What Is a Career Path? How to Create Your Own

Key takeaways

A career path represents a series of jobs that lead you closer to your career goals and vision for your life.

• Your career can follow a linear path through one field, advancing into roles with more responsibilities and higher salaries, or you can shift companies, industries, or roles more frequently.

• To choose a career path, first define your vision for career growth, identify areas of your skill set you haven’t yet explored, and determine valuable parts of your prior experience.

• You can then use this knowledge to envision possible careers, explore the career tracks that interest you in depth, and then decide what steps you must take to get into that career path.

Learn more about what a career path is and how you can choose the right one for you. If you’re ready to start learning about how to choose a career path, enroll in the Career Discovery Specialization. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to analyze your strengths by creating a personal statement, identify a mentor to add value to your career, and evaluate career options by individual fit in as little as two months. Upon completion, you’ll have earned a career certificate for your resume.

What is a career path?

A career path can be defined as a series of jobs that lead you closer to your career goals and vision for life. Some people follow a linear path through one field, advancing into roles with more responsibilities and higher salaries. Others shift companies, industries, or roles more frequently and accumulate experience in a variety of roles.

You might be wondering what you can do to steer your career in the direction you desire. Should you stick to a linear path and seek advancement in a single field, or should you take on diverse roles and explore multiple paths? 

Both approaches can lead to fulfillment when you clarify your vision for the future. A linear career path could mean gaining a deeper understanding of a field and becoming a leader or specialist, while a multi-directional career path could mean accumulating diverse knowledge and being able to adapt quickly to an ever-changing professional landscape.

How to choose a career path that reflects who you are

Use a career path quiz like the prompts below to chart a path that aligns with your life vision and reflects your most authentic self. As new insights and ideas surface, write them down and keep them handy. Update this career pathfinder as needed over the course of your career.

1. Define your vision for career growth.

• What kind of impact do you want to make on the world?

• What legacy would you like to offer future generations?

• What projects do you want to complete, and what feats do you want to accomplish?

• What improvements would you like to see in your life?

2. Identify areas of untapped potential.

• What areas of your education or training have you not yet used in a professional role?

• What interests and passions have you not yet used in a professional role?

• What sectors or social issues interest you? These might include environmental sustainability, social justice, or arts and culture.

• What personal attributes or traits would you like to learn more about and enhance?

• Based on job searches, what kinds of careers would allow you to explore your potential?

3. Identify valuable aspects of your prior experience.

• Where would you place yourself along a career trajectory? For example, are you just starting out, experienced and building more credentials, or seasoned and wanting fresh challenges?

• So far, what direction(s) has your career taken?

• In what direction do you foresee yourself steering your career going forward?

• Which of your skills could transfer to roles in other fields or a more advanced role in your field?

• What unique perspectives have you gathered based on your experiences in prior roles or training programs? How might these perspectives apply to different career paths you’re considering? 

• Based on job searches, what kinds of companies would value a linear career trajectory, and which might value a diverse career portfolio? 

A career portfolio documents your education, work samples, skills, and experience, and tends to be much longer than a resume.

4. Envision possible career futures. 

• What would it be like for you to learn as much as possible about a career field and evolve with it? 

• What would it be like to take on more responsibility in a career field as you gain more experience and earn promotions?

• What would it be like to enter an emerging or fast-growing field, such as cryptocurrency or renewable energy? 

• What would it be like to explore multiple fields, change careers every few years, and accumulate a diverse set of skills?

5. Explore your chosen career track in depth. 

If you foresee yourself taking a more linear path through your career, do an internet search of the different career fields you identified in step four. Look for information on salaries for specific job titles, job outlook, advancement opportunities, required skills and education, and industry trends. 

6. Determine the actions you may need to take. 

• What additional training or education might you need for the career paths you’re interested in?

• What freelance opportunities might you create to gain experience and exposure in a new field?

• What enhancements do you need to make to your resume to best showcase your career developments?

Read more: How Can You Advance Your Career? Growth Guide and Tips

Career path examples

Below are two examples based on popular internet searches for specific career paths: "Is finance a good career path?" and "Is technology a good career path?" 

Financial analyst career path

A financial analyst in the United States earns a median annual total salary of $107,000 and could go on to become a company’s financial manager, earning $153,000 [1, 2]. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. Financial analyst jobs are expected to grow by 6 percent between 2024 and 2034, which is faster than average, while financial manager jobs are expected to grow by 15 percent, which is much faster than average [3, 4].

Professionals in finance typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, finance, or a related field and should be proficient in Excel and financial modeling. 

Financial services industry trends include developments in decentralized finance, cryptocurrency, and digitization.

Information security analyst career path 

An information security analyst in the United States earns a median annual total salary of $137,000 and could transition into careers like information security engineer (median total salary $170,000) or cybersecurity consultant (median total salary $150,000) [5, 6, 7]. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. Jobs in information security are expected to grow by 29 percent between 2024 and 2034, which is much faster than average [8]. 

Professionals in cybersecurity and information security typically have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, as well as certifications like the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).

Industry trends include developments in airplane navigation and guidance systems security, as well as continued use of multifactor authentication and increased data security.

What about career switchers?

If you foresee yourself taking a more multi-directional path, do an internet search for skills, degrees, and training that could apply to multiple careers across industries. 

For example, an English major could use their writing, close reading, and analysis skills to enter a teaching career and later switch to a career in content marketing, consulting, or even brand management.

Navigate your next career move with confidence

Join Career Chat on LinkedIn to stay current with the latest trends in your career field. Continue exploring career paths and career advice with our other free digital resources:

• Take the quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz? 

• Watch on YouTube: Start Your Career: What Is an Entry-Level Job?

• Hear from an expert: How to Use GenAI to Advance Your Career: Insight from Coursera's Former CEO

Accelerate your career growth with a Coursera Plus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses. 

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