Career Growth Has Had a Glow-Up (And It’s Not What You Think)

Career growth isn’t a one-size-fits-all ladder. It’s more like a choose-your-own-adventure  and if you’ve seen The Intern, you get it. For some, growth is about purpose and passing on experience. For others, it’s about scaling new heights and building leadership muscle.

The latest Indeed Global Talent Report shows that as workers move through different stages of their careers, their priorities shift too. For employers, the trick isn’t to pick one definition of career growth, it’s to embrace them all. Do that, and you’ll not only attract talent, you’ll keep them engaged and sticking around.

Starting Out and Hungry to Grow

For younger workers, career growth means learning, developing, and having a healthy dose of guidance. Gen Z and early-career Millennials in Australia are laser-focused on upskilling, training programs, and clear advancement pathways.

They want:

• Mentorship and coaching
• Plenty of learning opportunities (formal and informal)
• Recognition and clear feedback
• A seat at the table with diverse teams and projects

If you’ve already read our piece on two-way mentoring, you’ll know this isn’t just about “old teaching young.” Younger employees bring fresh ideas that fuel growth across the whole organisation. Employers who double down on onboarding, training, and mentorship? You’re their career heroes.

Team collaborating around a laptop in a modern office

Ambition Meets Balance in Mid-Career

Fast-forward a decade or two and the picture shifts. Mid-career professionals are still ambitious, but now balance matters just as much as progression. Many are juggling leadership opportunities with family, personal goals, and the need for job security.

They care about:

• Advancement and leadership opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements (hello, hybrid)
• Stability, competitive benefits, and security
• Recognition of their hard-won expertise

To win this group over, employers need to show the path forward and make it sustainable. Offer leadership development, clear progression, and the kind of policies that support life beyond the office. That’s how you keep mid-career professionals engaged and loyal.

Purpose and Flexibility for Seasoned Professionals

For late-career workers, “career growth” doesn’t always mean climbing higher. Instead, it’s about legacy, sharing knowledge, mentoring others, and finding purpose. Flexibility becomes non-negotiable, whether that’s part-time, consulting, or phased retirement.

They value:

• Reduced or flexible hours
• Opportunities to mentor and coach
• Roles that tap into their experience
• Purpose and contribution that goes beyond the job description

Want a culture that embraces experience? Create pathways for older workers to mentor, consult, or gradually transition. As we explored in our blog on age bias, ignoring this group is a huge missed opportunity. Their experience is gold, you just have to know how to mine it.

Why It All Matters

Australia’s workforce is more multi-generational than ever. The Indeed Global Talent Report makes one thing clear: if you want to build a workplace that thrives, you need to meet people where they are in their careers, not where you assume they should be.

Because when employees, whether fresh grads, mid-career leaders, or seasoned pros, see that you understand what career growth looks like for them, they’ll stay, grow, and give back.

👉 Want the full picture (plus more strategies you can use right now)? 

Download the report and get the insights straight from the source.

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Sources:

^{1-3 Indeed Survey with YouGov 2024, Total N=9,219 job seekers and 4,839 employers}