New Year, New Career Growth Opportunities
TL;DR:
January career growth doesn't have to mean a new job or a big, shiny resolution. Some of the most meaningful growth comes from low-risk experiments, intentional stretch opportunities, and building feedback into the work you're already doing.
Happy New Year!
January has a funny way of convincing us that this is the moment for Dry January, fad diets, and gym memberships that will quietly expire sometime around February. We do it anyway, because the calendar flips and suddenly everything feels possible.
The same thing happens professionally. New goals. New intentions. New pressure to “level up.”
Here's what I'm doing differently this January.
I'm am starting a part-time role as an adjunct instructor, teaching a strategic internal communication course in a master’s program. It also happens to be the same program where I earned my first master’s degree.
My approach is simple: I'm teaching the class I wish I had earlier in my career.
That means there will be experimentation. Some things will resonate with students. Some will need adjustment. And instead of pretending otherwise, I'm inviting students into that process by asking what's helpful, what's not, and what's missing.
This is new for me. It's a learning experience for them. And that's OK.
Because the goal isn't perfection. The goal is value.
So what does this have to do with your career?
Here's the pattern I see over and over, especially with internal communication professionals.
We think career growth looks like:
A new title
A promotion
A dramatic role change
In reality, career growth often shows up as:
A stretch opportunity that lets you practice the work you want to do
A small experiment with low risk and high learning
A chance to teach, mentor, or explain what you know to others
Growth doesn't always come from moving up. Sometimes it comes from incorporating learning into your current role.
3 Ways to Create Career Growth Without Changing Jobs
1. Treat new opportunities like experiments, not defining moments
Not every new responsibility has to define you forever. Pilot the idea. See what you learn. Decide what makes sense to maintain.
2. Establish feedback loops early
Career growth often happens outside a formalized individual development plan (IDP) process. Ask for input while the work is happening, and use self-evaluation to guide your progress when feedback is limited. You'll adjust faster and grow more intentionally.
3. Say yes to work that lets you practice the next version of your role or better still, look for those opportunities yourself
Nine chances out of 10, no one's asking you about how you want to grow your career. You're the captain of your own ship, so get a hand on the wheel. Want to be more strategic? Volunteer for planning conversations. Want to teach or lead? Look for chances to share knowledge, not just deliver outputs.
Career growth compounds when learning is intentional.
January doesn't need a reinvention. It just needs a thoughtful next step.
