If you want to get a promotion or transition to a better job, there is more than one way to make it happen. As a general rule, most employees would envision the traditional career path, that is, applying for a position one level up from their current job, but I invite you to consider alternatives and get a 3D overview of possibilities before you embark on the journey.
A career move is just that – a path from point A (your current role) to point B (your desired role), and you can reach the destination by different “means of transportation”, so to speak. I will describe them in ascending order based on two factors:
- the gap between the current and desired jobs (how much effort you will need to shift)
- the level of risk tolerance that you are comfortable with when making the move.
Let’s explore this further.
Step-by-step vertical move (traditional)
This way is about stretching up one level from your current role. For example, growing from a Customer Assistant to Senior Customer Representative.
Key features
Usually, it’s a gradual (read: slow) progression that requires you to acquire and master enough specific skills to match the next level opportunity. As a rule of thumb, most employees start with an entry-level job that allows them to gain experience – and then move up the ladder, so with just a few exceptions, we can call it the most natural and conventional career move.
Provided you have the required skills, this move is a no-brainer and almost risk-free.
When recommended
- It’s perfect for new graduates or employees with minimal experience interested in developing their mastery in a technically-heavy area, such as programming or medicine.
- This is a viable option if you need a job quickly (or you need money right now) and cannot afford a long job search.
- Another reason to consider this path is if you need a guaranteed income to pay your bills while working on other projects, i.e., building your own business.
Common mistakes
Usually, candidates make one of two big mistakes with this move: they either shoot too far from their current level and try to skip this strategy altogether or, vice versa, play too safe and don’t target a position high enough to justify the move.
Career reality check
I’ve seen job seekers target vacancies that require specific skills, tenure, or industry experience by presenting themselves as “quick learners” or “flexible team players”. In real life, this approach only works well for entry-level positions – or when there is a chronic deficit of qualified competitors in the job market. Under normal circumstances, the far-fetched attempt to replace mandatory (and often, technical) competencies with a great promise about the candidate’s potential may leave employers hesitant to take the risk – and they would go with a more experienced job seeker.
On the other hand, sticking to this strategy for the rest of your career is also counter-productive. The danger is that while safe, the incremental career change is also limited in the scale of the new responsibilities and pay it can offer. Sooner rather than later, the employee gets used to landing relatively low-status and low-paid jobs and may miss out on more advanced opportunities.
Paradoxically, both mistakes often lead to the same result: facing repeated rejection or slow progress, candidates eventually lose confidence in their professional value and marketability. To avoid this, make sure you accurately evaluate yourself against employers’ expectations and aim at the right opportunity – not too low, not too high.
How to succeed
First, carefully study the job postings you are interested in to differentiate between their mandatory and preferred requirements. Keep in mind that the mandatory requirements can be non-negotiable and only apply for the jobs you qualify for. But also consider opportunities that, for now, may seem to be a bit of a stretch – you may be surprised to discover that they are, in fact, within your reach.
Second, emphasize your professional credentials as well as organizational, problem-solving, and leadership skills in your resume and during the job interview.