10 progressive career paths and their average salaries
Table of Contents
Value yourself.
Before taking a look at 10 progressive career paths within a business, there should be a mention of self-worth and workplace value. Your actions within a business can contribute to an outcome that may provide a benefit to the business itself or to the target audience. That means that you know what you are doing. This can stem from:
Knowledge - Information learned from years of self-learning, school and college/university. Also from previous employment.
Skills - From simple actions to complex routines. This can include a positive attitude, communication, teamwork, self-management, problem-solving, decision making, resilience and more.
Experiences - Life can provide you with so many experiences that you can capitalise from, including educational, social action, Saturday and holiday jobs, placements, vocational courses and business ownership.
The above demonstrates that some aspects of your life should be respected and that can you be a valued asset to the business. Keep in mind that many factors contribute to allowing an individual to progress in their career.
Now let us take a look at a career path that may pique your interest.
#1 - Website Designer
Median salary: €31.000,00
Average hourly rate: €15,00
Career satisfaction: Medium
What is a Website Designer?
Websites are developed or redesigned by web designers. They not only know how to make a website functional and user-friendly, but they also know how to make it visually appealing to the user.
Web design is a rapidly expanding profession, since digital media has become an integral part of everyone's lives, and people rely on the internet for everything from communication to information to shopping to socializing.
The visual features of web pages are created by web designers. They meet with clients, either online or in person, to gain a clear idea of the message that should be conveyed on the website. They produce layouts, styles, and features that display the client's services in a way that is appealing to the target audience once the details are identified.
The aesthetic component is vital, and choosing proper colours, fonts, layouts, and photos gives the website its individuality. Aside from aesthetic considerations, the website's accessibility must be a top focus - it's critical to build pages that the target market can easily navigate.
Typical career responsibilities?
Meet with clients to determine their needs and communicate with them on a frequent basis.
Make a clear list of website requirements.
Create a variety of page layouts with different font sizes and colours.
Create graphics, animations, and digital photo manipulations.
Register web domain names and plan the website's hosting.
Clients should be presented with preliminary design concepts.
Make use of a range of software to code.
Use a variety of content management systems.
Create an SEO ‘Search Engine Optimization’ strategy.
Comply with applicable legal obligations, such as accessibility standards, information freedom, and privacy.
Design the visual imagery for the website and make sure it adheres to the company's branding guidelines or the client's specifications.
Proofread the content and make any necessary adjustments.
Editing text, debugging code, and re-designing web pages are all things you can do.
Collaborate with other web experts, such as web developers and graphic designers.
Liaise with third-party organizations.
Check to see if the website is up and running.
Hand over the finished website to the client.
After the sale, provide technical help.
Train the employees of the clients.
Look at the most recent design trends.
Keep current with new software advancements by participating in continuing professional development (CPD) initiatives.
#2 - Graphic Designer
Median salary: €33.000,00
Average hourly rate: €16,00
Career satisfaction: High
What is a Graphic Designer?
Graphic designers are visual communicators who draw or use specialist graphic design software to produce concepts. They use both real and virtual art forms, including images, text, and graphics, to communicate ideas in order to inspire, inform, or captivate customers. They guarantee that their designs appropriately reflect the desired message and effectively express information by maintaining continual communication with clients, customers, and other designers.
Graphic designers use a variety of design components to generate artistic or decorative effects to communicate ideas by combining art and technology. For commercials, brochures, publications, and corporate reports, they create the overall layout and production design. This normally begins with the creation of rough sketches of design concepts, either by hand or with the use of computer software.
The ultimate goal of a graphic designer is to make the organization that hired them well-known. They transmit a certain idea or identity to be utilized in advertising and promotions by employing text, images, and a range of media. Fonts, size, shapes, colours, print design, photography, animation, logos, and billboards are examples of media.
Typical career responsibilities?
To determine the scope of a project, meet with clients or the art director.
Advise clients on how to reach a specific target audience.
Decide on the message that the design should convey.
Create visuals that help people recognize a product or communicate a message.
For product illustrations, logos, and websites, create graphics and visual or audio images.
Create designs by hand or with the help of computer applications.
Colours, photos, writing style and layout can all be customized.
Clients or the art director should be shown the design.
Incorporate the client's suggestions into the final design.
Before printing or releasing a design, check it for mistakes.
#3 - Multimedia Animator
Median salary: €63.000,00
Average hourly rate: €30,00
Career satisfaction: High
What is a Multimedia Animator?
Multimedia animators work on animation and visual effects for television, movies, video games, and other forms of media. They make two-dimensional and three-dimensional models as well as animation. Although the majority of multimedia artists are self-employed, some do work for the film and video business. They frequently work long hours, especially when there are deadlines to meet.
Multimedia artists usually specialize in one style of animation. Some people specialize in making animated films or video games. Others work on visual effects for films and TV shows. Creating animation from photographs of performers performing, or constructing scenery or backgrounds for locations, are examples of visual effects, commonly known as computer-generated imagery (or CGI). These fields can be further specialized by animators. Artists generally specialize in characters, setting, and backdrop design in animated films and video games. Video game artists may specialize in 'level design,' which entails developing the look, feel, and layout of a video game's levels.
Typical career responsibilities?
Using computer programs and pictures, create visuals and animation.
Create a movie, game, or visual effect with a team of animators and artists.
To aid in the creation of a realistic design or animation, conduct research about prospective projects.
Create storyboards that depict the animation's important scenes.
Based on comments from directors, head animators, game designers, or clients, make adjustments to animation and effects.
Review deadlines and development timeframes with clients, lead animators, game designers, and directors.
#4 - Content Manager
Median salary: €34.000,00
Average hourly rate: €16,00
Career satisfaction: Medium
What is a Content Manager?
A content manager is in charge of overseeing the content on websites and blogs, as well as developing, editing, uploading, updating, and cleaning up outdated content.
Some content managers are solely concerned with content, while others are just concerned with management. A content manager's primary task is to keep the information on a website current, informative, and appealing.
The goal of the content strategy is to generate, write, and manage content in order to meet business objectives and serve as a spokesperson for the firm. Producing and publishing quality material involves imagination, leadership, and writing talent.
Because video, audio, and text are placed into a template for posting to the internet, the content manager does not need to do much design work. Using the same CMS software, the manager may create and send out email newsletters, promotions, and internet outreach programs.
Content managers can either develop and update the website's content alone or lead a team of content writers to create fresh content. Larger sites require more frequent updates, which can be daunting for a single person.
Typical career responsibilities?
Develop a content plan that is in line with both long-term and short-term marketing goals.
Along with the design and marketing teams, collaboratively plan and develop site content design and layout.
Create and distribute compelling content.
When required, edit proofread, and improve the writer's posts.
Communicate efficiently with authors to ensure brand consistency.
Optimize your content for search engines.
Analyze website traffic and user engagement metrics with content management systems.
Manage content distribution via online channels and social media to increase site traffic across platforms.
With an editorial calendar, you can keep the content team on board.
Ensure that all data and work is consistent with the law, including copyright protection.
Keep up with current events and come up with new concepts to pique an audience's interest.
#5 - Marketing Manager
Median salary: €67.000,00
Average hourly rate: €32,00
Career satisfaction: Low
What is a Marketing Manager?
A marketing manager is in charge of a company's or product's marketing and can assess marketability. They may be in charge of multiple services or products, or they may be in charge of just one.
Marketing managers are responsible for a variety of tasks, including preparing marketing campaign estimates and budgets and submitting them for approval, working with advertising agencies, participating in negotiations, preparing sales and advertising contracts, and reviewing advertising material such as print ads, TV commercials, and online advertisements.
Marketing managers are in charge of their company's planned and unintentional image. Print or video commercials, public speaking engagements, endorsements, and printed literature are all examples of planned images. Unplanned images can occur when one of the company's representatives makes a public blunder, necessitating immediate damage control, or when the company is attacked by an external force, such as when someone tampers with the company's products after they leave the production, or when a defect in the product isn't discovered until after it has been in circulation.
Unauthorized remarks are deflected by skilled marketing managers, who tell the public that the corporation is investigating and correcting the product line. Marketing managers calm the public's fear and fury with carefully written comments and commercials, ensuring that the company's brand survives such accidents.
Typical career responsibilities?
Creating promotional materials to boost sales.
Coordinating marketing strategy across multiple platforms.
Managing marketing campaign budgets.
Trying out fresh marketing strategies.
Developing partnerships with news organizations.
Developing and implementing social media strategies.
Examining the results of marketing campaigns.
Identifying and resolving issues with marketing campaigns that aren't working.
SEO is being monitored and improved.
Managing third-party vendors and workers.
Taking care of customer service issues.
Inventing new methods for promoting new products.
Employees are being educated on industry marketing trends.
Customer feedback from social media channels is being analyzed.
Analyzing and reporting on advertising results to top management.
#6 - Business Analyst
Median salary: €63.000,00
Average hourly rate: €30,00
Career satisfaction: Low
What is a Business Analyst?
Organizations hire business analysts to help them enhance their efficiency and finances. They assist organizations in making informed decisions about what has to be adopted in order to run a successful organization by exploring, analyzing, and assessing any challenges they may have.
Business analysts are in charge of determining the company's true needs, not only the professed wishes of stakeholders. They will communicate with a wide range of people, including employees, executives, IT, and customers, in order to fairly assess the situation and characterize any and all difficulties.
Frequently, the business analyst will act as a facilitator, facilitating communication between the various departments of the company. They will next document, assess, and present their findings and solutions.
The business analyst then documents the findings of any observations and analyses, either in writing or visually using graphs, charts, and pictures.
Typical career responsibilities?
Prepare budgets and analyze financial records.
Recommend operational adjustments to improve procedures.
Examine and improve your sales, marketing, and branding tactics.
Prepare project and productivity reports while adhering to quality and safety standards.
Identify future business development and expansion prospects.
Create and maintain channels of communication both internally and outside.
Analyze and provide advice on contracts involving employees, labour, vendors, and suppliers.
To mitigate and manage risks, conduct a risk analysis.
Analyze the behaviour of your customers and competitors.
#7 - Operations Manager
Median salary: €69.000,00
Average hourly rate: €32,00
Career satisfaction: Low
What is an Operations Manager?
An operations manager is a specialist in companies that sell goods and services and is in charge of the company's operations and production. He or she is in charge of a company's goods production and does all necessary to improve the efficiency of the business's manufacturing machine.
An operations manager's responsibilities vary depending on the firm, but they typically include managing quality assurance programs, overseeing, hiring, and training other staff, monitoring and analyzing existing processes, and developing productivity and efficiency plans.
In a corporation, government, or other institution, an operations manager plays a critical function. The specific activities of an operations manager are determined in large part by the nature and size of the firm or organization, but success requires a diverse set of commercial and interpersonal skills.
A business operations manager plans and organizes a company's, government agency's, or non-profit organization's activities. Business operations managers may be in charge of a variety of departments, ranging from human resources to accounts payable, depending on the firm. Reviewing budgetary data, monitoring spending reports, planning educational assignments for staff, assessing financial data, and providing a cost-benefit analysis on internal programs are all possible job responsibilities.
Typical career responsibilities?
Improving the organization's operational systems, processes, and policies to support its mission
Determine operational needs and potential for improvement.
Observe workflows, study corporate reports, do personnel interviews, and so on to gather information.
Determine the most effective ways for analyzing operations, relevant data, and data.
Documenting results, writing reports, and making suggestions are all part of the process.
To improve operations, create new processes and procedures.
Changes should be implemented in collaboration with management and staff.
Employees must be trained to use new systems or processes.
Evaluate the efficacy of new processes.
Quality standards must be established and maintained.
Ensure that regulatory requirements are met.
#8 - Database Architect
Median salary: €76.000,00
Average hourly rate: €36,00
Career satisfaction: Medium
What is a Database Architect?
Database architects assist businesses in growing and expanding into new markets, as well as developing a vision to achieve strategic objectives. To store and organize huge amounts of data, these specialists construct and administer large and expansive electronic databases. This is a highly trained occupation that is essential to the success of most modern companies.
Database architects collaborate with software designers, design analysts, and others to construct large databases that may be accessed by hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals. They begin by researching their employer's needs, assessing the current data architecture, and consulting with workers and users to determine where database upgrades are needed.
Database architects write the code for the database using coding expertise and data access. They will try to troubleshoot any problems and find and remedy any oversights once the database has been built. They will collaborate closely with company workers during the database construction process to ensure that the database satisfies the organization's requirements. The database that is established can be anything from a payroll system to one that manages inventories or customer happiness.
Most modern firms rely on strong database architecture, and missteps in this area can cost millions of dollars. As a result, a database architect must pay close attention to the smallest details. They must also be able to comprehend their employer's existing and future database requirements, as well as build a platform that works across numerous systems in multiple domains.
Maintaining, updating, and upgrading a database architect's system is also a vital part of their job. They must be able to recognize and resolve issues in these areas as they arise, as well as ensure that the database's hardware and software are in good working condition and that it keeps up with the ever-changing flow of technological advancement.
Database architects must also discover user trends and use this information to improve performance and suggest new ways to improve the existing database. They must also arrange upgrades and maintenance at times when they will have the least impact on the business; this may entail working nights or weekends to guarantee that the database is up and running before the start of the business day.
Typical career responsibilities?
Examine the current database for security flaws.
Upgrade the existing system or propose a new one.
Ensure the safety of your data.
Assist employees with technical issues.
Perform data entry and information transfer.
#9 - Product Photographer
Median salary: €32.000,00
Average hourly rate: €15,00
Career satisfaction: Very High
What is a Product Photographer?
Photographers use their cameras to capture photographs that tell stories and communicate their personalities and opinions via their work.
A photographer is often self-employed and engaged in individual projects by a variety of clientele. A client who hires a part-time/freelance photographer is responsible for implementing the client's preferences down to the smallest detail, as well as setting up a business strategy that makes pricing and options plain and accessible.
Photographers are in charge of the digital or physical creation of their photos, as well as some or all of the post-production editing. Simple cropping, adding/changing colours and shading, modifying sharpness and lighting, or deleting things to clean up the image are all examples of editing.
Product photography is a sort of commercial photography in which images of products are taken for business purposes. The object, meal, or cooked dish could be the product. In most cases, though, a product photographed for product photography is small enough to set on a table.
The goal of product photography is to present an object in an appealing or fascinating light. Typically, the image is used to promote a product. The image that results can be utilized in a catalogue, brochure, or website. You will see examples of product photography whenever you open an advertisement, such as a weekly ad from your local grocer, or visit a website where products are for sale.
Typical career responsibilities?
Follow the instructions of the photographers when posing for photoshoots.
Participate in television ads and promotions to promote various products and services.
Model for designers' apparel, accessories, footwear, and jewellery at runway shows.
Take part in trade fairs and conventions to promote your company's products.
Keep an up-to-date portfolio of your work.
To develop specific styles, collaborate with hair and clothes stylists as well as makeup artists.
Maintain a well-defined physical appearance in conformity with industry standards by following appropriate health and fitness regimes.
Conduct research on the fashions of designers as well as other products to be modelled and marketed.
#10 - Freelance Videographer
Median salary: €29.000,00
Average hourly rate: €14,00
Career satisfaction: Very High
What is a Freelance Videographer?
A videographer is a professional that captures live events and small-scale video productions. Documentaries, live events, short films, court depositions, weddings, birthday parties, sporting events, advertisements, and training videos are among the smaller productions that videographers specialize in. A videographer often works alone with a single camera setup or with a small crew of light and sound technicians on smaller productions.
Corporate videographers work for businesses, and their tasks are primarily confined to creating promotional videos. If the videographer works for a firm that sells shoes online, for example, one of their responsibilities might be to create a short film promoting the company's summer shoe campaign and post it on its website. The videographer is in charge of capturing the event from start to finish if the company is undertaking community outreach or a charity event. The corporation can use this video footage to demonstrate that they are socially responsible, as well as to promote any other campaigns they may be running. Other responsibilities could include recording meetings or running technology to assist in videoconferencing with colleagues around the world.
When it comes to the types of projects they choose to work on, freelance videographers have more options. For example, they might be able to obtain special permits to film in places that aren't normally open to the public. They might be able to copyright their work and upload it on YouTube, which could lead to additional freelancing employment and even bigger projects. Freelance videographers work incredibly hard to secure assignments by submitting bids for work and persuading employers that they are qualified for the position.
Typical career responsibilities?
Video might be shot on set or on location.
Ascertain that all necessary equipment for a shot is present and operational.
Plan the shoot with the client and the creative team.
In post-production, edit the footage.
Assist other camera operators in obtaining the required video.
