Thread by @BridgetThoreson

I’m rejecting the career ladder metaphor in favor of the career river. Here’s why:

1. The ultimate goal of the career ladder is: reach the top.

The ultimate goal of the career river is: reach your ocean - a thriving, wide-open ecosystem fed by other rivers to explore. /

2. When you reach an obstacle or ceiling on the career ladder: your only option is to shatter it.

When your career river encounters an obstacle: you can go around it, over it, or carve through it. /

("Grand Canyon" by B Rosen is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0)

3. The only other people on your career ladder are those you must step on or push aside or off to reach your goals.

The others pursuing their career rivers can join yours, making you stronger. /

4. A career ladder creates no value except for the person climbing it.

A career river feeds an entire ecosystem. /

5. When you change jobs, on a career ladder you might “lose” a rung or have to start climbing again. It feels like a step back.

A river’s curves and changes in direction are all part of the journey. What came before informs what flows after. /

6. A career ladder has only one direction.

A career river can create a delta of many different paths, all of which together create a fertile area for growth. /

7. You can get stuck on a career ladder.

A river always flows, no matter how slowly. /

8. A career ladder that falls is broken.

A river becomes a waterfall, and then keeps flowing. /end

("Alaska Waterfall" by sbmeaper1 is marked with CC0 1.0)