Making Lateral and Vertical Career Moves: Do's & Don'ts

Career paths aren't always perfectly linear, and sometimes lateral career moves are necessary to ultimately reach your career goals.

Lateral movement for your career has several advantages, but climbing the corporate ladder can't always be done just by taking similar positions.

You may be asking yourself if you should make a career change. That's why knowing when to make a vertical career change and when to make lateral movements can help you confidently plot your next career move to get closer to your dream job.

What Is a Lateral Move?

A lateral move is defined as taking a new position that is essentially on the same level of the corporate ladder as your current role. You might hear a lateral move called a horizontal change, but they are the same thing.

Sometimes, identifying lateral movement can be tricky from one company to another as the hierarchies will be set up differently.

When evaluating a movement as lateral, look for new responsibilities and the skill set required to do your new job. Do you have to learn new skills? What about about an expanded leadership role? If the job description is similar to your current job, there is a good chance it's a lateral movement, even if there is an increase in pay grade.

Lateral career moves don't have to be company to company, sometimes just joining a different department within your current company can qualify.

How Can a Lateral Move Be Good for My Career?

Regardless of if your new role is within your current company or a new company, there can be big advantages.

Changing jobs often come with new opportunities for career growth and sometimes higher pay. You can also learn new skills that can help you in a future job search, or position yourself for a vertical movement.

Some departments have different ceilings in terms of career advancement than others, even within the same company. Making a move to a new department can give you a new career path to follow.

When a Lateral Move May Not Be Beneficial

Just because there are advantages to lateral career moves, doesn't mean they are always right.

Although lateral moves can lead to future opportunities, they inherently stall career development in the short term. Especially when switching companies, it will take you a while to learn about your new company culture and learn your new role, even if it's a fairly similar role.

Future employers also might be confused by too many lateral movements appearing on your resume. Although not earning higher positions within a single company isn't up to an employee, you might get asked about why you didn't pursue a vertical career move and new challenges compared to taking a similar role elsewhere.

How To Make a Lateral Move: Do's and Don'ts

Before you actually make a lateral career move, you need to make sure it's the right move for you and your career goals.

A few things to keep in mind before lateral career movement include:

• Do talk to people you view as mentors, maybe that's a career coach, your current employer, or even co-workers. Getting career advice from people you trust can help you reflect on your goals and how you want to achieve them.
• Do evaluate new opportunities in your current company and any available jobs at different companies. Look at benefits like health insurance, work-life balance, and more. Sometimes what appears to be a lateral change can be a step backward.

There are also several things that you shouldn't do when it comes to lateral movements:

• Don't take a job that has lesser benefits than your current position. If your lateral movement doesn't at least keep you in the same situation, it probably isn't worth taking.
• Don't make too many lateral moves without making some vertical moves. Future employers will look at your resume and could be deterred by an applicant who avoids increased responsibility.

What Is a Vertical Move?

A vertical move is any career move that takes you into a new position higher up the career ladder than your current position. A higher position often includes increased pay grade, expanded responsibilities, and sometimes new required skills. Sometimes it's even as simple as switching from a part-time role to a full-time role with expanded pay and benefits.

The most obvious example of a vertical move would be going from a team member to a management or similar leadership role or other similar promotion. Sometimes vertical career moves are bestowed on a person through corporate realignment

A vertical career move isn't always within a single department or company, though. Sometimes a vertical move can be made by changing departments is still vertical, even though there isn't a direct step-up from your current position.

How Can a Vertical Move Be Good for My Career?

Vertical career moves are often more obviously good for a worker than lateral moves for multiple reasons.

Making a vertical move can include several of the following benefits, and sometimes even more:

• increased pay
• a better job title
• increased responsibilities
• clearer career path
• show recruiters and future employers that you're motivated and willing to learn new skills and take on challenges

How To Make a Vertical Move: Do's and Don'ts

Making a vertical career change is one of the best ways to get closer to your dream job. To make sure your vertical move is the right next step for your career, make sure to follow these do's and don't's:

• Do look for positions with more responsibilities and increased pay.
• Do try to find a position closer to your dream job or career.
• Do look for jobs that either expand on or employ your current skill set.
• Don't take a job with more work, but the same pay or job title.
• Don't take positions that are unrelated to your career goals.

Any vertical move should only be taken if it gets you closer to where you want to be in your career. Having a detailed plan for your career can help you avoid taking steps that take you away from your goals or back down the corporate ladder.