Contemporary approaches to managing the careers of professionals in innovative enterprises

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, career growth management has become a key determinant of success for innovative enterprises. The ability of an organization to build a flexible, competent, and motivated workforce directly influences its competitiveness, adaptability, and capacity for innovation. The purpose of this study is to systematize the main approaches to career management and to substantiate the components of a career management model that considers the specific features of innovative enterprises. To achieve this objective, the research employs systemic and comparative analysis, content analysis of academic literature, theoretical generalization, and a structural-functional approach. The paper examines the evolution of the “career growth management” concept and identifies the factors that determine its effectiveness in innovation-driven organizations. It provides a comparative analysis of contemporary career models, including protean, boundaryless, and self-directed careers, outlining their advantages, limitations, and areas of application. Building on this foundation, an integrated model of career management is proposed, combining organizational methods (such as structured career planning, mentoring, and succession planning) with employee-centered approaches (self-directed development and value-based career trajectories) and advanced digital tools, including HR analytics and artificial intelligence algorithms. The model is designed to align strategic business objectives with individual employee aspirations, ensuring continuous career support and talent development. By integrating AI-powered recommendations, personalized learning pathways, and ongoing career dialogues between managers and employees, the model enhances workforce adaptability, fosters innovation, and strengthens organizational resilience. The implementation of this approach enables organizations to identify and unlock employee potential promptly, build a robust talent pipeline for innovation projects, mitigate skill gaps and burnout risks, and maintain high levels of engagement and creativity across their workforce. The results of this study can serve as a basis for developing effective HR strategies in companies striving for sustainable growth and market leadership. Keywords: career growth management, career models, integrated model, innovative enterprise, digital technologies, strategic human resource management, artificial intelligence.