在职业阶梯上往下走一步会有意义吗？如果你能丢掉过去那种挑剔的，与生俱来的想法——“低的职位”意味着职业向下发展——那么答案是“有”。接受一个较低的职位能使你的职业向前发展，如果那份工作符合一个更大的长期计划。
继续向下阅读，找出什么时候更低的职位会有意义，以及你如何成功地完成这一过渡。
知道为什么
哪些是促使你考虑更低职位的驱动力呢？以下是一些常见的情况：
•必要性：经济条件：有时候财务状况和缺少一些东西可能会使你必须接受能得到的最好职位——即使它是一个更低的职位。这没有什么可羞愧的，但首先要坦诚面对你是如何陷入这一境地的。我见到了太多的人做了类似的职业决定，但其实他们本不是必须要这样做的。他们被逼得接受低级别的工作是因为他们不能掌握自己的职业。做你所需要做的，但要从中学习。
•更换职业：这是接受一个更低职位的完全有效的理由，但请记住：改变职业并不意味着必须要从底层开始。看一下你有哪些可转移的技能，以及专业知识，它们能使你从比入门级更高一点的职位开始。此外，更换行业与改变职业还不一样：在更换行业而不是职业的时候，瞄准一个侧面的职位，而不是一个更低的职位。例如，软件公司的财务经理同样能担任生物技术公司的财务经理。
•拓宽你的视野： 在不同部门的更低职位能增加你的经验，丰富你的职业生涯。但在做出这个决定的时候，想想是否合适，以你的能力能否成功，以及这一决定如何符合你更大的职业计划。
•找到前进的另一条路： 想象一下爬山，你到达一个点，路被封死了；或者你的攀爬技能不足以越过它。你可以选择放弃，或者是采取一个战术——回到低一点的地方，然后找另一条路上去。接受合适的更低级的职位可能是一个合理的战术举动，如果你相信自己能在更低的职位上成功；并且确定有一条你可以继续前进的明确路径。
销售自己
一旦你决定了为什么向下走会有意义，努力准备好把自己卖出去。你将与很多资历比你低的候选人竞争，因此你需要打消招聘经理的怀疑：你资历过高，会很容易厌倦这份工作，然后就会离开。
为了能说服他，阐述一个正面的，有说服力的原因：你为什么想要那份工作。例如：“我想要在客户服务方面发展我的事业。这份工作能让我应用既有知识，又能让我从应用水平开始发展最好的实践技能，这样能更好地为您的客户服务。
避免传递负面信息。在所有的沟通过程中，展示你：
•具有担任那份工作的经历和热心，以及灵活性，能力还有快速学习的意愿。
•与一个未经证明的低资历的候选人相比，你的工作经验能给那份工作带来更大的价值。
•愿意做别人聘请你做的那份工作，不会在开始工作后3个月就离开。
•理解升职是以个人价值为基础的。
在这种情况下，你可能会自我感觉比资历低的同事们高一等，这是人的本能，但表现出来只会毁掉你的计划。时刻注意在这个职位上你自己的发展，做好自己的工作。如果你记得这一个低级的职位只是实现长久职业战略的一步，你就会做得很好，并且有自己的目标。
When to Target a Lower Position
Does it ever make sense to take a step down the career ladder? If you can get past that nagging, inborn sense that "going lower" can only be a sign of downward career mobility, the answer is yes. Taking a lesser position can help move your career forward if the job fits into a larger long-term plan.
Read on to find out when a lower position might make sense, and how you can make such a transition successfully.
Know Why
What could drive you to consider a lower position? Here are some common circumstances:
•Necessity: Economic conditions, your financial situation and lack of other alternatives may necessitate taking the best available option -- even if it's a step down. There's no shame in this, but be honest about how you got into this situation in the first place. I see too many people making this kind of career decision out of what was avoidable necessity. They were forced to take a lower-level job, because they didn't take charge of their careers. Do what you have to do, but learn from it.
•To Change Careers: This is a completely valid reason to take a lower position, but remember: Changing professions doesn't automatically mean you start at the bottom. Look for transferable skills or specialized knowledge that could allow you to slide into something above an entry-level role. Also, changing industries is not the same as changing professions. When you change industries but not functions, target a lateral position, not a lower one. For example, a finance manager in a software company can occupy the same role in a biotech company.
•To Broaden Your Horizons: A lower position in a different department can provide new experiences and enrich your career. But as with any career decision, think about the fit, your ability to be successful and how such a move figures into your larger career plan.
•To Find Another Way to Advance: Imagine climbing a mountain and reaching a point where the route is blocked or requires climbing skill beyond your ability to pass it. You can give up or make a tactical decision to go back down a bit to look for another route up. Taking the right lower position can be a smart tactical move if you believe you can be successful in the lower role and know there's a defined path on which you can continue your ascent.
Sell Yourself
Once you've determined why taking a step down makes sense, prepare to sell yourself hard. You'll be up against more junior candidates, so you'll need to overcome the hiring manager's perceptions that you are overqualified and will get bored and leave.
To convince him otherwise, express a positive, compelling reason you want the job. For example: "I want to build a career in customer service. This job would allow me to apply what I know already and also develop best-practice skills starting from the operating level, which would help serve your customers better."
Avoid sending negative messages. In all of your communications, demonstrate you:
•Possess the energy and enthusiasm to do the job and the flexibility, ability and willingness to learn quickly.
•Will bring more value to the role based on your work experience than an untested junior candidate.
•Will be content to do the job you are hired for and won't be making waves three months after you start about moving up.
•Understand promotions will be based on merit.
In situations like this, it's human nature to feel superior to your junior coworkers. But acting superior will only torpedo your plans. Be mindful of your own development in the role, and manage your own performance. If you remember that the lower position is just one step in a long-term career strategy, you will perform well and with purpose.
编辑：Tina
来源：中华英才网