I am a big believer in mobility because I like variability. In college, I liked the electives better than my core courses. I like the sides better than the main course. I like accessories better than the outfit.

A lot of people ask me about mobility: how I did it. It happened two ways for me.

1. Someone told me I was moving. Now at the time, I was often not happy about it. I felt like I had just gotten the hang of things, and they were moving me already? Looking back, those moves were the best opportunities of my career. I learned how to adapt to change, how to get the lay of the land quickly, how to assess people, and how to build relationships and teams. Every time I moved, I had to do all of these things all over again. So it was great practice because those skills are important in managing your career. Others saw in me potential I didn’t see in myself.

2. I raised my hand. There were times when I felt that I had “overstayed” my welcome. That the job was pretty much business-as-usual, and that there wasn’t anything that was going to surprise me. My gut would tell me it was time to move…to try something else, to challenge myself, and keep learning.  In those situations, I would have a conversation with my manager about possible next steps.

Regardless of which way mobility happens, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

1. Stay in your job long enough to have contributed. Jumping from one role to the next isn’t a sign of progress, it’s a sign of someone who’s chasing the next thing. And jumping for the money alone isn’t a good enough reason.

2. Be patient about your next move. Good moves take time (great jobs don’t tend to stay open long). Sometimes it’s about timing.

3. Don’t lose focus on the job you’re in today. You still have to perform. Don’t neglect your day job.

4. Educate yourself: talk to people in different roles. Ask them what they like about their job. Ask them what they don’t like. A peer is likely to be a lot more honest with you than a manager who’s selling you a role. I always spoke to someone who worked for the manager who was interviewing me.

5. Be picky. I have turned down roles I didn’t think were right. I’ve never looked back and thought : “Wow, I really should have taken that role.”  I have thought: “Gee, I should have stayed longer.”