Nearly 65% of U.S. employers are using skills-based hiring practices to fill their job openings, as opposed to relying solely on a candidate’s education or previous job titles, according to a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
This increasing trend in matching employees’ skills to available jobs is creating an ideal situation for tech workers to inquire about career development opportunities, experts say.
“It’s never been more important for tech workers to think about growing their skills. The pace of technological change is accelerating, and the traditional focus on degrees and background is becoming less relevant. What matters most now is your current skill set and your ability to learn and adapt. Put simply: your skills are your currency,” Josh Tarr, director of skills-based organization at Workday, told IEEE-USA InSight.
Indeed. AI and other technologies may displace 9 million jobs by 2030, but create 11 million new jobs within that time frame — many of which never existed before, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs report.
As a result, tech workers need to consider building a portfolio of skills, says Jayney Howson, senior vice president and head of global learning and development at ServiceNow.
How to Identify the Best Career Development Opportunities
When choosing career development opportunities, start by looking at what matters most to you and what is vital for your company’s future, Howson advises. Then ask yourself where you want to be in the next few years, what problems you want to help solve, and which skills will get you there, she adds.
“With AI changing the way work gets done, focus on capabilities that technology will make even more valuable, like creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and empathy, along with new skills like AI literacy and data analysis— that way, you’re building strengths that will stand the test of time,” Howson says.
Additionally, consider choosing opportunities that will open doors to new responsibilities or provide work in areas where your company is growing, Howson adds.
“The workplace is moving fast, so the most valuable investment you can make is in skills and experiences that keep you adaptable for whatever comes next,” Howson says.
Antoinette Oglethorpe, who runs a career management and mentoring firm in the UK bearing her name, says tech workers also need to ask themselves these questions when identifying opportunities that work best for them.
How to Approach Your Manager about Career Development Opportunities
Tech workers must take ownership of their own career development and identify growth opportunities for themselves, according to Oglethorpe.
Howson also notes that managers play a key role in that development, as well.
“Career growth is an employee’s responsibility, but a manager’s to enable. That’s why the best way to start a growth conversation is to come prepared, clear and collaborative. Reflect on your strengths, your career ambitions, and the skills you want to build, and tie these to company priorities,” Howson says. “Frame the discussion as a shared investment. Ask for your manager’s perspective, and follow up with a clear plan to track progress. That way, it’s clear how your learning benefits everyone, not just you.”
She advised tech workers to consider the challenges their team is facing or the new initiatives coming up, and then think about how developing specific skills could help them contribute in a more significant way.
For example, instead of saying “I want to learn AI,” consider rephrasing it to “I’ve been thinking about how we could use AI to handle some of those repetitive tasks that bog us down. What if I explored some AI tools and experimented with them on our next project?” Howson suggests.
Although most managers want their employees to grow, some may be reluctant to help their top performers expand their skills, only to have them leave for another department or team.
“This is where reframing the conversation becomes critical. Help your manager understand that development isn’t about preparing to leave. It’s about staying engaged and bringing new value to the team and company,” Howson says.
But if the manager continues to resist, it may be worth having a broader conversation about career growth expectations, and exploring other avenues within the organization, she adds.
Effective Steps to Develop Your Career
Here are some highly effective ways tech workers can develop their careers beyond attending conferences, meetups, and taking online courses. Experts say:
Change Roles, Teams and even Employers
The most rapid career development often occurs for those who change roles, teams or even companies approximately every three years during the first decade of their careers, according to Robin Ducot, chief technology officer at SurveyMonkey.
“This approach is incredibly effective because it exposes them to diverse operating models, different organizational cultures, and various professional approaches. It fosters a breadth of skills that is crucial in early-stage careers, rather than solely focusing on the depth of a single skill set,” she said. “While developing deep expertise is valuable, gaining a broad understanding of different ways to tackle challenges and operate within various environments has proven to be a consistent driver of accelerated growth in my experience.”
Find Gig Assignments
The most effective thing tech workers can do to develop their careers is to seek out “gigs” or short-term assignments actively, say Tarr.
“It’s about moving away from the traditional, rigid career path and embracing a more fluid, skills-based approach,” he notes. “By taking on a gig, an employee can try a new role, learn a new skill, and build connections across the company. It’s a low-risk, high-reward way to explore and grow.”
Use Peer-to-Peer Learning
Peer-to-peer learning is also an excellent way for tech workers to advance their careers. For example, Workday uses its internal upskilling AI initiative, EverydayAI, that encourages collaborative learning, Tarr says.
Combine Continuous Learning with Strategic Networking
“The most successful tech workers I’ve observed combine continuous learning and strategic networking,” Howson says.
First, they view learning as a continuous endeavor, rather than an episodic one. And secondly, they build relationships across functions and levels.
“We’ve found that peer learning can outperform isolated learning. Tech workers who actively participate in cross-functional projects or mentoring relationships accelerate their growth,” Howson says.
Sync Up with a Mentor
For tech workers, especially those early in their careers, senior-level engineers can be the most beneficial people to approach about career development. These mentors can provide invaluable coaching on skill development, and often have insights into interesting projects within the organization that may be of interest to you, says Ducot.
“It’s also a great idea to cultivate relationships with engineering directors outside your immediate reporting structure. These connections can offer guidance and support that is genuinely focused on your broader career trajectory, and less focused on the day-to-day of your role,” Ducot says.
However, she cautions that while developing positive relationships further up the chain within your own team is also always beneficial, it’s essential to effectively navigate skip-level dynamics and be thoughtful in your approach to ensure clear communication and alignment of expectations within the organizational hierarchy.
Approach potential mentors with a straightforward request, such as, “Hey, I’ve been really impressed with your work, and I’d love to grab a cup of coffee or schedule a quick Zoom call to learn a bit more about what you do, how you ended up in your current role, and how you developed your career,” Ducot advises.
The key, however, is to avoid overwhelming mentors with a high level of commitment right away, Ducot says. But, if the initial meeting goes well and feels productive, then it’s appropriate to propose a follow-up meeting to continue building the relationship and discuss how to structure it for ongoing development, she adds.
Common Career Development Mistakes
Experts say that employees can make several mistakes when seeking career development opportunities. One common mistake is painting a manager in the corner with a demand for a promotion or job title change, Oglethorpe says.
“Managers often don’t have the authority to make that happen, and that closes down the conversation because it’s a very limiting request,” says Oglethorpe.
Instead, tech workers should inform their managers that they would like to take on more responsibilities and gain greater insights into senior leaders, so they will know how to present themselves effectively if they are ever in the same meeting with them, she notes.
“That opens up a lot more possibilities for managers to provide you with opportunities, like giving you stretch projects, having you attend meetings with senior leaders, and arranging coaching and mentorship,” Oglethorpe says. “By having the ability to try and test opportunities and demonstrate your capacity to handle them, you’ll be in a much better position to be ready when promotion opportunities come along.”
Another common mistake is asking for career development opportunities during the annual performance review, says Oglethorpe. The yearly review focuses on your past performance and the manager’s evaluation of it, versus your desires for future development. Instead, at the end of the evaluation, ask your manager to schedule a time to discuss potential career development opportunities you have been thinking about, Oglethorpe advises.
Tech workers also need to recognize that their employer may be facing economic challenges that could make it difficult for them to attend conferences or upskilling classes, Oglethorpe says. Turn disappointment into a potential “yes” by requesting that your manager consider career development opportunities once the company’s financial picture improves.
The Future of Career Development Opportunities
AI is elevating people by handling routine tasks and freeing up capacity for more creative, strategic and relationship-focused work, says Howson, adding that ServiceNow refers to this as the “human renaissance.”
“My advice to tech workers is simple: embrace this moment,” Howson says. “The organizations and individuals who lean into continuous learning, who view AI as an amplifier of human capability, and who build the confidence to navigate uncertainty through playful exploration will be the ones who define the future of work. The true power of AI isn’t just in the tools we build. It’s in our collective capacity to adapt, imagine and solve problems in completely new ways.”
