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Finding a New Job within Your Current Company

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We’ve all been there — perusing a job board when we see a great job posted by the company we already work for! This job may be in another department, a different location, or overseeing your current role, but you know you want it. What is the best way to apply for and get a different job in the company you’re already working for?

We spoke to a few experts for their advice:


Here is the best way to apply for and get a different job in the company you’re already working for:

Turn back the clock and lay the groundwork beforehand. Meaning, don’t just wait for the job of your dreams to magically show up on some public job board. (Actually, if you’re already looking outside the company for work, then you need to question how badly you want to continue working where you are!) Introduce yourself to the hiring manager in the department where you’d like to work; share your interests; offer to provide assistance with a current project (you may need to smooth this over with your current boss), all the while continuing to do excellent work in your current position.Write a very strong cover letter that speaks to your strong work at the company, including particular successes and what you’ve learned along the way; also, why you want to make the move. Your cover letter has never been this important before…it will significantly differentiate you from all external and most internal candidates (who won’t take the time to write an effective cover letter).

Get your current boss on your side. Tell them of your aspirations and make it clear (if it isn’t already) that you love your current role, but that what you’re moving toward is more in line with your career goals and interests. Note: If you are honest with your boss from the get-go, it won’t be a surprise that you want to move internally. But if you’re afraid to let on that you have other interests, it will be more difficult to get your boss behind you now.

Joseph Terach
CEO, Resume Deli
www.resumedeli.com


You have to look inside yourself and determine if the new job within your company is better or just different.

Ask yourself why you are looking at jobs.

Ask yourself if you are looking only at this job or at all jobs.

Ask yourself if the job is better for you AND the company.

Ask yourself if there is anything that can be done with your current job to make it better for you.


Tips for being proactive in an internal search:

1. Be clear about what you wish to do… not what it is called! Focus on behaviors linked to four key areas: the skills you wish to use every day; the issues or topics you wish to engage all day at work; the people you seek as colleagues and clients or customers; and, finally, the environment you need to be happy.

2. Seek out people in your company a step or two above you in position and seniority for conversations about where you fit.

3. Tell them the story (I want to use these skills to work on these issues with these people in this environment).

4. Ask them where people like you already work in the organization or company.

5. Go find those people! Talk to them about what you seek to do and what they really do in their work.

6. Look for gaps between you today, your skills and experience, and you successfully doing that work that you have discovered.

7. Decide if that is a better fit for you than your current position.

Keep in mind that different is not always better!

Look at your current position to see if you can make any changes that will make you more happy and productive.

If, after all this, you do wish to pursue the job then act fast.

Tips for internal applications:

1. Seek out the supervisor of the new position. Ask them about their goals for the position.

2. Tell your supervisor you are interested in the position. Ask for their help.

3. Keep your application between you and your supervisor.

4. Don’t assume they know anything about you! Approach your application and interview process in the same way you would approach and external employer.

5. Prepare yourself not to get an interview or an offer. Sometimes organizations simply want to hire outside the current employees. Remember, it is not personal.

Steve Langerud

Workplace Consultant

www.stevelangerud.com


In my work with leaders and other high performing professionals, I’ve seen several cases where people have successfully found new posts within their current company. Here are my top three tips:

*1. Go toward a target–don’t run from an arrow. *Not happy with what’s happening in your department or role? Don’t focus on getting out–that’s a losing strategy. Focus on seeking out the place where your skills and talents can be better used. Who’s doing things that fascinate you? Which groups are growing? Let’s face it–no one wants to give you a new opportunity because your old one is bad. Employers want people in new opportunities who are there on purpose to contribute and make a difference.

*2. Learn to network while you work. *Networking gets a bad name, but it’s simply about building relationships. Too often in our own companies we don’t focus on our relationships with those we know and with new people who are doing things we want to learn. If you see a spot where you can make a difference in your company, who’s already there? Invite them for a coffee or a short phone call to learn more about them–not tell them about you. Just say “I’ve been watching the work you’re doing in XYZ department, and as I think about what’s next for me, I’d love to learn more about what’s happening there and how you do what you do. Could I meet you in the cafeteria for lunch sometime in the next week or so?” And remember–“no” is an acceptable answer, so if you get rejected, move on and ask someone else!

*3. Follow the pain, and pitch your ideas.* Where are the real problems in your company? What’s the CEO talking about, or where is the board focusing their actions–and investments? Those are the areas that are prime for hiring and for creative thinking about how someone like you may be able to help. Don’t wait for job postings or an invitation to interview; start talking about the problem and about how your unique talents can help solve it. Outline a plan of what your ideal role would be, and how you’d measure success. Many roles are being created today based on the unique gifts and ideas of the people already in the organization–why not you?

Darcy Eikenberg, ACC
Author, Bring Your Superpowers to Work: Your Guide to More Clarity,
Confidence & Control <http://amzn.com/0983987408>
Executive, Leadership & Workplace Coach |Speaker | Founder,
RedCapeRevolution.com


This is not different than coming in from the outside.
You need to identify the hiring area and network your way in to get a referral. In the process of networking into the area your will want to find out if the job posting is real. Very often the position has already been filled or an internal candidate has already been selected by the time the job is publicly posted.

If this is an area where you want to be then continue your networking efforts such that when a position does open up they call you first!

Marc Miller
My book is NOW available on Amazon.com ­ Repurpose Your Career ­ A Practical
Guide for Baby Boomers <http://careerpivot.com/repurpose-your-career>


Securing a Promotion and/or Internal Mobility Opportunities

Employees have to approach their career inside of an organization the same way they would approach it outside of an organization. To secure promotions or the chance to transition to a new role there are some key steps that I would advise internal candidates to do.

First, make sure your manager is aware of your career aspirations within the company. Make this a part of your annual performance conversation but also check in periodically to get your manager’s feedback on your progress toward reaching the next level. Make sure that leadership at the next level, above your manager, is also aware of your long term goals. If your organization doesn’t have an annual performance process, it is still vital to have these conversations with your manager and leadership. In the end, promotions and roles are decided by those in positions above you. If they are unaware that you aspire to get to the next level they may assume you are happy where you are.

Secondly, keep an eye out for open opportunities within the organization. Promotion opportunities may not always be within your team or department. If your company has an internal job board watch for positions that are posted within the scope of your skills and experiences.

With manager support, you should be able to apply to these jobs. In some cases it is also appropriate to reach out to hiring managers in other parts of the organization to express interest or to your internal recruitment team. This all goes back to being on the radar screen.

Third – keep your internal resume up to date with your accomplishments and contributions to the company. Fourth – Make sure to leverage training opportunities within your organization. Showing a desire to continue growing is beneficial to getting noticed by decision makers.

Lastly, outperform your peers, be willing to go the extra mile. This may even mean taking on temporary assignment or volunteering to do the extra work that is similar to what would be expected of you when you would be promoted.

Tiffani Murray

PersonalityonaPage.com

Finding a New Job within Your Current Company by
Authored by: Andrew Ostler

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