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SEAMLESS TRANSITIONS
New job at same company with no drama? It's possible
The process of placing people in the right jobs is an inexact science. It's not like carpentry, in which the round peg always fits in the round hole. People change. Jobs evolve. Companies restructure and reinvent themselves.
"It's not uncommon for someone to find himself in the wrong seat on the bus," said Dee Ann Turner, vice president of human resources for Chick-fil-A. "That person may be a valued employee and very happy with the company, but his strengths and talents would be a better fit elsewhere in the corporation."
DEE ANN TURNER
Vice president of human resources, Chick-fil-A
Smart organizations know how to keep their talented people by making it possible for them to transfer from one role to another.
"The best companies create career paths and policies for their employees so that they can apply for jobs internally without negative ramifications," said Tom Darrow, principal of Talent Connections and president of the Society for Human Resource Management in Georgia. Smart employees learn how to make those transfers without derailing their careers or damaging the company work flow.
When there is clear motivation and open communication, intracompany transfers can be a win-win situation. Hiring within can save a costly job search and "mean that the company gets someone who already knows the company business and culture," Turner said. Because that person already has a proven track record, relationships and knowledge of company policies, it takes less time for him or her to become effective in a new position.
"The advantage to employees is that they get to use all their strengths and have an opportunity to learn something new," Turner said. "They don't have to change companies to find something exciting about work again."
Before an employee applies for a transfer to a different department, Turner advises him or her to understand fully the new job and department and make sure that they're a good fit.
"The human resources department can be a safe, neutral place to explore future possibilities without idle talk getting about," she said. HR also can be a buffer when bosses and employees don't see eye to eye about when someone is ready to move on.
When employees are attracted by different job descriptions and are thinking about transferring, it's a good time to make a career assessment, Darrow said. "They should ask themselves where they are in their career and where they want to go. Should they consider similar jobs in other companies? Whether it's an internal or external hiring process, they will need to have their resume in good shape and be able to explain their strengths in an interview.
"Thinking ahead to future jobs is also a good time to identify what they need to learn and explore channels to acquire additional skills or experience."
DAVID NOUR
Managing partner, The Nour Group Inc.
Turner encourages employees to include their current supervisors in their plans when applying for transfers. "The supervisor should never be the last to know. It's better to have him on board from the beginning, and he could be a champion for you," she said.
Don't burn bridges, either, because you might not get the job or may find, after the interview, that it wasn't for you. "You may need your boss's help down the road, and you don't want him to remember that you didn't trust him," Turner added.
Many people transfer for the wrong reasons, said David Nour, managing partner of The Nour Group Inc., an Atlanta-based corporate consulting firm that specializes in the art and science of relationships. "They're running away from a boss, a project or incompatible co-workers. A career move should always be toward something -- learning a broader skill set, more opportunity, more responsibility -- not moving away from something."
People get enticed by the idea of working in a new environment or with friends in another department and they don't do enough research into the job itself. He suggests asking three independent sources about the performance quality of the department and how the team works. The job should align not only with the employee's skills but also with "how he is wired" -- his personality, core competencies and interests, Nour said.
If the decision is made to transfer, "it's best to leave the existing department with the utmost level of professionalism and on the best terms possible," Nour added. "Tie up loose ends and make a smooth transition.
"Relationships are a person's best asset. They transcend across time, geography, functions and roles. They are enormous enablers to getting things done."
Transferred employees should take their most valuable relationships from one department to the next by introducing key co-workers to one another and sharing best practices or mistakes to avoid.
"Knowledgeable managers know a lot of facts," Nour said. "Successful, prosperous, innovative managers know a lot of people. High performers usually come with a portfolio of good relationships.
"People who have learned how to transition between roles and departments within a company are in a great position to be leaders of its disparate parts."
