Latest / The Internal Move Podcast with Fexingo: Lateral Roles, Internal Transfers, and Staying at Your Company / How an Internal Transfer Can Unlock Hidden Mentorship
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's a stat I keep coming back to — I think it's from a LinkedIn survey a few years back — that said employees who have a mentor are promoted five times more often than those who don't. But what's less talked about is where that mentorship comes from when you're already inside a company. Luna: Right, because most advice on finding a mentor is about cold outreach — reaching out to someone you admire on LinkedIn, asking for a coffee chat. But when you transfer internally, you're basically dropped into a new department where potential mentors are already around you. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the angle I want to drill into today. An internal transfer can unlock mentorship opportunities that are almost invisible from the outside. I'm thinking of a specific case — a product manager at a large tech company, let's call her Priya. She moved from the marketing side into a data science team. Luna: That's a big jump — from marketing to data science. That's not just a new team, it's a whole new skill set. Lucas: Right. And she told me that within the first two weeks, she had two unexpected mentors. One was a VP of engineering who she'd never met before, and the other was a senior data scientist who'd been at the company for over a decade. Neither of them was assigned to her. They just started showing up. Luna: How did that happen? Was it just because she was new and people were curious? Lucas: Partly. But it was also because she'd been at the company for three years already. People knew her reputation from marketing. They knew she was sharp, she knew the product, she had relationships across the org. So when she showed up in their world, they saw her as a low-risk bet — someone worth investing time in. Luna: That's a huge advantage over coming in externally. When you're brand new to the company, no one knows you from Adam. But internally, you've got a track record. Lucas: And that's what I call the mentorship surplus. Inside any large company, there are senior people who are actively looking for juniors to mentor. They just don't always advertise it. When you transfer into their orbit, you become a candidate without even trying. Luna: So it's not just about making a move — it's about moving into the right neighborhood, so to speak. Lucas: Exactly. And I think there's a reason these relationships often form more naturally than cold outreach. When you're in the same building, same meetings, same Slack channels, you have repeated informal contact. That's how trust builds. You don't have to engineer a coffee chat — you just end up in a breakout room together. Luna: I've seen that too. I remember when I switched from sales to product at a previous job — the first week, I was completely lost. But this senior product manager, who I'd only known in passing, started cc ing me on things and giving me feedback on my docs. I never formally asked her to be my mentor. It just happened. Lucas: And that's the thing — mentorship during an internal transfer isn't always formal. It's often informal, organic, and sometimes you don't even realize you're being mentored until months later. Luna: So how do you deliberately position yourself to catch that surplus? If you're considering a transfer, what should you do? Lucas: Step one is to look for departments that are adjacent to your old one. Priya's move from marketing to data science worked partly because she already knew the product and the customers. She wasn't a total stranger to the data. So the mentors she found were people who could fill in the technical gaps while she brought the business context. Luna: So it's like you want a transfer where you're not starting from zero — you're building on existing knowledge. That makes it easier for mentors to plug in. Lucas: Right. And step two — once you're in, be visible. Go to all-hands meetings, ask questions, volunteer for cross-functional projects. Priya told me she made a point of introducing herself to every senior person in the first two weeks. Not to ask for anything, just to say 'I'm here, I'm eager to learn'. Luna: That's proactive. And I'd add — pay attention to who asks good questions in those meetings. The person who asks the smartest question is often someone who loves to teach. That's your potential mentor. Lucas: That's a great tip. And also, look at who volunteers to onboard new hires. Some people genuinely enjoy showing others the ropes. If you see someone doing that in your new department, they're a natural mentor. Luna: But what about the flip side? What if you move into a department where people are territorial or don't want to help? What then? Lucas: Then you have to be more strategic. You can look outside your immediate team — maybe a mentor in your old department, or a peer who's a step ahead. The company is big; you're not limited to people on your new org chart. Luna: So the transfer doesn't have to sever your old relationships either. In fact, keeping those can be part of your mentorship network. Lucas: Absolutely. And there's another angle — the power dynamic. When you're being mentored by someone in your new chain of command, it can get tricky. You want advice, but you also don't want to seem like you're sucking up. So it helps to make it a two-way street. Luna: What do you mean by two-way? Lucas: You bring something to the table. Priya, for instance, had deep product knowledge and marketing insight. She could offer the VP of engineering a perspective on customer behavior he didn't have. So it wasn't just one-directional. He got value from her too. Luna: That makes sense. Mentorship works best when it's a mutual exchange, not a charity. Lucas: Exactly. And that's something to keep in mind as you're transferring — your experience from your old role is your currency. It's what makes you interesting to potential mentors. Luna: So if someone is listening and thinking about an internal transfer, what's the one concrete thing they should do today? Before they even apply? Lucas: I'd say research the department you're targeting. Find out who the senior people are, what their backgrounds are, and what they care about. Then, when you land, you already know who to approach. Luna: That's smart. It's like doing your homework before the first day of class. Lucas: And actually, we've been talking about this as if it's all about the transfer itself, but there's a longer-term benefit. The mentors you find during an internal transfer often stick with you for years. They become your advocates when you're up for promotion, or when you're considering your next move. Luna: That's true. My old product manager mentor — even after I left that company — she still writes me recommendations on LinkedIn. It's a relationship that outlasts the job. Lucas: And that's the kind of payoff that makes an internal transfer not just a job change, but a career investment. You're not just getting a new role — you're building a network that compounds. Luna: And if this episode has been useful to you, you know, the way we keep this show ad-free is through listener support. If you've gotten value from our career talks, you can help us keep going by buying us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, we really appreciate that. It's what lets us keep digging into topics like this. But back to mentorship — there's one more thing I want to cover. What about the timing? When's the best time to start looking for a mentor during a transfer? Luna: I'd say before you even start. As soon as you know you're transferring, start observing from afar. See who in the new department is active, who shares knowledge, who others go to for help. Lucas: Good point. And once you're in, the first 90 days are critical. That's when people form their impressions of you. If you show up humble, curious, and willing to learn, you'll attract mentors naturally. Luna: So it's not about forcing it — it's about creating the conditions for it to happen. Lucas: Exactly. And Priya's story is a perfect example. She didn't go in with a checklist of mentors to collect. She just did her job well, asked for help when she needed it, and the mentors came to her. Luna: That's reassuring, actually. It takes the pressure off. Lucas: It does. And it also means that if you're considering a transfer and you're worried about starting over, you can take comfort in knowing you're not starting from zero. Your reputation, your relationships, your knowledge — they all come with you. Luna: And those are the things that make mentorship possible. So maybe the real question isn't 'how do I find a mentor' but 'how do I make myself mentorable'. Lucas: That's a great way to put it. And I think that's the key takeaway — an internal transfer is not just a new job title. It's a chance to deepen your roots, and mentorship is one of the most valuable things you can grow. Luna: And with that, we'll leave you with a thought: if you're thinking about a transfer, look around you. There might already be a mentor in plain sight. Lucas: Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time on The Internal Move Podcast.