Mid-life career changes
By Ann-Maree Moodie | smh.com.au | 03 May
A former post-graduate student of mine wrote recently to share the news that he had stopped working as a "tech-head" to take on a job in the change-management division of a large company.
While, at first, the leap to human resources and transformation management seemed a jarring change for someone with a degree in computer science, on closer inspection it started to make perfect sense.
"Much of my success is due to my ability to communicate effectively," he explained in his email. "[But] I am surprised by how much I'm enjoying the role and the challenge."
Changing direction from IT to HR, from the public service to fast-moving consumer goods or from law to management is a common path for today's workers.
And for managers, particularly those in their 30s and 40s, this course of action can have attractive benefits, including the chance to gain overseas experience.
"[A] dimension of my lateral move was to migrate to Australia from Hong Kong," my former student noted.
While his new job involves soft skills, the hard facts of his formal qualifications and technical certifications helped land the job.
The reasons for a lateral move are varied, but the outcomes are often similar. Those who undertake the move enjoy a more satisfying career. Their resumes boast a depth and breadth of skills and experience that make them more employable.
"I have placed people in a whole range of different roles and the common denominator is the individual's aspiration to do better for [themselves], professionally, experientially and economically," says David Owens, the managing director of HR Partners in Sydney.
"If an individual aspires to experience new types of work, other countries and cultures, and even a greater level of competition in their career, there are always opportunities to do that. Besides, in any job market it's advisable to be continually building your resume and upgrading your skills regardless of your age.
"A lateral career move is a reasonable way to do that."
Industry change is often motivated by unhappiness and frustration; there is no obvious career progression with the current employer and a promotion isn't imminent.
Other reasons for being unsatisfied include lack of opportunities to develop skills, to gain more experience or to learn something new. Boredom, disliking your boss and colleagues, wanting better working conditions and feeling that you don't fit into the culture of the organisation are some other factors.
Under these circumstances, sticking around can herald the death knell for your career if this unhappiness is allowed to develop and you become increasingly disgruntled and unproductive.
There are a variety of ways to resolve the situation, including resigning, working part-time, or enrolling in post-graduate education. It is also worthwhile considering a lateral move.
The difficulty comes from the emotions invested in taking what might appear to some to be a sideways or even a backwards step. You may face a reduction in authority and almost certainly in salary while you learn the ropes in a new industry.
For instance, if you work in car hire and move into sales in the information technology industry, your knowledge of sales and marketing will be an asset.
Nevertheless, you can expect a period of adjustment and learning. Under these circumstances, the new employer will probably remunerate accordingly.
Anne Riches, of management consulting firm The Riches Group, says apart from family, friends and colleagues questioning your judgment, "the difficulties normally encountered with a lateral career move are similar to changing jobs generally".
"All the usual elements associated with changing jobs [are the same]," she says. "[There's] settling into and learning a new role, adjusting to a new culture, learning about and negotiating office politics, and reconciling the difference between what's been said in interviews with the reality of daily life in the workplace.
"And then, given it is a lateral move, [there's] a personal sense of moving sideways and fear about whether you did the right thing, especially if you were settled in the previous role."
Riches says that initially the excitement and determination that a lateral move is the right thing will help industry-changers but she warns: "Watch out for the niggling regrets if it doesn't go as smoothly as you wish."
Riches coined and trademarked the term "The Almond Effect", which is defined as those times when your emotional brain overtakes rational thought. "If this happens, you end up acting aggressively or defensively at the most inappropriate times, including home and work."
Alternatively, the right attitude can turn what might otherwise be a defensive position into an opportunity to enhance your career much more than if you'd stayed in your previous role.
Look before you leap
Chip McFarlane, director of the Institute of Executive Coaching, advises managers thinking about a lateral move to weigh up their options.
Think about what you want to achieve "Having a general idea of what you want does make a difference. Otherwise you're just doing purposeless stuff." Think about career and personal goals you hope to have realised by your jump. How do you want to grow?
Consider how far you want to go You might be satisfied moving into a different sector within your own company. Or you might have your eye on a totally fresh start. "You should ask yourself, 'How much of a stretch is enough?"'
Be prepared to feel like a fish out of water "Any time we go into a learning zone there's going to be some level of discomfort because we are creating new thinking patterns."
Ann-Maree Moodie is the managing director of the Boardroom Consulting Group and is a management educator.
First published by Smh.com.au on May 03 2008
Visit smh.com.au for the latest news updated throughout the day
