With many organizations becoming flattened and leaner, the ladder to the top has lost some rungs. Due to this new employment landscape career professionals are encouraging their clients to not only think up, but to also think “sideways.” 

In a lateral career move you (1) move to an equivalent role in an organization, (2) maintain a job title at the same level, (3) you stay in a similar salary range, (4) you may or may not report to the same manager, or (4) your job responsibilities change, affording new challenges and opportunities. 

Any career move should be based on well-defined career goals and a strategic career plan that are the result of a thoughtful and reflective self-assessment and career exploration process. A lateral career move will be of benefit to you –

• If it truly brings you closer to achieving your well-defined career goals – it’s a logical step in the right direction – a forward step down the career path you’ve identified.

• If the job responsibilities connect you with a sense of purpose – in other words, you see your connection to a larger organizational mission – and the mission is one you believe in based on strongly held values.

• If the job connects to your passion – a genuine interest in what you’re doing – performing the work that you love.

• You need to envision what your “next up move” will be. What skills does this position require? Which of those skills are you missing? Will your lateral career move get you closer to addressing those missing skills?

Lateral career moves can also benefit organizations. Specifically, they allow the organization to keep people with good performance while also preventing them from leaving by offering them new challenges and opportunities – and keeping them “fresh” and engaged. 

The path of career advancement is no longer straight and narrow. It can be filled with detours and side roads that eventually get you to the same destination. This requires a practice of strategic patience and professional persistence. It could be worth the wait.