How to Make a Lateral Move to a Competing Company

If you’re struggling to find your next job, the best move may be a lateral move within a competing company — here’s how. 👇

We all agree that the job market is tough. Some of you are considering leaving your career entirely and pivoting; others are still trying to move to a new role with a step up in promotion. Still, most would be happy with the same role at a different company. But I believe in the path of least resistance.

Moving into a competing product within the same role is your best bet for an easy transition.

But how do you do the competitive research to find these companies? Follow these steps:

1. Google “[company name] competitors”

This will disclose ads being spent against your company, and the search results will help develop your initial bucket of competing products.

2. G2

G2 creates a “Top 10 Alternatives & Competitors” page for every company profile on its platform. The first five companies listed on this page are usually your direct competitors, whom you should look at for job openings.

3. Product Hunt

This is your go-to for early-stage companies. Product Hunt has a curated page of early-stage companies that are competitors to your previous employer in its “Best [company] alternatives—2024” section.

4. Crunchbase

Within Crunchbase, you can find everything from a company’s stage to its top employees, recent news, and my favorite tab, “Similar Companies.”

5. Linkedin

What do you do now that you have a short list of 5-10 competitors to your previous employer? Search Linkedin.

• Follow the competing companies on Linkedin and reach out to the people who would be your future boss and team members.
  
  
• Look at their open jobs for opportunities. If you see a similar role, this is your “in”. Don’t wait. Reach out immediately and look for a referral who can get you started on your application.
  
  
• Email the hiring manager with a solid pitch. Reach out, let them know what you did in your previous role and how it applies to the role they’re filling, and include your PDF resume. But remember that your resume isn’t attachable to your initial message. Instead, provide a Google Docs link to your resume in the message. If your script is good, they’ll open it 80% of the time. Docs link to your resume in the message. If your script is good, they’ll open it 80% of the time.

Your next big career leap might be just a well-researched lateral move away. Arm yourself with your refined pitch, stay ready with your digital resume, and reach out to those competitors with confidence. It’s your time to step into a space where your skills are recognized and your career can flourish. Go on and make that smooth transition—your future awaits.

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