CLIMB THE LADDER TO SUCCESS

We are supposed to climb up the ladder to success but with a record high unemployment rate and today’s economy, this is not always the case in our careers. What happens when you lose your job or are forced to make a career move that feels like a step sideways or down? What will your next employer think of the change in direction? Will you be able to advance again?

As long as you are smart about how you present yourself and your experiences to prospective employers, you won’t necessarily derail your career. According to an article, “A Move Down the Job Ladder Might Give You a Leg Up,” by Debra Donston-Miller, who covers work-life issues and difficult job-search situations for TheLadders,^TM such a move is all part of a modern career path that involves tangents but ultimately represents progress. “The key is to make ‘lesser positions’ sound interesting and worthwhile to future employers,” said Nacie Carson, a career-development specialist who focuses on career transition. Regardless of the job, you can create the impression of progress, she said, “as long as you can explain to someone else how it gave you new skills and justify how the experience helped you grow. Employers at all levels want to see people using their time well, not just waiting for the next best thing.”

“People who are in the workforce—even in a job that may not be their first choice—are usually more appealing to employers,” according to Dianne Durkin, founder and president of a consulting and training firm. “While working even in less senior positions, your brain maintains growth and focus, both of which are important in growing your career. You may learn skills that you would not have the opportunity to learn in your desired position. There are always learning opportunities in every environment.”

Debra Yergen, author of the “Creating Job Security Resource Guide,” said taking a step down can work to your advantage if you use the trends you observe to give you a fresh take on a company, an industry, or how employees are thinking and behaving today. “In an interview, it’s important to let a future employer know that while you may have taken the position to keep the lights on, it was invaluable to your career because of what you learned,” Yergen said. “Share something you observed and how it changed your thinking and ultimately made you a better senior-level manager. Relate your newfound understanding in a way that can benefit a future employer, especially if your ‘step backward’ gives you a significant leap forward in better connecting with future staff.”