When it comes to your career, sometimes "up" isn't the only direction you should be traveling.
A sideways or "lateral" move -- defined as a move either within your current company or to a new organization with similar title, pay, and responsibility -- can often be a strategic move that pays off big time in the long-run.
Here are some things to consider before making a lateral job change, thanks to our friends at TopResume.
Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about how fragile we really are as humans. When we are really young, we are in such a hurry to grow up, that we don’t really appreciate who/where we are. I know it sounds cliché, but it certainly rings true to most everyone I speak with, especially once you hit your 40s, 50s and even 60s… For example: I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license and gain my independence, go to bars and dance clubs and legally drink, own a condo at 22, and finally start to make my own money and decisions…
Then one day, you wake up and realize wow, where has the time gone? Where do I see myself in the next 30 or 40 years? What will I look like? Where will I live? Will I get married? Hell, will I make it to see my kids graduate, get married, and/or have babies???
The older and wiser I become, everything and everyone in my life means so much more to me. My colleagues, my family, my friends- new and old. I am now using a new motto I like to call “Scared AF, but embracing every last moment!”
Multitasking. We all do it. I bet you’re reading this right now while on the toilet aren’t you?! Well, better than while driving... When I started at Hobson in 2006, we had a question on our reference check form that was “How would you rate this person’s ability to multi-task?” The idea was that a person needed to be efficient at multitasking in order to be successful in just about any job. However, studies have recently shown that multi-tasking is actually bad for your brain, which is also bad for business, your social life, your family, everything.
Lately I’ve noticed that my work-related stress has pretty much always been tied due to a lack of organization. I have tried to implement more efficient ways to work, but ended up getting frustrated again and again. It was only when I created a realistic routine for myself that I felt better about my work ... It seems like the word “routine” is synonymous with the word “boring” in many people’s minds. What I’ve come to learn, however, is that creating and sticking to these patterns in a world where no one has any control over anything is a small, easy way to control what you DO have power over. This sense of boring, or repetition, will ultimately keep you motivated and productive, and seriously cut back the stress.
Here are the steps that have worked for me:
During a recent Monday morning meeting, our firm’s owner, Danny Cahill, brought up the idea of mindfulness. He discussed that the practice of mindfulness can help refocus your thoughts and energy on the things you can control, and let go of the things you can’t.
I couldn't help think how much this relates to the candidates I speak with about new job opportunities. One of the top reasons people are open to making a job move is that they are “in need of a change”. What does “change” really mean? Is the answer a new job, or does it go beyond that?...
If you're unsure of the answer, now might be a good time to do some reflecting on where you are, where you want to be, and the areas of your life which you can directly improve, such as:
Being the “new guy” is never fun, but this initial stage of anything in life-whether it is a career, school, or even joining a new gym, will set the tone for how the rest of your time there will go. Humans are creatures of habit and change can be tough, even intimidating. Here are five pieces of advice from a rookie herself that will hopefully make the new journey at your new job even more exciting:
Statistics tell that 64% of executive positions are sourced and filled through executive recruiters. This is because networks are the lifeblood of recruiters. If you enlist the help of a few, talented recruiters in your area (geography and/or industry), you will have virtually connected with most every company you would be interested in!
Here are some benefits of linking up with a well-connected recruiter:
I have published two books – one just hit bookstores – and have had several plays produced. I fly for a living, so most of that writing has been done on planes and in hotels.
I knew I was in danger. Biz traveling is exhausting. If I didn’t write while I traveled, 20 years would go by in a blink and I’d be “that guy” – the guy with the novel, essay, memoir in his head that never actually got written down, let alone published.
You have as much time as any other traveler. We all get 24 hours each day. Here are my rules for no excuse business traveling:
Let's face it- the best and brightest professionals don't all live in the same city or state. If companies want to hire candidates with the highest talent potential, from time to time, they'll need to convince some of them to relocate for a new opportunity.
It's not easy for people to give up their life outside the office to move across the country. By understanding why the employees who opt to relocate choose to do so in the first place, you can increase the chances that you'll be able to lure candidates with high talent potential to the city you're based in.
The following infographic by Allied gives some hard data on why employees are willing to move for a job and how companies are able to convince them to do it:
As a Life Sciences recruiter I hear all kinds of reasons why people want to move from the corporate world to a smaller company—most are bored, feeling underutilized, or want to have more influence over decisions. Some have previously worked for small sized organizations and some have not. If you too are thinking about making a move from a large(r) organization to a startup or smaller company, and haven’t done your research, you might be in for a culture shock. Here are some things to consider: