What Is a Lateral Move and Is It Right for Your Career?
In today’s evolving workplace, career growth doesn’t always mean getting a promotion or moving up the corporate ladder. One strategy that professionals are increasingly embracing is the lateral move—a shift to a different role at the same level, rather than upward. While it might seem like a “sideways step,” a lateral move can actually be a smart strategy to broaden your experience, build networks, and open doors to future promotions.
What Is a Lateral Move?
A lateral move refers to an employee’s transition from one position to another—either within the same company or to a different organization—while maintaining a similar job level and salary. For example, a Marketing Executive might move to a Business Development Executive role in another department without a significant promotion or pay raise.
Unlike promotions, which focus on greater responsibilities and higher positions, lateral moves emphasize developing new skills, gaining cross-functional experience, and broadening professional perspectives. This strategy is often used by employees who want to avoid career stagnation or prepare for future leadership roles.
Benefits of a Lateral Move
Although it doesn’t always come with a salary increase, a lateral move offers several important benefits for career development:
- Expanding Skills and Experience
Moving into a different role or department gives you the chance to learn new skills, understand cross-department workflows, and gain insights into different sides of the business. This experience can be invaluable if you aspire to move into managerial or strategic positions later on. - Boosting Your Competitive Edge
Companies value employees who can adapt and have a broad understanding of the business. A lateral move can make you more attractive in the job market, especially to an employment agency seeking well-rounded candidates. - Building a Wider Network
Changing roles often gives you access to new teams, clients, and stakeholders, helping you grow your professional network and opening doors for future collaborations. - Avoiding Career Stagnation
Promotions don’t always happen quickly. A lateral move can be a great alternative to keep growing while waiting for bigger leadership opportunities to emerge. - Increasing Long-Term Promotion Opportunities
Many company leaders have taken lateral steps before reaching strategic positions. Cross-functional experience gives them a holistic understanding of the organization—an advantage when promotion opportunities arise.
When Is a Lateral Move Right for You?
While beneficial, lateral moves aren’t the right choice for everyone. Consider the following factors before making a decision:
- Your Long-Term Career Goals
Does the new role align with your future ambitions? A lateral move should support your long-term career vision, not just serve as a quick escape from boredom. - Adaptability
Moving to a new role means learning many things from scratch. Make sure you’re ready to embrace new challenges and environments. - Value of the New Experience
Ask yourself whether the new role will enrich your skill set and boost your competitiveness in the job market. - Support from Your Manager or HR
Communicate your intentions clearly with your manager or HR to ensure the move is well-supported and strategically planned.
The Role of Employment Agencies in Lateral Moves
In practice, employment agencies play an important role in facilitating lateral moves for both employees and companies. In Indonesia, many employment agencies in Indonesia collaborate with major companies to find candidates who not only meet technical qualifications but also demonstrate flexibility and a willingness to grow across functions.
For employees, employment agencies can provide insights into relevant career opportunities. For companies, they can help find the right talent to fill strategic lateral positions without starting recruitment from scratch.
Lateral Moves and Outsourcing Companies
In addition to employment agencies, outsourcing companies also act as a key bridge for employees who want to explore new roles while maintaining job stability. Through outsourcing, employees can experience various industries and positions, gaining broad cross-functional exposure.
Read more: How to Deal with ‘Toxic Loyalty’ in the Workplace
Finding the Right Opportunity with RecruitFirst Indonesia
If you’re considering a lateral move to broaden your professional experience, partnering with a trusted recruitment agency can be a smart step. RecruitFirst Indonesia, as one of the leading employment agencies and outsourcing companies in the country, has a wide network and in-depth understanding of the Indonesian job market.
We can help you discover lateral opportunities that align with your skills and career goals, while also supporting companies in placing the right talent in the right positions.
Contact us to explore the best lateral move opportunities and take the next step in your career journey.
