In difficult economic times, an internal transfer can provide many of the career benefits of a new position without the risks of looking for a new job in a new company.
Consider these 7 reasons for making an in-house move and strategies for accomplishing a successful transition.
7 Benefits of Making an Internal Transfer
1. Learn new skills. Assuming a new role in your company gives you an opportunity to branch out. If you’ve been crunching numbers for the past few years, now is the time to master writing proposals. This is one of the strategies discussed in the Master Resume Bootcamp for growing your career by developing missing skills.
2. Expand your network. Changing departments helps raise your visibility. Interacting with another team enables you to form new alliances while maintaining access to your old coworkers.
3. Increase your job security. Many companies value a well rounded employee. Seeing the business from multiple perspectives gives you an advantage in understanding how all the parts work together.
4. Hold onto your benefits. If you’ve been in your current job for a while, you may have valuable benefits like extra vacation time. You may also like the idea of keeping your current health insurance and sticking with the same doctors.
5. Feel more motivated. It’s easy to get stale when you’ve been doing the same thing year after year. Enjoy the excitement of mixing things up.
6. Take on new challenges. Whether your new position is a promotion or lateral move, it’s a chance to test your abilities and grow.
7. Minimize stress. In-house options can be a pleasant blend of familiarity and change. You get to make a fresh start without the upheaval that goes with starting over in a new company.
Strategies for Making Your Internal Transfer Successful
1. Consider the whole picture. It’s always nice to get a raise. It may be even more important to assess any transfer in terms of how it will advance your career (new skills and new contacts) in the long run and add to your job satisfaction. Evaluate all the factors carefully.
2. Make an impact. Get to know the priorities of your new supervisor and the culture of the unit. It’s always nice to hit the ground running by making contributions that get noticed and demonstrate your worth. Remember to balance that motivation with the time needed to get to know the job and listen to what is said and not said for a few weeks.
3. Get to know your new colleagues. Our relationships with our coworkers play a big part in whether we enjoy our work. Invite people out to lunch. Volunteer for assignments that enable you to work side by side with people you can learn from.
4. Preserve old ties. If you’ve grown close to people in your department, it’s reassuring to know you’re sticking close to home. You can still get together to socialize and see each other around the office.
5. Facilitate a smooth transition. Prepare a written report on your outstanding projects so your successor knows where to pick up. Make yourself available for any questions they may have.
6. Address any discipline issues. While lateral moves can be a very good thing, they’re sometimes viewed with caution because of cases where they cover up issues by transferring an employee rather than dealing directly with conflicts or deficiencies. Be honest with yourself and welcome feedback about areas where you need to improve.
7. Reevaluate your goals. Whenever you shake up your routine, it can be a good opportunity to review all aspects of your life. You may decide you also want to take some adult education classes, start a degree program, or exercise more. Work-life balance and physical health are as important as skills when it comes to obtaining your career goals.
When you’re reluctant to switch employers, you can advance your career through an internal transfer. Look for opportunities in your current workplace and get off to a great start in a new role with these tips.
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