💗 A useful way to understand what you should build next in your career is to look at jobs you’re not ready for yet.

Find roles one level above where you are now and compare the requirements with the kind of work you already do.

You may start noticing patterns.

Maybe more senior roles ask for more ownership instead of simply more execution.

Maybe strategy becomes more important.

Maybe companies start expecting stronger cross-functional work, people management, budget responsibility, or the ability to make decisions without as much direction.

If the same requirements keep appearing across different companies, that gives you a useful signal.

You don’t need to check every box today.

The point is to understand what the market tends to expect at the next level, so you can make more intentional decisions about what to learn or take ownership of now.

A job description doesn’t have to be a role you’re applying for to be useful.

Sometimes it can be a career roadmap.