Blog, Pitang.

For a long time, talking about career meant imagining a linear, almost automatic path. A journey similar to climbing a ladder: step after step, each stage was predefined, and progression was seen as almost natural—all it took was following what was planned.

This model, however, has become increasingly incompatible with today's reality, marked by rapid changes, fluid relationships, and new ways of working and learning. 

We live in what Zygmunt Bauman called liquid modernity: a time when everything transforms at an accelerated pace, adapting to dynamic and often unpredictable scenarios. The solidity of the past has given way to fluidity and, with it, the need for new ways of looking at professional life has emerged.

Trajectories that multiply and become personalized 

Within companies, this change is evident. People with the same educational background, same initial experiences, and even similar roles can follow completely different paths. 

• One wishes to grow into a leadership and management path. 

• Another wants to deepen technical knowledge and specialize. 

• Another identifies with innovation and wants to work on disruptive projects. 

• A fourth may even realize they want to transition to another area and explore new skills. 

This diversity of paths proves that an “ideal career” no longer exists; what exists is the career that makes sense for you. And this is where an essential point comes in: when you outsource your trajectory, you leave the role of deciding where to go in the hands of the organization, circumstances, or rigid structures. This places anyone in a position of passivity that does not fit a world that demands autonomy, adaptability, and agency. 

Taking charge of your own journey is more than a choice: it is an essential skill in today's landscape. Agency does not begin with courses or programs, but with clarity. It is necessary to reflect: 

• What do I want to build for myself? 

• What skills do I want to develop? 

• What do I already have that brings me closer to this goal? 

• What experiences make sense for where I want to go? 

The company plays an important role as an amplifier of this journey, offering tools, opportunities, context, and support. But the direction remains in each person's hands. 

How Pitang supports career ownership 

At Pitang, we deeply believe that a career is not a pre-made map; it is a living project. That is why our culture and our programs are oriented toward giving people autonomy, support, and clarity to lead their professional development. 

Continuous feedback as part of the culture 

Here, feedback doesn't just happen once a year. It is an ongoing, natural, and encouraged process. More than receiving it, we want people to seek feedback, because it provides clarity about expectations, areas for improvement, and already strengthened competencies. 

Questions, examples, and conversations build awareness, and awareness drives development.

Performance management centered on the person, not the process 

Our performance management is alive, collaborative, and built jointly between the individual and their leadership. It considers multiple perspectives, such as: 

• previous leaders, 

• project colleagues, 

• day-to-day peers, 

• people who observe performance across different contexts. 

This pluralistic view helps build a more realistic, comprehensive, and honest picture of the trajectory and the next steps. 

5 simple steps to manage your own career 

Taking ownership doesn't have to be complex. Here are practices that make all the difference: 

1. Learn about the programs the company offers 

Mentorships, courses, tracks, scholarships, internal communities, career counseling. Many people miss out on growth simply because they are unaware of opportunities that are already available.

2. Prepare for feedback and 1:1 meetings 

Before each conversation, reflect: 

• What skills do I want to develop? 

• What has worked well recently? 

• Where am I facing difficulties? 

• What expectations are still unclear? 

This preparation turns the conversation into strategy, rather than a surprise. 

3. Build your Individual Development Plan (IDP) 

List your goals, the competencies to develop, practical actions, deadlines, and indicators. Then, share it with your leadership. When everyone moves in the same direction, growth happens consistently. 

4. Seek inspiration from those who have already walked the path you desire 

Talk to people who hold positions or have walked paths you admire. Understand choices, challenges, prioritized skills, and even mistakes made. This insight shortens the way.

5. Reassess your route regularly 

The world changes, and so do you. Your interests evolve, your goals mature. Updating your plans is not a failure; it is adaptive intelligence.

Career is an individual responsibility, and that is liberating 

Building a professional path is, above all, a process of self-knowledge. It means recognizing strengths, embracing limitations without guilt, and acting intentionally on what is missing. A career does not develop on autopilot; it requires presence, awareness, and choice. 

When you delegate the responsibility of deciding your future to the company, you give up your autonomy. But when you take the wheel, you understand that your career is a personal project, and that understanding is the foundation of true strength. 

The career is yours. It always was. It always will be. 

Reading recommendations to delve deeper into the topic 

• Seja egoísta com a sua carreira — Luciano Santos 

• Anticarreira: o futuro do trabalho, o fim do emprego e do desemprego — Joseph Teperman