Not everyone wants to become a boss and lead the rest. But this does not mean the absence of a desire for professional growth and material independence. Just such people closer horizontal career. You will learn what this is and how it differs from the vertical, who suits and who doesn't, from this article.
Move up or forward?
Success and independence can be achieved without a chair. But in modern society there is an opposite opinion. Most employees strive to move to the next “step” in order to eventually become a boss and gain advantages over those who are “down”. Of course, they will have a lot of competitors along this path, but this is the whole interest. Thus, it is possible to constantly improve, and in the end - to become the best.
The horizontal view of the career is different in that there are simply no competitors here - apart from yourself, the one you were yesterday. And most importantly - a person has the freedom to be himself and do what he likes.
Of course, such a career will be successful only if you constantly work on yourself and improve your own qualifications, deepen knowledge and accumulate experience. So a certain path of professional growth can be traced here.
In what areas can you build a horizontal career?
It is not at all necessary to develop and gain experience within the framework of one company. You can fundamentally change the type of activity, while remaining a sought-after specialist in both sectors. Examples of a horizontal career can be seen at every step, and the most incredible: a journalist and a yoga teacher, a bank clerk and travel guide, a farmer and an insurance agent. Generalists with valuable skills are the dream of any HR manager. Therefore, it does not mean at all that if you do not grow up, your level of earnings will not rise.
Ideal areas for diverse development and horizontal career will be such as design or art, advertising or marketing. Success is achieved by journalists and designers, IT specialists and programmers, engineers and artists.
Development examples
If everything is extremely clear and precise with a vertical career, then with a horizontal career, a person can move in almost any direction. For example, a financier working on a vertical principle, after graduation, takes the position of assistant accountant and eventually replaces him. Then he grows to the chief accountant and, finally, becomes a financial director or general manager. 
There are many more “horizontal” examples, the most obvious of them: copywriter, designer, programmer, editor, technical director or art director.
The brand manager of one of the large enterprises began as an ordinary sales manager and grew to a senior manager. Thanks to his love of computer technology, it was he who was engaged in the formation of the assortment and the procurement of goods. So gradually he moved to marketing, interacting with buyers, coming up with new slogans and promotions. In parallel with marketing, he discovered within himself the talents for research and development, after which he found himself in a new direction Research and development. Moreover, he himself says that he fundamentally refused leadership positions. After all, he himself was interested in the development from scratch of each new direction.
The main thing is to make a choice
And the choice, to put it mildly, is not easy. The fact is that the best are always leaders.Those who prefer horizontal career development are often simply not able to find leadership inclinations. It is difficult for them to solve fundamentally different tasks, distribute responsibilities and lead others.
But climbing the career ladder is not easy. It often happens that the leaders themselves switch to a horizontal career. Instead of growing up, they change their priorities, try to travel more often, spend more time with their families. And just because it’s so comfortable.
Stereotypes related to the fact that everyone should come to the factory as workers and grow up to the director have long been a thing of the past. Today it is everyone’s personal choice. And to make it right, you need to understand how the vertical and horizontal careers differ, what advantages and disadvantages they have.
Material and moral factor
Horizontal career has its drawbacks, which are sometimes crucial. Therefore, they are definitely worth considering.
In financial terms, especially at first, success will not have to wait. It is easier to count on salary increases precisely with vertical growth. Or, as an option, you can become a narrow specialist, demanded in the market, and change employers, increasing the salary level. But still, moving horizontally, you have to start from scratch every time.
Surely it will be difficult and moral. At a young age, when full of strength and energy, career difficulties are not so sad. But with age, the need to develop a new career, achieve success and the recognition of colleagues can adversely affect self-esteem.
Public opinion
From the point of view of the public, the decision to radically change the line of activity may seem like complete madness. So if it really matters to you what people are saying about you, you may have to give up your horizontal career.
There is an opinion that a person who does everything right away does not know how to do anything well. This lies in our subconscious, although in fact it is not always true. After all, you can work out your whole life as a chief accountant, constantly confusing debit with credit. Another thing is that it is difficult to become an ideal specialist in each of the selected industries. So, if you are a perfectionist and used to do everything at the highest level - be prepared for the difficulties.
Lack of certainty
While everything is very clear in a vertical career, there are no development prospects in a horizontal career at first glance. You are unlikely to answer your own question: “What will I become in ten years?” If the result is more important to you, and not the process itself, it is also better to refuse such an idea.
The benefits of horizontal movement
Well, for those who have not changed their minds, it's time to analyze all the advantages that a horizontal career type has.
- Every day - new knowledge. Since you decide to change specialization or engage in other activities, you will have to re-learn. There are people who like it, so if you consider yourself among them - go for it!
- Lack of boredom. It happened to you: it seems that you are working in good faith, the boss praises, there are prospects, and yet something is missing. Such subconscious dissatisfaction can become a chore and even hate the work that you once really liked. Those whose choice has become a horizontal career are constantly changing occupations, maintaining their interest in life. And such an activity brings them nothing but positive emotions.
- Broadening the horizons. It may turn out that before you open the doors of an industry that you did not even think about, but which has always been of interest to you. For example, in your youth you dreamed of becoming a doctor and watched films about doctors, but in the end, you work as a journalist. You can always write on medical topics and enjoy reading scientific research that will be part of the work.
- Live multiple lives at once.To choose one path and go along it is unimaginably boring. Isn't it better to live different lives, embodying a new dream every time? After all, changing your specialization, you are as if starting a new life. Yes, it's scary, especially at first. But how many dizzying emotions!
- The opportunity to make new friends. Working in the same sphere all your life, you see the same faces around you. While radically changing the profession, you can expand your circle of acquaintances and recharge with new emotions.
- No risk. No matter how high you climb up the career ladder, there is always a danger of falling off it, and another person will take your position. Professional recognition, material and other benefits - all this can remain only in memories. Moving forward, not upward, you will definitely not fall. And you will always carry the main values in yourself - nobody will take them away.
- The possibility of self-realization. The need for the application of one’s own talents and the realization of cherished desires - is this not what everyone dreams of? Many people splash it out in their favorite hobby, but why not make it a real income?
To summarize
From a rational point of view, a horizontal career has more disadvantages than advantages. It is not easy physically and mentally, you will have to relearn again, and in material terms you are more likely to lose. The situation is fraught with the loss of your own guiding lines, the impression that you are betraying yourself.
But look at it from a different angle: if you have several talents hidden in you, why not realize them all, one by one? And the best way to do this is to just “try on” several professions. In the worst case, you lose nothing, because you can always go back to your previous work.
There are different types of careers. Horizontal, vertical - only two of the most basic of them. So different, but equally attractive. And the choice between them depends only on you.