Searching for Career Growth? You Might Want to Consider a Lateral Move

The mention of career growth has most people imagine climbing up the ladder at work. And for the longest time, many believed it was the only way to go – and that moving in any direction but up was down. 

But the concept of a career move has vastly changed, with many workers now becoming more open to alternative pathways towards career progression. The corporate ladder has been pushed aside to make way for its successor, the career lattice, which offers more flexible movement within a company, not limited to the vertical kind. 

Think of it as a game of snake and ladders: While the fastest way to the top may be through the vertical routes, you can take several other roads (and these are often the more exciting ones, too). You can explore an alternate path to crushing your career goals by moving sideways, a.k.a. making a lateral career move. 

What Is a Lateral Career Move?

A lateral move is a career move wherein you move across instead of upwards — shifting to a new role, company, or industry with little change in your level, designation, or even salary. Previously associated with an employee’s non-progression or failure to rise the ranks, it no longer comes with such stigma. Thanks, in large part, to the recent economic recession that helped normalise more fluid careers and positions.

While a lateral move may not sound as spectacular as a promotion at first, it can significantly benefit your career when done strategically. A form of pivoting, it can set you on the right path, especially if you feel stuck in your current designation or believe your job is not the perfect fit for your skill set or interests.

And it seems more and more people are seeing it as the smart way to go about career growth, too. A survey by the company Cornerstone OnDemand found that 89 per cent of workers would consider making a lateral move even with no financial incentive, suggesting that employees are motivated by professional mobility and not necessarily a title upgrade or a bigger paycheck.

Reasons for Lateral Moves

There are many reasons why people decide to move horizontally nowadays:

• They may feel bored or stagnant in their current role and want to try something new
• They might be trying to get out of a bad situation, like a toxic boss or an unhealthy environment
• They may use it as a means to escape an imminent layoff
• They may be undergoing a life change (like welcoming a child), which may be easier to handle in a different position

In the Cornerstone OnDemand study, respondents cited the following reasons for considering a lateral career move: to find greater personal satisfaction (57 per cent), to try an entirely new career path (41 per cent), and to be professionally challenged (40 per cent).

The Benefits of Moving Across: What You Can Gain From a Lateral Move

Curious about what you can get from going sideways? Here are some ways your career can get a boost from a sideways career move:

It develops your skills and adds to your experience.

Consider this: Instead of waiting for a promotion, you can develop your skills and experiences with a horizontal career move. “Making a move internally into an area you’re interested in is a great opportunity to ignite your passion and learn new things,” says Sian Havard, Founder of Milkshake Group.

Making a lateral move also allows you to stand out as someone who wants to learn and improve yourself. “Employers value someone who has enthusiasm for what they’re doing and pushes themselves to grow.” Chisholm says, “One specialist skill set will seldom be enough to get a corner office today. Businesses need a breadth – as well as depth – of skills.” 

So, make sure to sharpen your skills to future-proof your career. As you broaden your abilities, remember to update your JobStreet profile to inform potential employers of your range. 

It leads the way to more opportunities.

While you are not exactly moving up the career ladder, you can still consider a sideways move an investment for career progression. Havard says, “A horizontal move can be a valuable decision when it comes to your future. You may not have the skills right now to be able to apply for a different role externally. However, once you develop your skills you may find yourself fielding approaches from companies about opportunities and will be able to apply for external opportunities confidently.”

Your newfound skills and experiences can also help you land that promotion. Sam Chisholm, Business Partner at Cotton On Group, has seen this to be true within his company. “We often move people from smaller jobs in bigger markets to bigger jobs in smaller markets, which helps round out their experience.

When Havard was in HR, she watched employees progress professionally after making the lateral move. “This includes someone who moved from a tech support role to being a software developer, someone who transitioned from a blogger outreach position to a sales role, and someone who moved from a sales management role to a B2B marketing position,” she says.

It builds your resilience.

When you find yourself in a new environment, you will inevitably have to adjust and discover new ways of working. So, with the experience that comes with making a lateral move, you will grow more resilient to workplace changes. 

“By working across different areas in an organisation, or moving to a different type of organisation to do the same role (for instance from a multinational to a start-up, or from a pharmaceutical company to a technology company), you’ll challenge yourself and learn what you’re capable of,” says Havard.

It grows your network and offers fulfilment.

Since it allows you to mingle with new people, lateral move expands your network. It also gives you more chances to explore unfamiliar tasks. “You may find more meaning in your work, whether this is due to the type of work you’re doing, the type of people you’re working with, or the fact you’re learning something new each day,” Havard says.

Building your network provides a lot of benefits. As Chisholm puts it, “Success in a modern organisation is achieved through people who are connected and know who to go to to get things done. When the time comes for a promotion, you’ll have more than one group championing your cause.”

Should you make a lateral move?

With the traditional career growth path falling apart, workers now have more creative options to accelerate their careers. Sure, you may fit your current capacity or company to a T, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s where you belong or can truly flourish. That said, instead of completely entrusting the fate of your career to someone else, you can take matters into your own hands and plot your professional trajectory.

And though making an important change such as a lateral move can be daunting, sometimes this is what it takes for growth to happen. Career progression is not always linear. Keep an eye out for opportunities for you to develop yourself toward your goals. Consider speaking with your supervisor for lateral move opportunities; otherwise, discover other available jobs where you might have the chance to grow more. 

Interested in making a sideways move soon? Let us help you #SEEKBetter. Check out job opportunities on JobStreet and get more expert career advice through the Career Resources section. You can also check out more lateral roles in other industries via Explore Careers. Download the app, available on the App Store and Google Play, for easier access.