The scoring formula (simple, weighted, actionable)

Each slider is rated from 1 to 10. The tool computes a weighted average and scales it to a 0–100 Career Momentum Score. The weights reflect a practical idea: execution + direction are the fastest way to get unstuck, while visibility and network help your work convert into new opportunities.

• Execution & output: 22%
• Direction clarity: 20%
• Skill strength: 18%
• Visibility & reputation: 16%
• Network strength: 14%
• Energy & sustainability: 10%

• 80–100 (Compounding): protect your rhythm, raise the bar, and build assets.
• 65–79 (Strong): pick one lever to sharpen; you’re close to a step change.
• 45–64 (Rebuilding): simplify the plan; focus on the lowest 1–2 levers.
• 0–44 (Stuck): reduce scope, rebuild fundamentals, and get support/accountability.

30/60/90‑day plan logic

After you press “Calculate Career Momentum”, the planner identifies your two lowest levers and generates a concrete plan with weekly steps. The goal is not to do everything — it’s to pick a few moves that change your trajectory.

• Output: shipping work with proof (portfolio, shipped project, measurable impact).
• Signals: making your impact legible (one‑pager, metrics, demo, write‑up).
• Relationships: intentional conversations that lead to referrals or sponsorship.
• Skill spikes: building one “scarce skill” that differentiates you.

Career Growth Planner: formula breakdown, examples, and FAQs

Most people don’t need more career advice — they need a way to choose what to do next. The internet is full of tactics (“network more”, “learn in‑demand skills”, “build your brand”), but tactics don’t help if your bottleneck is unclear. This planner is designed around a simple principle: career progress is a conversion funnel. Your skills and execution create value. Visibility and network help the right people notice the value. Clarity determines whether your effort points at the right target. Energy determines whether you can sustain the effort long enough for compounding to kick in.

The tool asks you to rate six levers from 1–10. That’s intentionally not hyper‑precise: you’re making a quick self‑reflection snapshot, not a scientific measurement. The point is to spot the lowest lever. If you raise your lowest lever by even 1–2 points, your momentum usually increases more than if you try to improve everything a little. Think of it like a table: the wobbly leg limits the stability.

Each slider produces a score from 1 to 10. We compute a weighted sum:

• Weighted score = 0.22×Execution + 0.20×Clarity + 0.18×Skills + 0.16×Visibility + 0.14×Network + 0.10×Energy
• The weighted score stays in the 1–10 range.
• We then scale it to 0–100 using: Scaled = ((Weighted − 1) / 9) × 100.

Why scale like that? Because “1” is the minimum possible on every slider, and “10” is the maximum. When all sliders are 1, the weighted result is 1, which maps to 0. When all sliders are 10, the weighted result is 10, which maps to 100. Everything else falls between. This gives you a consistent, intuitive number.

Suppose you score: Clarity 7, Skills 7, Visibility 3, Network 4, Execution 8, Energy 6. Your raw work is strong (execution) and your direction is decent, but not enough people can “see” it. In this scenario, the plan will emphasize: (1) making impact legible (a one‑pager or weekly update with metrics), and (2) two recurring relationship actions (a short coffee chat weekly, a monthly skip‑level update, or sharing a demo).

A high‑leverage move here is to create a portfolio artifact that travels without you: a short case study, a demo video, a technical write‑up, a slide deck, or a concise “before/after” narrative. This increases visibility without requiring constant social energy. Then your network actions have something concrete to point to.

Scores: Clarity 2, Skills 6, Visibility 5, Network 5, Execution 6, Energy 7. You’re capable, but you’re not sure what target role or domain you’re actually pursuing. The plan will prioritize a two‑week clarity sprint: define 2–3 role hypotheses, interview 5–8 people, and choose one “anchor skill” to build a small project around. Clarity is often the fastest lever because it prevents wasted effort.

A practical approach is to write a one‑sentence target: “I’m pursuing [role] in [domain] at [company type], using [strength] to create [impact].” You’re allowed to iterate. The purpose is to make your next actions obvious.

Scores: Energy 3 while other levers are moderate. This is common: you may know what to do, but you can’t sustain it. The planner will recommend smaller weekly commitments and protecting basics (sleep, boundaries, workload, recovery). In career terms, energy is the engine. Improving energy often improves execution and learning speed automatically.

The plan generator produces a set of weekly actions. Treat them as a menu: pick 2–4 recurring habits that fit your life. If you try to do 12 things at once, you’ll do none. Instead, create a minimal system:

• Weekly ship: one output (a deliverable, artifact, or measurable win).
• Weekly signal: one visibility action (update, demo, write‑up, internal post).
• Weekly relationship: one conversation or outreach message.
• Weekly skill: one focused practice block (60–120 minutes) tied to your target role.

If you’re employed, many of these actions can be done inside your job: choose a project with exposure, volunteer for a cross‑functional problem, write a concise proposal, or take ownership of a neglected metric. If you’re job‑seeking, you can create “proof” in public: a portfolio piece, a case study, a GitHub repo, a short video breakdown, or a blog post. What matters is that your work is specific and verifiable.

A “one point” improvement is intentionally small. You’re not trying to transform your identity in a weekend. You’re trying to create evidence of progress. Below are examples of what moving from (say) 4 → 5 can look like. Pick the lever that feels most constrained and choose the smallest step you can repeat.

• Clarity: You can describe your target role in one sentence, you know the top 3 skills it demands, and you’ve identified 10 companies/teams where that role exists.
• Skills: You can demonstrate one capability with a short artifact (demo, write‑up, case study), and you’ve gotten feedback from someone stronger than you in that area.
• Visibility: You can point to a weekly update, a dashboard, a one‑pager, or a presentation that made your impact legible to decision‑makers.
• Network: You have 3–5 active relationships in your target domain and you’ve had at least one helpful conversation in the last two weeks.
• Execution: You can name the next deliverable, the deadline, and the metric of success — and you are reliably shipping weekly.
• Energy: You can keep a stable sleep window most nights, your workload feels sustainable, and you have at least one protected recovery habit.

The same levers apply whether you want a promotion or a new role — but the “proof” is packaged differently. For a promotion, your proof is usually internal: scope, ownership, influence, and measurable outcomes. For a job search, your proof is external: portfolio artifacts, clear stories, and signals that reduce hiring risk.

• If you want a promotion: align with your manager on what “next level” means, pick one project that increases scope, and communicate wins in a predictable cadence (weekly or biweekly).
• If you want a new role: build 2–3 artifacts that mirror the job (case studies, work samples), and practice a concise story: problem → action → impact → learning.

If you like structure, use this template every week for 12 weeks. Put it in a note app, a doc, or a calendar reminder:

• One thing I shipped: (deliverable + link or proof)
• One metric I moved: (time saved, revenue, quality, risk, customer experience)
• One signal I sent: (update/demo/write‑up)
• One relationship action: (conversation/outreach)
• One skill block: (what I practiced + what improved)
• Next week’s bet: (one focused priority)

Career planning fails when it becomes either over‑intellectual or over‑busy. Over‑intellectual looks like endless researching and comparing options without shipping proof. Over‑busy looks like doing too many low‑leverage tasks without building assets or relationships. The antidote is to keep a weekly cadence and make the work visible.

• Trap: “I’m learning, but nothing changes.” → Fix: Create artifacts and ship weekly proof.
• Trap: “I work hard, but I’m overlooked.” → Fix: Make impact legible with metrics and narratives.
• Trap: “Networking feels fake.” → Fix: Share useful artifacts and ask specific, respectful questions.
• Trap: “I’m exhausted.” → Fix: Shrink the plan until it’s sustainable; consistency beats intensity.

• Is this score “accurate”?

  It’s accurate in the way a mirror is accurate: it reflects what you input. The value is in identifying your bottleneck and taking consistent action. Use it as a monthly check‑in to see if the direction is improving.

• What’s the fastest way to raise the score?

  Raise your lowest lever. If clarity is low, do a clarity sprint. If visibility is low, build one artifact + one weekly update. If execution is low, reduce scope and ship smaller weekly deliverables. If network is low, start with two short messages per week.

• How do I choose a “scarce” skill?

  Look for skills that are (1) hard to learn, (2) valuable to organizations, and (3) adjacent to your strengths. Examples include: communicating complex ideas, owning metrics end‑to‑end, leading cross‑functional projects, or a niche technical capability. Then build proof through projects and write‑ups.

• What if I’m in a bad company situation?

  You can still build leverage: document impact, collect accomplishments, expand your network, and build external proof. The plan can become your “exit runway” — small weekly steps that prepare you for better options.

• How often should I use the planner?

  Monthly is a good rhythm. Weekly can be motivating, but only if you’re using it to steer actions — not to judge yourself. Save your snapshots and look for direction (up/down), not perfection.

• Can I use this for promotions?

  Yes — especially the visibility and execution parts. Promotions are often about demonstrated scope + trust. Use the plan to increase measurable impact, communicate it clearly, and align with your manager on what “next level” looks like.

This planner is educational and for self‑reflection. It does not guarantee outcomes. If you’re facing severe workplace stress or mental health challenges, consider getting professional support and adjusting your plan to protect your well‑being.