You’re probably sick of hearing about it, but yes, the UK job market is tough right now.
Either you know it because you’re in the process of job hunting, or you’re scared to leave your old-and-unsatisfying job after hearing the horror stories from those applying for hundreds of roles, only to hear back from none.
And now it seems “lily padding” is the latest career trend to come out of this difficult working situation.
What is ‘lily padding’?
“Lily padding” is when you strategically climb the career ladder, focusing on building experience over seeking a higher salary. It’s about supercharging your employability, according to targetjobs.
People who “lily pad” look for temporary roles and use each one to springboard into the next, going for a similar field and role to boost their experience. Almost like becoming an expert at that specific job.
As Forbes puts it: “Rather than climbing rung by rung, they [“lily padders”] move laterally, diagonally, and sometimes across industries altogether, collecting skills and experiences with every leap.”
It’s no coincidence this comes at a time when the security of certain jobs is being questioned, thanks to the rise in popularity of artificial intelligence (AI).
The hope is that after a few career jumps, people could move into a longer term role and have a better chance of going for that higher salary and more senior job title, with a wealth of experience in their back pocket.
“Lily padding” might also suit those who are happy with their salary range and title, and aren’t looking to take on extra responsibility, but want to boost their CV.
The trend is particularly popular among Gen Z candidates, and it’s even helping them to avoid imposter syndrome, said targetjobs. Unlike job hopping, “lily padding” is more targeted and focused on skill-boosting over pay.
It might look like sidestepping from the outside, but this is often more of a planned career game, and while people who sidestep might stay in a job for a number of years, “lily padders” jump more frequently and prioritise temp roles.
While job hopping is usually spurred on by being unhappy in a workplace, “lily padding” is spurred on by wanting to see growth in confidence and skillset, said the job experts.
But it’s important to not play it safe like this for too long – once you’ve mastered the skills you need, move upwards, otherwise staying at the same level might become a bit too comfortable and not that challenging.
Until then, “lily pad” away.
