6 Reasons to Consider Lateral Moves as Career Advancement

6 Reasons to Consider Lateral Moves as Career Advancement

“Climbing the corporate ladder” makes it sound like there’s only one way to get to the top. But many of us end up exploring a variety of paths in our careers. And episode 27 of Career Strategies for Women that Work, we look into the benefits of lateral moves. These are the career changes that don’t typically involve a significant change in salary, title, or level. They may not seem very beneficial at first, but a lateral move doesn't mean you aren't gaining new experiences or learning new skills. So, are they worth it? Should you look into moving laterally in your career and how do you go about it??

Just last week at a women in tech conference, I was stopped in the hallway after a keynote and a woman asked, “You know, I love all your data, but what if I'm not ready to go up? I've been offered a position that seems more of a lateral move, should I consider it?”

It was hard to answer questions like that on the fly, but it reminded me of a chapter in my book, Accelerate Your Impact: Action-Based Strategies to Pave Your Professional Path, Exploring Lateral Moves. I wrote this chapter because I, too, wasn't encouraged to take lateral moves early on in my career.

What I have learned, is sometimes, lateral moves can help you advance your career. In fact, I loved when I read Cheryl Sandberg's Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead because she often referred to our career as a jungle gym, not a ladder, not a straight line from here to there. She really encourages women to check things out, learn different perspectives, and work for different managers.?

If I’m going to be honest, looking back on my career, it really seems more like a climbing wall. You know, the walls you see in sports centers. You have to be in good shape, you have to be prepared, and oftentimes, you need the right tools and shoes and even mindset to make your way from your desired location to the next step—and sometimes those steps are sideways.?

From my perspective, some of those steps will be clear, such as a promotion or a new department lead, while others may show up like projects, mentoring opportunities, or cross-mental training. These lateral moves may help you build the momentum you need to leap forward and take the next critical step in your career (especially if you don’t have a sponsor pulling those strings for you).?

6 reasons to consider lateral moves

Some of you may think a lateral move seems like a waste of time, but for some of us, upward mobility might not be an option so a later change is the best (or only) option. Here are six reasons you may want to consider it.?

3:25 – #1: You may be able to enhance your marketability.

It's possible that the role you're in now doesn't give you access to emerging markets, technology, insights, wisdom, or where your industry is going. A lateral move may provide more marketability for you.

3:40 – #2: You may want more visibility.

If the role you're working on has you in a small group that doesn't get access to executives, customers, or product teams that often, a lateral move may give you that visibility that you don't currently have in your current role.

3:58 – #3: You want to build your network inside or outside the company.?

A lateral move may give you more access to new people, new networks, and even new conversations.

4:10 – #4: You may be burned out and you want to be revitalized.

You need a new source of energy, new things to talk about, and new focus areas—and if you are feeling burned out, a lateral move could be an awesome option.

4:25 – #5: You want to break out of a rut.

Maybe you're in a stagnant situation and you really just want to work with different people, work on different problems, and have different conversations.

4:40 – #6: You want to work with different people or for different people.

Maybe the people you work with don't align with your values or you feel like you would be a better match in a different department or a different organization.

When to make a lateral move

5:30? As I’ve mentioned before in previous episodes, you can only build self-efficacy by going after things that you're not a hundred percent prepared for. So changing jobs, moving laterally, might give you opportunities to stretch your skill sets. Now, I know it can be scary and you may even say, I'm not ready or I'm not sure I'm going to like that position, but sometimes you just need to shake it up a little and do things differently. That would be a great opportunity to explore a lateral move.

It often takes nine to 12 months to cultivate the right move, even a lateral move, which is unfortunate, because many women decide it’s time for a change when they're on their last nerve. They're over the team, over the content, over the project, or sometimes over their manager or the culture in which they're working.

So if you find yourself in a position where you know it’s time to start looking for ways to cultivate the right energy, align to new activities, get access to new projects, or stretch your skill sets, now is a great time to start looking.

Prepare for a lateral move before you make it

8:30 ?Once you start looking for a new position or exploring your lateral move options, it’s likely that people will start investigating you too. Don't be surprised if people start checking out your online profiles or asking for your resume. Here are some questions to ask yourself so you’re prepared.

  • When was the last time I updated my resume?
  • Does my resume highlight milestones, key projects, and deliverables with numbers? (Check out Episode 6: Strategically Sharing Your Accomplishments for tips on how to add more metrics to your accomplishments)
  • Do you need help with your resume? Do you need a resume writer or a coach?
  • How would you rate your LinkedIn profile?
  • Do your resume and LinkedIn profile echo each other or does one or both need work??
  • Do you have references on your profile or people that you can share as you're being considered for new opportunities?
  • Who in your network can help align you for new areas, new opportunities, and lateral moves??

Professional positioning and related branding are critical steps to landing these stretch roles. So whether you're new to this podcast or you've been listening along the way, there are many episodes that could really help position you for lateral moves:

I look forward to hearing about your journey and if this information is helpful for you as you cultivate the momentum, alignment, and impact you desire with these lateral moves!

Tech Savvy Women Group: https://www.dhirubhai.net/groups/124180/

Together We Seek Community: https://www.togetherweseek.online

Career Strategies for Women that Work Podcast - Episode 27:

Aneta Ardelian Kuzma

?Coach ?Wellness Consultant ? ??? Host ? Best-Selling Author ?Helping professionals and entrepreneurs get unstuck, create balance, and design lives they love.

2 年

Great article JJ DiGeronimo!

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