Reorganizations and Your Career Trajectory

When your organization restructures, you may find yourself at a career crossroads. Before trying to target the same role in the same industry, take a beat and find out what you’re looking for next. 

1. Seek out colleagues who left earlier. Find out where they landed and what they learned while exploring the market. This gives you more recent intel on market interests and can save you time and energy avoiding false leads or poor fits. 

In some cases, your former colleague may wish to work with you again and could be willing to extend an introduction or bring you on board their new team.  As such, you should be prepared for submitting your resume and for viewers to read your LinkedIn profile. 

2. Diversify your functional expertise by considering a lateral move to a different area. For those on the career path to Executive and C-Suite Leadership, multidisciplinary expertise and understanding of how functions work together can be incredibly important. In fact, this is a hallmark of many executive leadership programs — providing access to and training in a wide range of functions. 

You can access the on-ramp to executive leadership by taking on related or overlapping fields with 1-2 year tenures in diverse areas, especially if you can connect how this exposure benefits your long-term target position. For example, a Chief Cyber Officer would benefit from a background in legal or a Chief Operations Officer might be valued for time spent in supply chain management. 

3. Enhance your portfolio and network through consulting. Hone and showcase your versatility by performing some consulting or advisory work all while gathering more use cases and potential partners. Track your conversations, engagements, and the measurable impact you bring. 

There is a reason many consultants make rapid inroads into organizations. Successful consultants are more comfortable with self-advocating, validating an investment and gaining buy-in, then rapidly shaping a strategy and driving measurable results. Consulting hones the same skills you will need to rise through the ranks. 

4. Take a step back so you can take a step forward — when you’re ready. In some cases, new leaders find themselves ill-equipped or poorly supported in a leadership role. 

Take leadership courses through professional organizations or credentialing bodies. Find coaches and mentors through your network or formally hire one that aligns with your needs, goals, and learning style. 

It’s important to know the scenarios in which your leadership style works well. There are many different types of leaders. You will succeed as a leader when you can articulate and deploy a well-honed leadership style that aligns with organizational needs. 

5. Consider taking on an individual contributor role. While many executives like to ratchet up their number of direct and dotted-line reports, budget size, and geographical footprint, some find they prefer individual contributor roles and, in many cases, can substantially improve their compensation packages. 

One of my clients went from GM to AI Engineer — he is much more fulfilled, has more time at home (no international travel), and makes 3x the comp. Another client transitioned from overseeing large manufacturing teams as Chief Operations Officer to a Chief Strategy Officer with no direct reports. He loves the freedom that comes with working with others to drive multibillion-dollar growth, without worrying about pushing others to hit their goals. 

If you are anticipating a reorganization, you can expand your opportunities by looking beyond lateral moves to same-industry competitors. Look up, down, and all around while keeping in mind your long-term goals.