Exit a Dead-End Job 4: Transfer Within the Company

This continues our series to help all of you who feel trapped in a dead-end job to find an exit

Warren had worked for the same division for more than 12 years. He started in a branch in a small rural city. He transferred to a branch closer to the corporate headquarters. This transfer gave him greater visibility to headquarter personnel. He received a promotion to the headquarters office because of his great performance. His director passed him over for four promotions in the next 3 years. His career seemed dead-ended in that division, when the director of another division in the same department offered him a promotion. He took the transfer and began his new assent.

Exploring Your Options Within the Company

You may find transferring to another job within your current company allows you to exit a dead-end job. Of course, this option only exists if your current company is big enough to provide transfer opportunities. You do not need to transfer to a promotion. Lateral transfers may provide the new boost you desire.

Remember, you want to explore your options before transferring. Too many people transfer to new positions without understanding enough about the new position to verify they will enjoy it. You want to identify the following information about potential teams or divisions you may transfer into:

• Typical assignments, responsibilities, and tasks performed by the team
• Management, collaboration, and interpersonal styles within the team
• Expected performance and how they measure productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, and quality
• How much time you will use your motivated skills versus skills you don’t enjoy
• Sources of satisfaction and frustration from the other members of the team
• Projects, goals, or challenges they have that you may help them achieve or resolve

Build Relationships Within the Company

You enhance your potential for transfers within the company as you build relationships with members of other teams. I suggest you follow the keys to relationships outlined by Jared and Sarah Stewart in their book City of Influence to build professional relationships at work

Wednesday we demonstrate how you can create new opportunity within existing structure