Sideways is the New Up

The employment landscape was relatively static for years. Sure, there were changes, but employers and employees could count on the traditional hire-to-retire career path. And while that path hasn't always taken place at one company, the idea was still the same: get a job, improve your skills, move into a higher position, repeat until you retire. 

Employers thought employees valued vertical moves, and ever-vertical salaries that moved one way-up. Employees either didn't know any better, didn't think about it, or didn't think there were options. The few employees who were dissatisfied with the status quo braved the entrepreneur path, with uncertain success but potentially brighter futures.