Latest / The Internal Move Podcast with Fexingo: Lateral Roles, Internal Transfers, and Staying at Your Company / How to Use an Internal Transfer to Access Unlisted Jobs
Transcript
- Lucas: There's a statistic that's been rattling around in my head for weeks. A Fortune 500 retailer — I won't name them, but think big-box — did an internal audit a few years back and found that roughly 25 percent of all internal moves happened through roles that were never formally posted. Luna: Wait — a quarter of internal transfers were basically invisible? No application, no job req, nothing? Lucas: Exactly. The roles existed, they were budgeted, they needed to be filled — but the hiring manager filled them through conversations, referrals, or a quick tap on the shoulder. The company's official portal was a formality after the fact. Luna: So there's a whole hidden market inside your own company. And if you're only checking the internal careers page, you're playing a different game than the people who get those unlisted roles. Lucas: Right. And that's what I want to drill into today. How do you position yourself to be the person who gets the tap on the shoulder instead of the person who finds out a week after the role is filled? Luna: I think a lot of people assume it's pure luck or politics. But there has to be a repeatable approach. Lucas: There is. And it starts with a mindset shift. The typical employee thinks: 'I want a new role, so I'll wait for a posting and apply.' The internal-networker thinks: 'I want a new role, so I'll figure out which managers have problems I can help solve, and I'll make sure they know I exist before they need to hire.' Luna: That's a different orientation entirely. You're not a candidate waiting for a vacancy — you're a solution looking for a problem. Lucas: Exactly. And the key is that this doesn't mean you're being sneaky or undercutting the formal process. In most companies, hiring managers are desperate to find good internal talent quickly. The formal posting process can take weeks — approvals, HR screening, interview scheduling. If you can shortcut that by making yourself known in advance, you're doing them a favour. Luna: So how do you actually do that without coming across as someone who's just angling for their next move? Lucas: That's the crucial question. The wrong way is to start sending DMs saying 'hey, any openings?' That feels transactional and a little desperate. The better way is to build genuine working relationships with people in the teams you find interesting. Volunteer for a cross-functional project. Attend their team's demo day. Offer to help with a problem they've mentioned in a meeting. Luna: So it's about contribution first, ask later. That's consistent with everything we've talked about on this show — internal moves are earned, not requested. Lucas: Right. Let's get specific. Say you're in marketing and you're curious about the product management team. You don't go to the PM director and ask 'can I be a PM?' You go to them and say, 'I noticed your team is struggling with customer survey data. I have some experience with that in my current role — would it be helpful if I spent a few hours pulling together a dashboard for you?' Luna: And if they say yes, you've just opened a door. Now you're collaborating with them. They see your work ethic, your skills, your communication style. When a PM role opens up — even an unlisted one — you're top of mind. Lucas: Exactly. And the beauty is you're not even asking for a job. You're just being helpful. But the byproduct is that you've essentially conducted an extended job interview without the pressure. The manager gets a low-risk trial of your abilities. Luna: I had a friend who did exactly this at a big bank. She was in compliance but wanted to move into strategy. She offered to help the strategy team with a regulatory impact analysis — basically free labour on top of her day job. Within three months, they created a hybrid role for her that was never posted. Lucas: That's a perfect example. And note that the role was created — it didn't exist in the system. That's the highest form of unlisted job. The manager sees your value and finds a way to bring you on board, maybe even reallocating budget or headcount. Luna: But there's a risk here, right? What if your current manager finds out you're doing work for another team and thinks you're checked out? Lucas: That's a real concern. And the way to manage it is transparency — but selective transparency. You don't need to announce 'I'm trying to leave your team.' But if the cross-functional work is officially sanctioned — say your company has a 'stretch assignment' program or 'innovation time' — you can frame it as professional development that benefits your current role. Luna: And if it's not sanctioned? What if it's purely informal — just you spending extra hours? Lucas: Then you have to be careful. I'd recommend keeping it to low time commitment — maybe two to three hours a week — and making sure your primary responsibilities aren't suffering. Also, build a relationship with the other manager so that if your current manager ever questions it, you have an advocate. Luna: That's smart. And it ties back to something we've said before: internal moves are about relationships, not transactions. The unlisted job market is essentially relationship-driven. Lucas: Yeah, and I think that's the core takeaway. If you only apply to posted roles, you're competing against everyone who sees the same posting. If you build relationships in advance, you're competing against almost nobody.