What is career progression called?

The concept of moving up professionally is described using several terms, depending on the organizational structure and the nature of the change involved. While many people use "career progression" or "career advancement" as umbrella terms, specific models define the path taken. Understanding the different names—like career ladder, career lattice, or vertical versus lateral moves—helps clarify what the expected next steps might be within a company or industry.^[2][8]

# Advancement Defined

Career advancement generally refers to the overall process of moving forward in one’s professional life. This movement isn't always strictly about obtaining a higher title or salary; sometimes, it involves gaining specialized knowledge or taking on new responsibilities that shift one’s focus entirely. ^[8] When discussing professional progress, one must often differentiate between career development, which focuses on acquiring new skills and knowledge, and career growth, which often implies a measurable organizational change, such as a promotion. ^[8] The terminology used often reflects the structure an employer has put in place to manage employee trajectories. ^[3]

# Career Ladder

The most traditional depiction of professional progress is the career ladder. ^[1] This model suggests a clear, predefined, step-by-step route from entry-level positions up through increasingly senior roles. ^[1][5] It is inherently hierarchical; each rung on the ladder represents a specific job title with corresponding duties, compensation, and authority. Climbing the career ladder means moving sequentially upward, achieving one defined promotion after another. ^[1] For many years, this was the expected structure in large, established corporations, offering clarity on what qualifications were needed to reach the next level. ^[5]

Are careers in venture analytics viable?

# Vertical Moves

A vertical move is the action that directly corresponds to climbing the traditional career ladder. ^[2][6] This means moving into a role that has greater authority, more significant responsibilities, and typically a higher salary grade than the previous position. ^[6] In essence, a vertical move is a promotion. ^[2] For instance, moving from a Junior Analyst to a Senior Analyst, or from a Manager to a Director, represents vertical progression. ^[6] This path is often the most easily quantifiable measure of career success because the title change and reporting structure shift are clearly defined.

# Lateral Moves

In contrast to the upward climb, a lateral move involves changing roles without necessarily changing one’s level of authority or seniority. ^[2][6] This means moving sideways within the organizational chart. ^[2] The primary driver for a lateral move is usually skill acquisition or exposure to a different department or function. ^[5] For example, a Marketing Coordinator moving to an Operations Coordinator role at the same pay grade is executing a lateral move. ^[6] While this might not immediately look like "advancement" on a strict organizational chart, it is a vital component of modern professional development because it broadens an individual's skill set. ^[5]

A crucial element to recognize when discussing lateral movement is how it is perceived and how one should frame it to stakeholders. If a lateral move is positioned merely as an attempt to escape a current role, it can be viewed negatively. However, if you present the move as a strategic decision to acquire specific, cross-functional expertise—say, moving from Product Development to Technical Sales to better understand customer pain points before returning to a higher-level Product role—it is viewed as proactive career capital building. ^[5] This strategic reframing is essential for ensuring lateral steps are seen as developmental investments rather than stalling maneuvers.

Are careers in organizational network analysis growing?

# Lattice Models

As organizations have become more complex and specialized, the rigid career ladder has often been supplemented or replaced by the career lattice. ^[3] The lattice concept recognizes that professional development should not always be strictly vertical. ^[5] It allows for both vertical movement (promotions) and lateral movement (skill building). ^[3][2] Think of the lattice as a network of interconnected paths rather than a single straight line. ^[3] Employees can move up, down, or across roles to gain a wider array of experiences. ^[3]

This structure supports the idea that expertise is built not just through seniority, but through varied exposure. In smaller, flatter organizations, or highly technical fields where specialized knowledge trumps hierarchy, the lattice is often the dominant model. ^[3] For instance, in a software company, an engineer might move laterally into a specific security team for two years to become a recognized subject matter expert before moving back into a leadership track with that specialized background informing their decisions. ^[5] This broad exposure makes the employee more adaptable, which is an essential trait when organizational needs shift rapidly.

# Hybrid Paths

Many modern organizations actually employ a hybrid approach, blending the clarity of the ladder with the flexibility of the lattice. ^[2] In this scenario, there might be clear vertical tracks for management roles, but there are also defined specialist tracks that allow for significant salary and status increases without requiring direct reports. ^[5] A Principal Software Engineer, for example, might possess the same organizational influence and compensation as a Director of Engineering but without having traditional managerial duties. ^[5] This acknowledges that not everyone desires, or is best suited for, traditional people management, yet their technical contribution warrants high-level rewards and progression.

Are careers in open peer review viable?

# Role Tracks

Closely related to the lattice model are career tracks. ^[5] These are defined sequences of roles, often aligned with a specific discipline or expertise area within the company, such as Finance, IT, or Human Resources. ^[5] Career tracks provide a roadmap for progression within a specialty. ^[5] While a track might still have vertical steps (e.g., Junior Accountant to Senior Accountant to Accounting Supervisor), it keeps the individual working within their domain of expertise, deepening their knowledge rather than forcing them into unrelated management roles. ^[5][3]

When assessing progression options, it is helpful to mentally map out the potential tracks available relative to your current role. If you are on a specialized track, your lateral moves might involve different teams within that same function, whereas if you are on a general management track, your lateral moves might involve shifting functions entirely (e.g., moving from Marketing Operations to Sales Operations). ^[5] Where you are on the spectrum between specialization and generalization dictates whether the lattice or the ladder terminology feels more relevant to your day-to-day reality.

# Growth Versus Development

It is useful to draw a distinction between the terms career development and career growth, as they are often conflated in casual conversation. ^[8] Career development refers to the ongoing process of learning, training, and self-assessment necessary to improve skills and competencies. ^[8] It is the preparation phase. Career growth, conversely, is the realized outcome of that development—the actual upward or outward movement within the organization. ^[8] A company can offer development opportunities (like funding a certification course), but until that skill leads to a change in role or scope, it remains development, not realized growth.

When setting personal goals, framing your requests around development first often yields better results than demanding growth immediately. For example, saying, "I want to pursue training in cloud infrastructure (development) so that in 12 months I can lead our next migration project (growth)" is usually more effective than asking for a promotion based only on past performance. ^[8] This approach demonstrates foresight and a commitment to adding quantifiable value that aligns with business needs.