Career-Mobile is the New Corporate Ladder

The Career Wonkavator

Career development for millennials is more Wonkavator than Ladder. Jobs don’t progress rung by rung anymore. Instead, we’re in for a wild ride moving side to side, going down in order to move up, and if you’re on the good side of the white male who owns the place, you might be able to break through the glass ceiling.

I wish I was kidding but lateral moves happened more than actual promotions for me. I’d move to a higher volume store but keep the title. At times, my career went in a completely different direction than I expected. I once took a lower title with the promise that I’d get my own store in 3 months when the spot opened up. The date came and went and no new store—promise broken.

I made diagonal moves, too. That’s what I consider my side-gigs. I was moonlighting in the world of copywriting and marketing projects, which set my career path on a whole new trajectory.

The Odds are Against You

The corporate ladder is a lie. Or a dream, if you're an optimist. Either way, the reality is most organizations have one way up for employees' professional growth... If you have different ideas, tough luck.

Besides that, numbers are against you. There are just fewer spots in upper levels than at the bottom. You're fighting workplace politics, poor training and development, other candidates, and the corporate machine when you vie for a promotion.

And though our predecessors took jobs straight out of school, worked them for 32 years, and then retired, doesn't mean we can. The money isn't good enough.

So, what's a millennial to do?

Career hop.

Put a more profile-friendly way, be "career-mobile."

Career-Mobile: Defined

Being career-mobile means you're always updating your resume, you're actively improving and learning, and are a huge asset to your existing team—ready to pursue other opportunities as you need to.

You keep your LinkedIn and portfolio refreshed and you put effort into keeping your network warm.

Why Being Career-Mobile is an Asset

I didn't set out to have 16 jobs in 10 years, but it happened. Moving cities played a role in some exits, while other reasons span lay-offs, escaping toxic environments, or trading up for a better job when a promotion wasn't on the table.

Instead of praying for that yearly 2% raise (that sometimes didn't come at all), with each new company, I landed much bigger paychecks and edged closer to my big-picture career goals. (And I didn't have to wait for a spot to open up or upset the system to get it.)

You can't stick it out with one company anymore. With few exceptions, they're not equipped to help employees grow or even keep salaries consistent with inflation.

Embodying the moniker "career-mobile" swings the employer/employee power dynamic in your favor.

This is the best way I've found to have flexibility, grow a paycheck, gain unshakable confidence in pursuit of my career goals—and never be hostage to a workplace or boss ever again.