Latest / The Internal Move Podcast with Fexingo: Lateral Roles, Internal Transfers, and Staying at Your Company / How an Internal Transfer Can Build a Better Network
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, I was looking at some data from a talent analytics firm earlier this week, and one number jumped out at me. Nearly sixty percent of people who make an internal transfer say their professional network becomes more valuable within the first six months. Not just bigger, but more valuable. Luna: That's a big claim. How do you measure 'more valuable'? Is it about the quality of connections, or the diversity of them? Lucas: Both, actually. The study measured how many of your connections are in different departments, different geographies, different seniority levels. And after a transfer, that diversity shoots up. Makes sense when you think about it—you're suddenly forced into new meetings, new Slack channels, new projects. Luna: Right, because you're the new person again. You have to introduce yourself to everyone, even if you've been at the company for years. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the angle I want to drill into today. We've talked a lot about internal transfers for skill-building and escaping bad bosses, but we haven't really unpacked the networking upside specifically. And it's a big one. Luna: I'm on board. Because I think a lot of people assume networking is only for job seekers, but here it's about your day-to-day effectiveness, right? Lucas: Totally. Let's use a concrete example. I was reading about a marketing manager at a global consumer goods company—I won't name the firm, but it's a household name. She was based in a regional office in Ohio, and she transferred to the headquarters in New York. Not a promotion, same title, same pay band. Luna: A lateral move, then. What was her goal? Lucas: She was honest about it: she wanted visibility. In Ohio, she was one of thirty marketers supporting a single brand. At headquarters, she was suddenly in the same building as the global brand directors, the CFO's office, and the legal team she'd only ever emailed. Within three months, she was invited to a cross-functional task force on sustainability messaging—something that never would have come to her regional team. Luna: And that task force, I bet, was a network multiplier. She's not just meeting people, she's working with them on something high-stakes. Lucas: Precisely. And the interesting part was, she didn't even apply for that task force. It came to her because she'd had coffee with the head of corporate comms in her first week—just a quick intro coffee. And that person remembered her when the task force needed a marketing voice. Luna: So it's not just about being seen, it's about being remembered. That's a subtle but crucial difference. Lucas: Yeah. And that's where the data gets interesting. The same study I mentioned found that internal transfer hires—people who move within a company—have networks that are about twenty percent more cross-functional than external hires at the same level. Even two years later. Luna: Why do you think that gap persists? External hires might have great networks from previous companies, but those are mostly outside the building, so to speak. Lucas: Exactly. Your external network doesn't help you navigate the internal approval process for a new vendor, or understand the unwritten rules of the budgeting cycle. An internal transfer forces you to build your internal map from scratch, and that map is what gets things done. Luna: And that's something you can't get from a training course or a mentorship program. You have to be in the thick of it. Lucas: Right. So if you're considering an internal transfer, I'd say don't just think about the role itself. Think about the network you'll gain access to. What's the proximity to decision-makers? What cross-functional teams will you touch? Who's a hallway away from your new desk? Luna: That's a great framework. And it's not just about physical proximity anymore, because so many teams are hybrid. But even in a hybrid world, being on a different team's call rotation or shared channel changes your visibility. Lucas: Absolutely. And in 2026, with so many companies still figuring out their return to office policies, a transfer is one of the few moves that guarantees you'll be in the room—even if the room is virtual. You're put on new distribution lists, new meeting invites, and that's the raw material of a network. Luna: So what's the practical advice for someone who's already decided to make a move? How do they maximize the networking benefit? Lucas: First, treat the first ninety days like a listening tour. Schedule intro calls with everyone in your immediate team, then branch out to adjacent teams. Don't ask for anything—just learn what they do and how they measure success. That builds reciprocity before you need a favor. Luna: And the second thing? Lucas: Volunteer for one cross-functional project, even if it's a small one. That's the fastest way to get deep contact with people outside your chain of command. And it gives you something to talk about when you're networking internally—you're not just a name, you're a person who contributed to that initiative. Luna: That reminds me of that marketing manager. She joined that sustainability task force, and six months later, when a lateral spot opened in the global brand team, the task force lead recommended her. She didn't even have to apply. Lucas: That's the hidden power of internal transfer networking. It's not just about climbing—it's about creating a safety net. When the next reorg hits, or the next project needs a leader, your name comes up because people know you, not just your title. Luna: And that's valuable even if you don't intend to stay forever. Everything you learn about networking inside the company is transferable to an external job search later. Lucas: For sure. And look, we're able to have these conversations without any ads because of the people who support the show. If you've found our advice on career moves useful—maybe it helped you think through a transfer or a negotiation—and you want to keep this podcast ad-free, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to keep this going, and we appreciate it. Luna: Yeah, no pressure, but every little bit helps us keep the lights on and the microphones plugged in. Lucas: Back to the networking thread. One more thing that struck me from that study: internal transfers don't just diversify your network, they also deepen it. The researchers measured something called 'network cohesion'—how many of your contacts know each other. And transferers had higher cohesion than external hires, which means they're better positioned to mobilize a group of people around a cause. Luna: So it's not just about having a lot of names in your address book. It's about having a web of people who trust each other, which makes it easier to get buy-in for ideas. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a huge asset when you're trying to launch a new initiative or change a process. You can tap into that network to build a coalition before you even pitch the idea formally. Luna: That's a powerful position to be in, especially if you're in a role that requires influence without direct authority. Lucas: Right. So if you're on the fence about an internal transfer, I'd ask you to consider this: what's the network cost of staying put? You might be comfortable, but your network might be shrinking in relevance as the company evolves. Luna: That's a good point. And what about people in remote or distributed companies? Does the same logic apply? Lucas: It does, but you have to be more intentional. In a remote company, a transfer might just mean changing your Slack workspace and your reporting line. But it still shifts your context—you're suddenly in different meetings, different docs, different group chats. That's the raw material of a network. Luna: And you have to be proactive about setting up virtual coffees, because you can't bump into people in the hallway. Lucas: Exactly. But the payoff is the same. You get to know people outside your immediate function, and that pays dividends in unexpected ways. Like the time I heard of a finance analyst who transferred to a product team—just for a year—and then ended up being the bridge between finance and product for years afterward, even after moving back. Luna: That's a great example of how a transfer can make you more valuable even after you leave the role. The network stays with you. Lucas: Yeah. So if you're thinking about your next move, don't just look at the title or the salary bump. Look at the map of who you'll meet, who you'll work with, and who you'll learn from. That's the real long-term value. Luna: And it's something you can start assessing even before you apply. Look at the org chart, see who sits where, and imagine yourself in that web. Lucas: Absolutely. And that's the kind of thinking that turns a lateral move into a strategic one. Because in the end, your network is one of the few assets that appreciates over time—if you invest in it. Luna: Well said. I think a lot of our listeners will find that useful as they consider their own internal moves. Lucas: Thanks for joining us today. We'll be back tomorrow with another angle on making the most of your career from the inside.