The Side Door Approach to Career Success

The side door approach to career success. That is, are there any benefits to a sideways career move? It’s a question we hear a lot. We often work with candidates who are stuck on the idea that the only way to progress their career is by stepping up in their next role. The truth is, career progression isn’t always vertical. Sometimes, taking a lateral step can be just as beneficial in getting you where you want to go – think of it as your side door to career success.

In this article, we’ll walk you through three reasons why a lateral move could be the best next step for your career. We’ll also share why you don’t have to be actively searching for job opportunities – it’s more about keeping your options open, whether you’re planning your next step, considering a sideways move to gain new skills, or even figuring out how to ask for a pay rise.

A sideways move can further develop your skills

When you think about career growth, it’s easy to focus on a vertical move and title changes. But real progression often comes from the complexity, type and size of the projects you work on. A sideways move usually means your title remains the same, but if you choose wisely, the nature of your responsibilities and the scope of your projects can shift significantly.

Look for roles at companies that tackle different types of work to what you’re currently doing, whether it’s project type or ones larger in value. Maybe you’ve been focused on commercial developments in the suburbs, and now you want exposure to EBA high‑rise projects or TOD developments in the CBD. Even within the same job title, these new projects will push you to level up your skills, learn new techniques, and collaborate with fresh teams. Over time, this diverse project exposure makes you more adaptable, and you’ll become a far more attractive candidate when the time does come to take a step upwards.

This approach also helps you to reduce the risk of pigeonholing yourself into a specific sector of the industry. Unless you’re aiming for specialisation, gaining experience across project types can keep your career journey flexible, and open doors down the line.

New mentorship = new perspectives

One of the most underrated benefits of changing companies is the opportunity to learn from new mentors. If you’ve been working with the same people for years, it’s more likely that you’ll reach a point where those mentors have taught you all that they can.

Everyone does things a little differently, even when doing the same job. And every mentor brings their own way of solving problems. By stepping laterally into a new environment, you expose yourself to fresh approaches, alternative workflows, and new schools of thought. Whether it’s a different way of managing stakeholders, learning new technology, or just a new style of leadership, these varied perspectives become a part of your toolkit.

More mentors mean more advice, more feedback, and more options when you face challenges. You’ll build a richer professional network too – one that can support you not only in your next role but throughout your entire career.

Escape the glass ceiling with a growing employer

Not every business you work in will be able to offer you the progression you seek, even if you’ve proven you have the capability for the next step. If the tenure of staff in the business is 10-15 years, it’s a stable employee environment, which is excellent from a cultural perspective.

If you want a good, long-term environment – choose the business with strong retention. But if you’re looking to grow, this can be stifling. With the lack of movement in senior / management roles stopping people from moving up the ranks.

A lateral move into a new business can open up scope for progression if you’ve hit a glass ceiling in your current company. Look for builders about to experience growth (not those that just have). Some indicators to look for include:

1. New office openings in your region
2. A rebound in project volume after a downturn
3. Companies getting busy in growing sectors (for example, age care and industrial are busy right now)

Doing your research and asking questions during the interview process, ensures you join a business where more senior roles are likely to emerge, not just where they’ve already been filled up. That way, you can position yourself for that next promotion once you’ve proven your value in the new environment. So, remember that at many points in our career, our progression will be about making a career move that allows us to grow and learn more.

Not actively job hunting? No problem

You might be thinking, “I’m not actively job hunting.” That’s completely fine, and actually quite common. Many professionals work with recruiters even when they’re happy where they are. It’s not about pressing the panic button, it’s about keeping your options open.

Keep in mind, even if you’re not actively looking, staying connected with a recruiter can help in many ways. They can:

1. Compare your salary and progress within your current company to your peers and market
2. See how your current role measures up to that role with other builders on training, experience, and whether a lateral move could help
3. Map out where different career paths go and what those paths look like (for instance, are there lots of roles like a CA or fewer like Site Engineers and Project Engineers? Do they provide lots of progression? Or like Estimators do they have less progression options as there is only one Estimating Manager per business? And what are the typical salaries? etc)
4. Give advice on timing – When it’s a prime time to explore new options or when it’s smarter to stay put, based on the market, time of year, industry shifts or the political environment
5. Give tenure advise – Know if you’re moving too soon and how your previous tenure track record will look to future employers

How to make a sideways move

1. Research: Look beyond job titles. Dig into project portfolios, company growth plans, and team structures.
2. Ask targeted questions: In interviews, focus on mentorship availability, upcoming project pipelines, and internal promotion pathways.
3. Tap into your network: Talk to peers, past colleagues, and specialist recruiters to get the real story on company culture, opportunities, and career paths.
4. Manage timing: Align your move with key phases in the company’s cycle – when new offices open, budgets reset for projects, or new initiatives kick off.

Conclusion

A step up in job title isn’t the only way to progress. A lateral move can be powerful for professional growth, giving you the skills, mentors, and environment you need to grow. By approaching these opportunities with intent, you’ll set yourself up for a career path that can roll with the changes and keep moving you forward.

So, next time you feel stuck in your career, remember: sometimes the smartest move is the one that looks like a sideways step.

Looking for your next construction job? Search our current construction roles here, or to chat with our team about securing your next opportunity, get in contact with us through our Contact Us page.

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