 <p>Because <code>.validation-alert</code> is not the next sibling of <code>.validation-control-is-not-empty</code>, they are the children of same <code>tr</code>, so you can find the <code>tr</code> parent of <code>this</code> and then find the <code>.validation-alert</code> element within it.</p> <pre><code>$('.validation-control-is-not-empty').focusout(function () { if ($(this).val() === '') { $(this).closest('tr').find('.validation-alert').show(); } else { $(this).closest('tr').find('.validation-alert').hide(); } }); </code></pre> <hr> <p>You can shorten it using .toggle() like</p> <pre><code>$('.validation-control-is-not-empty').focusout(function () { $(this).closest('tr').find('.validation-alert').toggle($(this).val() === ''); }); </code></pre> <p>Demo: <a href="http://jsfiddle.net/arunpjohny/4x9gbexj/" rel="nofollow">Fiddle</a></p>