Is Your Career Feeling Stuck, Even With Lateral Movement? Consider This

There can be many ways to try and get more for what you offer in the career space. For example, one of the most common is the lateral move, that is if you move to a similar role every three to five years but with different companies, you may be able to leverage your experience and gain a higher salary. 

This isn’t a perfect science of course and depends on the market you’re working in, but it’s the generally accepted advice. But what if your career feels stuck even with lateral moves? Are there ways to burst into the next stage without necessarily being at the whims of possible hires, or being passed over again and again?

While we can’t give you specific advice based on your own requirements, we can certainly offer you some vital steps that can only help depending on how you implement them into your working schedule. If your career is feeling stuck, then, you may consider some of these vital tips:

Rework Your Network & Get Involved

It’s not easy to find good opportunities if no one knows you’re looking, which means a good first step is to let your trusted contacts know what kind of role or growth you’re hoping for. Keep it professional, of course, but even a casual heads-up could possibly help you cash in on the friendships you’ve made. It can’t hurt at least.

Keep in mind that this doesn’t only mean talking to people you already know. It might be that joining a professional organization, attending a couple of industry events, and possibly taking part in an online forum will get your name seen in the right places. Saying yes to a placement opportunity might help you meet others, for instance.

Upgrade Your Qualifications & Look Forward

A long-term commitment to your career means sometimes you need to refresh your knowledge and skills. One great way to do that is by taking on further education, because a well-chosen course can fill in skill gaps, give you a clearer view of your industry, or possibly help you pivot to a slightly different direction where opportunities feel wider depending on the niche you work in.

This can take many forms, but one solid option is working toward an MBS online, as courses that are flexible, designed with real working professionals in mind, and can give you a strong set of tools for whatever step comes next is going to empower you and look better on applications as well.

Take Initiative & Stretch Your Current Role

Not every step forward needs to come from outside, as you may be able to unlock more where you are now by stepping up a little. That could mean asking for responsibility in an area that’s outside your usual remit, or suggesting a new project that fills a need you’ve noticed. Sell it, and sell yourself even within the company you work for. It might help.

For instance, you may be able to take on small things like offering to help onboard a new starter or leading a brief in a meeting, and you may be looked on differently after that. Maybe even for promotion.

With this advice, we hope you can keep going in your career despite feeling stuck.