Latest / The Internal Move Podcast with Fexingo: Lateral Roles, Internal Transfers, and Staying at Your Company / How to Use an Internal Transfer to Gain Mentorship Without Formality
Transcript
- Lucas: We talk a lot about the tangible reasons to make an internal transfer — comp, title, escaping a bad manager. But there is a quieter, arguably more valuable benefit that almost nobody plans for, and it has to do with mentorship without the formal program. Luna: Mentorship without formality — I like that phrase. You mean the kind that happens naturally, not through some hr mandated matching system? Lucas: Exactly. And the reason an internal transfer is such a powerful catalyst for it is simple: proximity and fresh context. When you move to a new team or a new function inside the same company, you suddenly have a legitimate reason to talk to people you would never have approached before. Luna: So you're not asking for mentorship — you're asking for help understanding the new role, and that opens the door. Lucas: Right. I was talking to someone at a large technology firm — think top-ten market cap — who made a lateral move from product marketing into a corporate strategy group. She told me that within her first month, she'd scheduled a thirty-minute call with a senior vice president she'd never met, under the guise of 'learning about how strategy decisions get made at this company.' Luna: And that turned into recurring meetings? Lucas: It did. She framed it as a temporary project. She said, 'I'm working on a market-sizing analysis and I'd love to run my assumptions by you once, if you have twenty minutes.' That one meeting became a standing monthly check-in, and over two years that SVP became an informal advisor. He never signed up for a mentorship program. He just kept saying yes. Luna: That's a great example of what I'd call the 'project-based ask' — you're not asking for a relationship, you're asking for input on a specific piece of work. The relationship is a side effect. Lucas: Exactly. And internal transfers are uniquely suited to this because you have the company context already. You know the jargon, the org structure, the political landscape. So when you ask someone senior for input, you're not wasting their time explaining basics. You're bringing a focused question that actually interests them. Luna: I want to push back slightly, though. There's a risk that people mistake proximity for permission. Just because you're in the same company doesn't mean a senior leader wants to be bothered. How do you avoid overstepping? Lucas: Fair point. The key is to make the ask extremely narrow and time-bound at first. Never lead with 'would you be my mentor.' That's a loaded word. Instead, use something like: 'I'm exploring X problem and I'd value your perspective for fifteen minutes.' That's easy to say yes to. And if they engage, you can extend it. If they don't, you take the no gracefully and move on. Luna: And you keep the focus on the work, not on your career. That's the subtle difference — the conversation is about the problem, not about you. Lucas: Exactly. The other tactic I see work well is what I call the 'two-question check-in.' After a meeting or a presentation where a senior leader is present, you send a brief email saying: 'I really appreciated your comment on X. Two quick questions: first, how did you approach Y in your previous role? Second, is there one resource you'd recommend I read?' That's it. It's low effort for them, high signal that you're thoughtful. Luna: That's smart because it also gives them an easy out — they can answer with a one-sentence reply and a link. But if they want to go deeper, they can suggest a call. Lucas: Right. And here's the thing: when you're brand new to a team, you have a temporary license to ask 'dumb questions' that you'll lose after about ninety days. Use that window aggressively. Ask everyone you can. The people who respond well become your informal network. Luna: So an internal transfer is almost like a reset button on your permission to be curious. You can't walk into the CEO's office six years into a role and say 'how does this place work?' But in week two? Totally fair game. Lucas: That's exactly the framing I'd use. A lot of people stay in the same function for years and build no real mentorship relationships because they never have a fresh excuse to reach out. An internal transfer creates that excuse. And the best part is, you don't need the company to have a formal mentorship program. You're creating your own. Luna: Speaking of creating your own — we deliberately don't run ads on this show. We've kept it ad-free from the start because career advice shouldn't be interrupted by pitches for job boards or resume services. If you find value in that approach and want to support it, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just an option for those who want to keep this resource independent. Lucas: Yeah, and that support genuinely makes a difference. It lets us keep the focus on practical, specific advice without worrying about sponsorship constraints. So thank you to anyone who has contributed. Luna: Back to the mentorship angle — I'm curious about the flip side. What if you transfer into a new role and the senior people in that area are territorial or not open to sharing? Lucas: That happens. And in those cases, you have to be more strategic. You don't go straight for the head of the department. You find the person who's two levels below, the one who's known as the 'go-to' for questions. That person is often more accessible and equally knowledgeable. And once you build rapport with them, you can sometimes get introduced upward. Luna: So it's a triangulation strategy — use one relationship to unlock another. Lucas: Exactly. And don't underestimate peer mentors. Someone at your level who has been in the function for a year or two can teach you the unwritten rules faster than any senior leader. That's still mentorship, just lateral. Luna: Let's talk about the longevity of these relationships. The woman you mentioned — did the monthly check-in with the SVP survive when she moved to a different role again? Lucas: It did, but it evolved. Once she was established in strategy, the meetings became more reciprocal — she started sharing her own analysis, and he valued her perspective as a fresh set of eyes. After about eighteen months, he asked her to join a cross-functional task force he was leading. That's the ultimate sign of informal mentorship: when the senior person starts treating you as a peer contributor, not just a mentee. Luna: That's a great outcome. So the goal isn't to collect mentors — it's to build genuine working relationships that naturally include guidance. And an internal transfer gives you the perfect opening to start those. Lucas: One final tactical piece: when you do get that first meeting with a senior person, come prepared with a one-pager. Not a slide deck — a single page with a problem statement, your approach, and two specific questions. It shows you respect their time and you've done the thinking. If they engage with the one-pager, you've essentially secured a mentor without ever using the word. Luna: That's practical advice I can see someone using tomorrow. So to summarize: use the early window after a transfer to ask narrow, project-based questions; target accessible people first; and let the relationship evolve naturally. If you're considering an internal move, think about not just the title or pay, but the new network you'll gain. Lucas: And that network might be the most valuable asset you take away — even if you eventually leave the company. The informal mentors you build through a transfer can become lifelong career advisors. Luna: Alright, next episode we'll get into something we've been promising: how to use an internal transfer to transition from individual contributor to manager without a formal promotion. That's a tricky one. Lucas: It really is. We've seen it done well and done poorly. We'll share both. Until then, good luck with those one-pagers.