Are you looking for ways to boost your career? Making a lateral job move can be an effective choice. It means leaving one role or company and moving into another without advancing in rank, but with the potential for increased satisfaction and success.
Why consider a lateral move? Lateral moves offer opportunities to apply existing skills and knowledge as well as develop new ones in different areas of work that could be beneficial down the line.
They are also generally easier to make than applying for promotions within the same organisation, since transferable skills from related fields often help move applicants through the process more quickly. Further, they may bring higher salaries due to differences between markets and industries.
The benefits of taking a sideways step in your career can extend beyond enhanced earning power – developing fresh working relationships is possible if you shift companies.
This emboldens employees by offering them access to colleagues who could provide valuable insight into their industry or even give feedback on their work performance (be it good or bad!). Engaging with peers both inside and outside of your current organisation allows you to network professionally while growing yourself personally too!
Why Consider a Lateral Move?
A lateral move can provide an opportunity for professional and personal growth. It can also open up doors to new projects, insights, or experiences that your current job may not provide.
For example, it might give you the chance to explore different industries or roles which could be beneficial in terms of progressing your career further down the line.
Switching into another role or even another department within the same organisation offers scope for increased responsibility and career development opportunities.
Benefits of Taking a Sideways Step in Your Career
Taking a sideways step to another role can provide you with the time and space that you need in order to reflect on your career goals and ambitions. Moving into a different position can give you an external view of your current industry, as well as the chance to acquire valuable skills which may not have been available before.
It presents an opportunity for growth without having to leave your current organisation or disrupt any existing relationships, thereby enabling more continuity in terms of responsibilities within the same workplace environment.
Taking the leap of faith and changing jobs can seem like a risky decision with uncertain outcomes. However, taking a lateral move can be an effective way to boost your career prospects.
A lateral move can give you additional credentials and help refine or expand existing skills that make you appear as an appealing candidate in growing sectors. Here are some potential benefits of making a sideways step:
Increased Opportunities – The wider network increased by working at another company provides more possibilities for future growth and chances to meet new people who hold positions that might fit your long-term plans better than where you are right now.
Expand Your Skillset – You don’t have to completely change industries to benefit from a diversified experience that might not otherwise be available where you currently work; no matter if it’s software engineering, marketing, human resources (HR), or anything else related tasks needed for success in any career field, shifting across departments adds value because it gives insight into how other areas operate within the same industry/organisation–further enhancing one’s understanding on current roles and ambitions going forward.
Intellectual Stimulation – Even staying put within the same sector can create boredom over time due lack of challenges faced when doing something repetitively each day – so why not spice things up by taking advantage of learning various approaches and techniques while working with different people in a lateral move.
Lateral moves offer numerous benefits that help you grow professionally and make you more appealing to potential employers, not just for future job opportunities but also as an individual who is open-minded about learning new skills. Not only can it boost your confidence but will provide the necessary tools to make better decisions on how best to shape your career long-term.
Making A Successful Transition to The New Position
When considering a lateral move, the biggest challenge is often making the transition to an unfamiliar position. The key is to identify what skills and experiences will be beneficial for you in this new role.
Even if your current job was successful, it’s important not to stay too complacent – continual development is essential for career advancement. It’s also worth exploring any potential learning opportunities which could aid long-term growth within an organisation.
Look beyond tangible changes such as salary rises or earning promotion titles – sometimes achieving satisfaction through personal development can even outweigh these conventional rewards of success.
Another important step when considering a lateral move is to consider how to notify your employees you’re relocating. This can be an intimidating process, but taking the time to communicate clearly and respectfully can help ensure that all parties involved understand the transition as well as possible.
To summarise:
Investigate how people in this setting interact and what its values are.
Identify the skills and experiences you have that could be useful in this role or organisation.
Find out who can guide or support you through your transition process.
Recognise any existing contacts who might benefit you when changing roles.
Identifying Potential Job Opportunities
It is important to consider potential job opportunities when considering a lateral move in your career. There could be numerous possibilities that exist outside of what you have traditionally done or thought possible. You may want to think out of the box – explore areas that are related or parallel to your current profession and even try something completely new!
For example, if you are working as an accountant and would like to take a sideways step in your career, a lateral move could include jobs such as internal audit, financial analyst, business consultant, or tax advisor. Think about validating any required qualifications for such positions with employers directly before making any decisions.
Apart from job sites and recruitment agencies, networking is another great way of finding potential job opportunities. Get involved in industry gatherings and networking events where fellow professionals can share their experiences and offer advice on making lateral moves within respective industries.
Additionally, researching trade publications or joining associations connected to specific industries might also expose you to vacancies not found through traditional channels – including those aligned more closely with specifically desired roles/careers than yours first seemed relevant for.
Real-life connections can open many doors which previously seemed closed – don’t underestimate their potential! Connect with existing contacts on LinkedIn who have experienced similar transitions; they may be able to point you towards exactly what’s best for you. Professionally and personally, these connections could give direct access to unexplored options that fit your needs perfectly.
Before making any major decisions around changing roles, it’s important to get a good idea about what job opportunities are out there. Doing research is key here; engaging with recruiters or colleagues who work across different departments may help uncover new job prospects that you hadn’t previously thought about before.
It might also be helpful to join internal groups related to developable areas within the company, such as marketing or product development – these could offer additional networks and professional circles, allowing access to new types of projects outside of just your original profession focus area.
Making A Successful Transition to The New Position
You might be considering a lateral move as an option for boosting your career. This type of move involves transferring from one job to another within the same organisation, or even external organisations, at the same level of responsibility. But why would you consider such an action?
A lateral move offers numerous benefits which could set you up for success in the long run. Like any other promotional opportunities, it can allow you to gain further experience and broaden your skill set. It also provides flexibility by allowing professionals to explore their creative side and experiment with new roles that may eventually lead them higher up professionally down the line.
Additionally, it allows workers to switch working environments and gain hands-on practical knowledge not available within their current position that will prove valuable when taking on new challenges later in life.
In order to make a successful lateral transfer while reaping all its potential positive outcomes, you must begin by identifying possible job openings in line with your qualifications amongst potential employers either inside or outside of your current organisation who are offering these types of positions.
Doing research thoroughly is key here – read through official documents regarding recruitment policies and procedures so that nothing gets overlooked during this step before reaching out to interested parties if applicable; put self-assurance into play until a prospective opportunity presents itself!
Maximising the Impact of Lateral Moves on Your Career
Making a lateral move in your career can have a major impact on everything from job satisfaction to long-term pay and performance. To ensure you’re getting the most out of such a transition, there are three key points to keep in mind.
Firstly, focus on building skills and knowledge that will make you a more desirable hire. Consider taking classes or learning new technologies related to your field. If feasible, consider earning an advanced degree too.
Next, think about how you can apply previous experiences when transitioning into a different role in your industry. Even if you don’t have direct expertise in all the tasks associated with this job, some components will be transferable from other positions you’ve held. Working across departments also boosts adaptability and resourcefulness for tackling future challenges inside or outside of work!
Lastly, network both inside and outside of where you currently work. Identify mentors who can offer valuable advice during challenging times – plus connect with additional colleagues who could become helpful contacts for further career success down the road! Furthermore, take time to use online platforms such as LinkedIn prior to making any moves too!
These three approaches combined ensure successful lateral career transitions with increased chances for growth. From developing newfound skills and knowledge to broader networks within your industry – tomorrow’s success begins today!
