Career Advancement: When to Move On for Better Opportunities

When you are aiming to climb the corporate ladder, the easiest path is to just keep moving up at the company you’re already at. You are familiar with the people, the processes and the company culture—and you most likely have become comfortable in the environment. Not to mention, you’ve established a network of internal connections.

By contrast, if you jump ship and move to another company, you will have to start from scratch as far as earning your reputation, developing connections and just getting settled and fitting in. In other words, it can be a lot of work.

But there are times when it may be worth the hassle to leave your current company and pursue an opportunity somewhere else. This article shares some tips. For example, if you have been stalled at one level for a long time and can’t seem to get a good answer as to why you haven’t been promoted, that might be a red flag. Along the same line, if you have found yourself pigeonholed in one position or one department even though you have an interest and ability to make a change, you may also need to consider whether your options might be better at another company.

Still, this is a move you should make only after careful consideration. Among other things, you will need to navigate the office politics of a new place, involving a whole new set of people. Plus of course you will lose any perks of seniority you currently enjoy.

How do you decide when a new company may offer better advancement opportunities? Share in the comments.

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