Should You Make a Lateral Move - The Muse

Should You Make a Lateral Move - The MuseShould You Make a Lateral Move In your career, if youre not moving up, it can feel like youre not moving at all. And because of that misconception, seitlich moves dont always seem like a great idea. Youll have a comparable title, make a similar paycheck, and essentially be on the same level as you were in your previous role- but in most cases, further from a promotion than if youd stayed put. So if you have the opportunity to make a lateral move into another department or functional role at your company, a few key worries may keep you from pulling the trigger. In most cases, though, those worries arent cause for concern rather, theyre benefits waiting to happen. Consider these common doubtsWorry 1 This Wont Help Me Advance My CareerAt first glance, a lateral move may not seem to push you up the career ladder. If youre moving from a sales associate role, for example, to a marketing associate, youre basically starting from scratch in your new de partment- you probably would have been closer to a promotion if youd stayed in sales. But that doesnt mean you career isnt going to move forward. A lateral move can actually give you mora marketability in the long run. By understanding mora aspects of the company as a whole and how different departments fit together, youll likely be better suited for management or executive positions down the road. And, your experience in your prior role can help move you forward, too. When I moved from a technical support position into marketing, I was already intimately familiar with the companys products and customers- which helped me jump in and contribute meaningfully to my new department from the start. Worry 2 Ill be Starting from ScratchYou may be within the same company, but after a lateral move, youll have a new boss, new co-workers, and new responsibilities to master. And now that youre in a new functional role, all the contacts you made in your previous position- mentors, clients, and pe ers at other companies- will no longer be the network you need to move forward. It can seem like even though youve only moved down the hall, youre starting completely from scratch. While its true that youll need to stretch your networking muscles again to start digging in to this new role, your current network can help you get there. Your current mentor can likely point you in the direction of a new mentor in your new department- and your previous colleagues may have friends or contacts they can introduce you to. Building your network within your new role can be challenging, but in the end, youll end up with a network much larger- and even more useful- than your original one.Worry 3 I Wont Make More MoneyFor the most part, a lateral move is just that You move to another role on the same level with similar pay as your current position. But depending on the specific move you make, you may actually be able to use the move to your advantage- even when it comes to your paycheck. When I m oved from a supervisor position to a marketing role, HR confirmed it was a lateral move- however, I researched the market value of my new position and ended up negotiating a $4,000 salary boost in my new role.Thats the beauty of a lateral move- a new position means a new opportunity to negotiate. Is it always possible? No. You may find out that the move truly doesnt warrant a salary change. But you may find out that it does, especially if you didnt negotiate the salary for your previous position. So before you accept the new offer, do your research and make sure youre getting the full value of your new role. Worry 4 Im Mot Moving Up, So I Wont Be ChallengedWhen you make a lateral move, it doesnt always feel like youll be doing more- just something different. And without increasing responsibility, will you still feel challenged? Will you feel like youre advancing professionally? Or will it feel (and when it comes to your resume, look), like youre staying stagnant?It depends on your s pecific position, of course, but a lateral move can actually increase your responsibility significantly. A similar role in another department could, for example, carry the responsibility of managing interns or other direct reports. Or, in my case, maybe youre moving from a managerial position to one without direct reports- but youll be responsible for more big projects that have major visibility within the organization. It may look different than your prior role, but it can- and should- be just as (if not more) challenging. When you make a smart, thoughtful lateral move, you can move into a role that you will enjoy much more, will give you more visibility, and will help you build the skills and network you need to advance even quicker than if youd gone the straight-and-narrow route. Photo of arrow courtesy of Shutterstock.