Promotions vs. lateral moves: how to hack your career without accidentally stalling it
So, you’ve hit that point where you’re staring at your career like it’s a poorly documented API - do I go up? Sideways? Or just Ctrl+Alt+Delete and start over?
Relax. You’re not alone. Most of professionals panic at this exact crossroads.
The problem: promotions sound good, but…
- Promotions = more money, fancier title, and the thrilling opportunity to explain to your family what you actually do
- Lateral moves = learning new stuff, dodging burnout, and secretly becoming the office Swiss Army knife
- The catch? Picking wrong could leave you either bored out of your skull or stuck in "wait, how do I get promoted now?" purgatory
The fix: stop guessing and start gaming the system
Ask yourself: do I want to be a specialist or a shapeshifter?
- If you get a weird thrill from debugging at 2 AM, chase that promotion
- If your idea of fun is switching stacks/fields every 12 months, go lateral
- If your answer is "I just want to get paid," valid. But play the long game
Pro tip: hack your next role before you even get it
When applying to the position, ask the team lead or hiring manager:
- "What’s the team’s current dumpster fire?" (Shows you’re ready to solve real problems, not just nod in meetings).
- "How does growth work here - slow climb or rocket ship?" (Because "we value growth" means nothing without specifics).
- "What’s the dumbest bottleneck your team deals with?" (Instant rapport. Everyone loves complaining).
Why? Our totally real research shows candidates who ask these get hired 70% more often. (okay, maybe it’s 7%. Or 0.7%. But why risk it?)
At Eyes of Wonder, you don’t have to choose
- We’re the career equivalent of a buffet - want to go deep on AI this year and pivot to fintech next? Cool
- No rigid ladders here. Just a jungle gym of chaos, opportunity, and "wait, you want me to build what?" moments...
The bottom line:
Your career shouldn’t feel like a bad RPG where you’re stuck grinding the same level. Control the narrative
- Think: "What’s the smartest move for future-me?"
- Do: apply here, ask savage questions, and make your next role actually exciting
Or don’t. Keep scrolling job boards in existential dread. Your call
(Fine, fine. Apply here instead. You’re welcome)
