🤫 The Silent Career Killer #19
NOT Articulating Your Career Ambitions to Your Manager | Unmasking 50 hidden threats to your UX career | part 19 of 50
My dear UX friends, let's talk about a conversation you're probably NOT having.
You know the one – that slightly uncomfortable but crucial discussion with your manager about where you really want to take your UX career.
I've mentored so many talented UXers over the years, yet I keep seeing the same pattern ↴
They're doing solid work, delivering thoughtful solutions, getting good performance reviews…
But they're stuck.
Frustrated.
Wondering why opportunities seem to pass them by.
When we dig deeper, I often discover they're making a fundamental assumption:
Not only they assume that their good work will speak for itself, but also that their manager will somehow divine their career aspirations and advocate accordingly!
Your manager isn't a mind reader.
By the way, that brilliant UX work you're doing? It might be telling a different story than you think.
Let me explain.
Your meticulous attention to interaction details might signal that you're passionate about craft excellence – when what you really want is to move into a strategic leadership role!
Your willingness to tackle any design challenge that comes your way might read as contentment with your current position – when you're actually eager to specialize in, say, “enterprise UX”.
💰The Cost of Your Silence
This misalignment doesn't just slow your career progress.
It can actively work against you.
When opportunities arise, your manager makes decisions based on their understanding of your goals – not the ones you haven't shared.
I once worked with a brilliant UXer who spent 2 fully years quietly hoping to move into a product strategy role.
She consistently delivered exceptional work, thinking her strategic thinking would be obvious through her designs.
Meanwhile, her manager was impressed with her execution skills and kept steering more implementation-heavy projects her way.
Both were acting with the best intentions, but moving in opposite directions.
🗣 Breaking the Silence
So how do you start articulating your career ambitions effectively?
Here's what I've seen work ↴
1. Start with Clarity
Before you speak with your manager, get crystal clear yourself.
What does "career growth" mean to you?
Is it about deepening your craft, moving into leadership, focusing on strategy, or something else entirely?
Be specific about what success looks like in your next role.
2. Create a Narrative
Connect your aspirations to your current work and the company's needs.
Don't just say you want to lead – point to examples where your leadership qualities have already created value.
Make it easy for your manager to imagine you in that next role.
3. Set Clear Milestones
Work with your manager to define concrete steps toward your goals.
What skills do you need to develop?
What types of projects would help you get there?
Make your development path tangible and measurable.
4. Regular Check-ins
Don't wait for your annual review.
Schedule regular career discussions.
Use these conversations to share your progress, adjust your path, and ensure your daily work aligns with your longer-term goals.
The Power of Vulnerability
I know these conversations can feel uncomfortable.
They require a certain vulnerability – acknowledging what you don't yet know or can't yet do. But I've never seen a career meaningfully advance without them.
Your manager likely wants to help you succeed!
But they can only help you reach a destination they know about.
And if you're wondering exactly how to have this conversation?
Don't worry – I've got you covered ;)
🌟 Having That Career-Defining Conversation
Let me share a detailed framework and a rough script I've developed after coaching hundreds of UXers through these career-defining discussions, including specific language you can adapt and common pitfalls to avoid.
This isn't a rigid script – think of it as conversation guideposts to keep you focused while allowing for authentic dialogue.
(And after coaching this many people through these conversations, I've seen what works and what doesn't! ;)