career-strategy

# Career Strategy

Strategic career planning for software engineers, including internal vs external growth paths, goal setting, career maintenance practices, and long-term career trajectory planning.

## When to Use This Skill

- Deciding between pursuing internal promotion vs external opportunities
- Setting career goals and creating development plans
- Planning long-term career trajectory
- Assessing readiness for external job market
- Building and maintaining professional network
- Creating career maintenance habits

## The Strategic Career Framework

### Career Growth Paths

Software engineers have two primary growth paths:

1. **Internal Growth**: Advancement within your current organization
2. **External Growth**: Advancement by changing companies

Both paths have trade-offs, and the best choice depends on your circumstances, goals, and current position.

### The Career Maintenance Mindset

Career management isn't just for job searches. Consistent maintenance habits create:

- Ready-to-use resume at any time
- Strong professional network before you need it
- Clear understanding of your market value
- Options when opportunities arise
- Resilience against unexpected changes

## Internal vs External Decision Framework

### When Internal Growth Typically Works Better

**Organizational factors:**

- Clear promotion path exists
- Company is growing (creates opportunities)
- Your work is visible to decision-makers
- Manager actively supports your growth
- Compensation is competitive

**Personal factors:**

- You enjoy the team and culture
- You're learning and growing
- You have strong internal reputation
- You value stability and known environment
- You're building toward a specific internal opportunity

### When External Growth Typically Works Better

**Organizational factors:**

- Promotion path blocked or unclear
- Company is stagnant or declining
- Your contributions aren't recognized
- Compensation significantly below market
- Limited learning opportunities

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