pyramid each year? Consulting firms are known, especially early on, for promoting after the first few years to create room for the new college grads. If folks aren't promoted, they typically cycle out. The fact that you work in technical consulting could slightly change that dynamic but I would be surprised so.

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I still lack direction on what I want personally for my career

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Regardless of what path you want long-term, you should be looking for a promotion or two early on to set yourself up for the future fork in the road. It is easy to stop promotions later on in your career and decide to stay in middle management. If you do not get to middle management, then the opportunity for leadership positions will not be open to you even if you decide in 5 years that is what you "personally want for your career".

Also, promotions are a big help for getting into top graduate schools. Top MBAs, for example, are all about protecting their brand. Someone that is young and showing progressions early on and responsibility growth is the perfect candidate. It represents a lower risk to the school than the person who has been at the same level for awhile and only speaks of wanting greater responsibility in the future.

Titles are not necessarily about warm and fuzzies, rather the opportunities that come from having the title (whether internally or externally). The reality is that with each promotion, it opens up a new rung on possible career opportunities. You can always make a lateral move but you can typically only jump up 1 level per change of company (ceteris paribus, comparable job titles at both companies). Jumping down a level is never an issue unless you expect your compensation to stay the same.

There is plenty of knowledge on this board that you just have to ask the right questions to get the feedback you need. We come from a lot of different backgrounds so you should get a pretty diverse / triangulated perspective on career opportunities / advancement / watch outs.